Twoshoes

12 Watch Your Step Robert Parker 21 Moonlight music and you

Came across this fella on the path yesterday, second one water falling over rock edge taken from above

You're right, I guessed as much after searching Rufus Thomas,

I've just checked on a site I found, it doesn't list a gig in Birmingham that's not to say there wasn't one, it does list one at the Top Rank Reading where Thelma Houston does appear as support

Hope this link works, prompted by a question on another thread I tried looking up the Four Tops Tour in 1972 and came across this site, could be of interest as a memory jogger, not sure how it is put together and how extensive it is, I did look up Rufus Thomas and one gig I attended in Manchester wasn't mentioned. It doesn't give full concert details, support acts etc as far as I can see but for someone trying to find a year they saw a particular act the answer might be here. https://www.setlist.fm/search?country=gb&query=Gladys+Knight

I was at the Manchester one, it was in the CIS building, I don't remember it being half full but you could well be right. Al Green didn't appear as he was ill, I'm pretty sure that was why Phillip Mitchell was flown in as a last minute replacement. I do remember being blown away by his energetic performance. Not sure if Rufus was wearing a pink hot pants suit that night or whether that was another gig on the Blues Legends Tour at the Holdsworth Hall also in Manchester around the same time period. I still have half my ticket for the CIS show with Al Green crossed out and Phillip Mitchell written in, think I did that myself. I did see Phillip Mitchell a couple of years later supporting Wilson Picket in a club in Liverpool which was also poorly attended, if memory serves me right there were maybe only 100 people there which surprised us for a man like Wilson. On that night Phillip Mitchell had had an accident and could barely walk ,his set was totally different to the CIS one if memory serves me right, more ballads. I did get a poster signed by both Phillip and Wilson which used to be on the wall leading down in the cellar in our house, to my eternal dismay when we moved house I forgot about the posters ,returning two days later to be told "oh we binned them".

As a tune I actually quite like it, always a sucker for an instrumental, I've had my ears opened to all kinds of stuff watching the Treme box set on Sky which if you can get it is well worth a watch, last episode I watched up popped Irma Thomas and Fats Domino, I've enjoyed spotting the well known(well to us anyway) artists in amongst the local musicians they feature. If you are unaware of it Treme is based around hurricane Catrina in New Orleans and what happened after.

Sad news, wasn't a regular by any means but enjoyed some good nights in the cellar with knowledgeable Dj's playing some marvellous sets, I remember being pleasantly surprised on my first visit to see an old pub mirror sign for Bury Brewery which was literally a hundred yards down the road from where I lived a kid. There could be quite a few developers with burnt fingers after covid as people realise the value of a bit of open space, Manctopia has been an eyeopener and you cannot help but feel sorry for locals being forced out of the area as prices increase.

Betty for me, the whole thing comes across so much more soulful, I do like Sharon's version though but given a choice Betty every time.

This is true, well it was for me anyway, I'd had a season ticket for over ten years for my local lower league club, when my brother died I went to one match after, it just wasn't the same, I know the circumstances are different, I thought I would miss it but very quickly found other things to do on Saturdays and Tuesday nights. I think Steve's right if things don't get to something like normal by October the scene could possibly go underground with word of mouth events if a promoter can find a venue willing to take it on. Slightly different requirement regarding the dancefloor so just tuning up in a disused warehouse etc like the rave scene probably wouldn't work for most. then again maybe talc could become essential . As for the hospitality sector and loss of jobs if it continues as is every day some job or industry seems to crop up that in the everyday run of things you don't think of, only yesterday there was a news item about a company that supplies stages for festivals like Reading and Leeds, the warehouse was full ,the owner said at this time of year all this would be empty, there must be tons of jobs under threat that at the moment are under the radar so to speak. I think the scene will survive in one form or another, the problem is as we all know we've never been in a situation like this in our lifetime and no one can predict what the future holds, as Zoomsoblue says, lets be positive, it's hard enough as it is without thinking about the possibility no more events. Only my opinion but the scene may even come back stronger after the break with people who previously shied away from rare and underplayed having listened to podcasts being more open minded and likewise those tired of the same old finding they have missed some old favourites, to quote Mel and Tim it could well be like "starting all over again gonna be tough but we're gonna make it".

The ones on Scout Moor are the ones opposite me, quite something to stand under them when they either start up or are turning to face the wind. Much as I dislike them they do give some unusual photo opportunities. There is reputedly 9 kilometres of rough road laid between them all, some carbon footprint there.

I've grown to live with them, no choice really, within 1/2 mile at the front of my house and a couple of miles at the back, when they put them up they assured us we wouldn't see them ,first one they built right on the edge of the hill opposite. I love coincidences ,this mornings was two fold, walking by the river I came to the footbridge which crosses a small stream that flows into said river, a lady was approaching from the other side with her dog so I stepped to the side nearer the river bank, I've seen Kingfishers many times in different spots along the river but as I stepped off the path onto the bank I startled what I guess was a pair, one flew directly across to the other bank one down the river, never seen two together before. Walking along the path in the field when glinting in the sunshine was what you see in the photo which I'm guessing can only be from the Kingfisher, agreed not a great photo but a fine coincidence. Keep your eyes open folks you never know what you'll see. Tother two, creepy exposed tree roots and an unusual cloud formation.

some great tracks ,working my way through but had to smile, off topic, at the start of Steve Greens set he called himself a "twat". That brought back a memory, many years ago we had an engineer who used to come up for meetings from Bristol ,in an office full of women talking about a colleague he called him a "twat", as you can imagine the room went silent and he knew he'd said something wrong, "what have I said?", when the women pointed out you can't say that he said well he is an idiot, his face when they explained that "twat "had a totally different meaning up here you can imagine the look on his face. sorry for off topic but it amused me.

