Christmas Eve.

o

 

Christmas Eve and I’m driving – in Staines I can see all the pubs are rammed full. Passing ‘The Hob’ there are bouncers everywhere. The Police are prowling but I’m on my way to The Barley Mow, Shepperton for a bit of Rock and Roll, a bit of soul, some blues.

I’m spending Christmas Eve with ‘Sunset Boulevard’ and I’m not alone either – it’s solid inside.

 

 

There was a first set with a lot of Blues, some Ray Charles, Rory Gallagher. There was soul from Percy Sledge and James Brown and some Rock and Roll in the second half.

 

It’s not my music but I was looking for a fun evening and I found it.

There is nothing, but nothing, like dancing to ‘C’est La Vie said the old folks it goes to show you never can tell’, played slow and with an air of Tarantino menace.

 

 

It’s a six piece band but that’s subject to changes – usually when one of the band has a proper paying job. So, tonight the brass section was short by one, but there were still six, so I could be wrong.

Then we had a guest drummer for a couple of numbers and a guest pianist. Then in the interval there was a trio playing the country/blues end of Rock and Roll with acoustic guitar and electric fiddle. The fiddler kept guesting through the second house. By my count that’s ten for the price of six.

That was a whole lot of fun and just what I needed to start my ‘stay at home’, no Christmas Christmas.

I’m driving home at midnight enjoying the lights on peoples houses. Back in Staines they are fighting on the high street while the police are arriving in strength. I cruise on quietly past.

Are you ready for tomorrow morning? I am.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)