It was motorway mayhem all evening! Rob and I are a trustworthy pair and so, when the message came from our respective wives that the M25 was chocca both ways, we scrambled early for our long anticipated trip to Maidenhead Folk Club; we did not want to be late! Maps were scrutinised with military precision and a back route found. We met early, we got a move on, we drove at the maximum speed permitted, and we arrived about an hour before the organisers even got to the venue. So, we had lots of time for catching up and planning.
The evening went well. It was interesting to see the club in its new venue, a nice room in a suburban pub. Gone was the luxury of a separate room at the old Seven Stars in Knowle Hill but the leakage of sound from the neighbouring bar didn’t detract from the evening. Everyone seemed in good spirits and the banter was good.
Maidenhead Folk Club is very friendly and has some fine players in it. At specific points in the evening an impromptu house band would start up and play some excellent tunes. There were also some fine floorspots including some lovely harmony singing form the MC for the night and his partner.
Our sets seemed to go down well and our new song, Navajos and Pirates, was commented on particularly by a number of those there – which was most gratifying. IT is becoming a firm favourite in the repertoire.
So, for us it was another lovely evening on the road. Oops! I shouldn’t say that. As it turned out our presumption that the constipation on the M25 might have cleared by the time we had finished at the club proved utterly unfounded. Homeward bound, we made our way to the M4, only to be turned back, unable to join. So, we went cross country to the M40 only to be turned off that before reaching the M25 – which meant we had to retrace our steps along our back way. I can tell you, as driver that night, enjoyed my glass of beer when I reached home – (sod the cocoa)!