Wonderful mix of tunes Mal, hope I enjoy the Stem Ginger cake I was making whilst listening as much as the music.

Enjoyed that Russ, really nice mix, put a couple on the ever growing wants list

Looking a bit greener now and less spooky,

Sorry I should have said, the photos in the Plunge were taken in the early stages of lockdown in late March, quite a few of the trees are actually dead, the horseshoe one was the only one from yesterdays walk.

First proper walk out yesterday, I thought the Horseshoe thank you was rather special, photo doesn't do it justice , the fallen tree and tree roots are in a local beauty spot as is the picture of the picnic bench and stream. Whether it is the effect of global warming I not I'm not informed enough to say but for as long as I can remember the stream was always to the right of the trees until a few years ago when from seemingly nowhere the stream was in regular flood until it as you see it now, there are land slips and an ever widening stream when you get to the fallen tree point. The picnic bench itself is also a sign of the times, when they first put it there it was a wooden one, it lasted about three weeks before vandals built fires underneath it and burnt it to the ground. They then put in this stone and flag one obviously thinking you cant break this one, it lasted about a month before the flag seat was smashed never to be replaced and who can blame them. I'm hoping that something good will come of the Covid lockdown in respect of the number of families I see passing my door out walking, hopefully the parents are instilling in their children a love and respect of the countryside.

Had a few through the door during lockdown, a few freebies from mates, a mix of this and that FAYE ROSS FAITH HOPE AND TRUST JOE SIMON WHOLE LOTTA LOVIN HOWARD TATE BABY I LOVE YOU DOLORES LYNN THE BIG SEARCH IS ON LJ REYNOLDS WHAT'S A MATTER BABY CLYDIE KING 'BOUT LOVE RAY CHARLES SOMETHING ON MY MIND SMAUEL MOORE I'M SO JEALOUS JOHNNY NASH I'M LEAVIN MARV JOHNSON THE MAN WHO DON'T BELEIVE IN LOVE GLORIA GAYNOR SHE'LL BE SORRY THE FLAMIGOES I KNOW BETTER TONY CLARKE THE FUGITIVE KIND THE DELLS WHEN I'M IN YOUR ARMS DOUG PHILLIPS YOU REALLY KNOW HOW TO HURT A GUY JIMMY HUGHES YOU REALLY KNOW HOW TO HURT A GUY (DIFFERENT RECORD) ANN PEEBLES I DIDN'T TAKE YOUR MAN INTRUDERS A NICE GIRL LIKE YOU BRENDA PARKER HELP ME FIND MR GOOD MAN GWEN McCRAE I CAN ONLY THINK OF YOU ANNETTE SNELL IT'S ALL OVER NOW JOHNNY LYTLE BIG BILL LORD LARGE SUN IN THE SANDS LEON HUFF AINT JIVIN (BIG BAND MIX)

Terrible news, there must be many like me who won't associate the name Triska with Skippy which is in itself a tribute to a wonderful kind lady, simply to be known and loved as Skippy . Rarely in my life have I felt as I do this morning at the passing of someone who I knew only from short conversations we had usually when she was taking her photos. Our hearts are a little heavier this morning, condolences to Pete and family and her many close friends, RIP lovely lady Billy and Lou

Thank you, the stretch of water you see in the photo is all there is, the farmer created a pond some years ago and for some reason has filled it in leaving what amounts to a large puddle, they must be fit little buggers saw them this afternoon following mum from the other side of the field heading for their afternoon float

Drew back the bedroom curtains this morning to see the duck that's been in the field for the last few months being followed by a line of Ducklings, wish I could have taken a video of the ducks passing one of the lambs and the way it's head went to and fro as each duckling passed it by. There is a small pool of water in the corner of the field where they were headed which is where I took the photo, second one as they exited the water, wonder what the lamb is thinking...

Thank you Steve, coming from you that's quite a compliment, I'm slowly moving away from the auto settings and getting to grips with the manual features but not being of a technical nature I find it hard to remember even the basics but I'm getting there.

Last night was one of those times I wished I knew more about the getting the correct camera settings quickly, my cameras not the best but I have got better with it, looked out of the front window last night as the sun was setting around the back and the windmills had turned a shade of pink as they do under the right conditions when this red rainbow appeared briefly, never seen anything like it before in the 40yrs I've lived in this house, it's not the best picture, one thing I've learnt over the years is some things only last moments then they're gone, by the time I got the camera out and went outside the light had faded and the sunset rainbow had all but faded in the gloom.