Woodend Barn

Great evening last night at Woodend Barn - Beth Nielsen Chapman is such a natural performer - and a great songwriter too. She was able to create a wonderful atmosphere - not only when singing, but also the way she chatted in between.

The support act (http://www.emilysmith.org/) was very good in a traditional Scots folk style, but there was a huge step up in class when Beth got on stage. There's lots of her stuff on You Tube - but this is a snippet of the end of one of her best known songs - I Find Your Love:

Francis even got a mention - Beth is staying at Shannaburn this weekend. Fiona and Beth met up at Celtic Connections in Glasgow a couple of years and have kept in touch since. Fiona made her cameo appearance which she prefaced with the story of how she went to Ellis Island and was struck by the tales of the many Scots emigrants to USA who turned up with all their possessions in a trunk - or "kist" - the germ of a new song, which Beth finished off and they both sang beautifully last night:

As well as the Kilgours, the McWhinnies and Sharps were also there last night and we went back to John and Joan's for coffee and a look at their huge new conservatory/extension.

It's another stunning day today - but freezing cold. I've got the thermals on for the trip to Pittodrie this afternoon with Ross and Gary - looks like a good day for football. Jo has gone down to Ballater for an Advent festival/celebration with Anne, Johanne and Myra.

Songs featuring London are pretty easy, aren't they? There's lots of them - some a bit better known than Gary's include Streets of London (Ralph McTell), Werewolves of London (Warren Zevon), Waterloo Sunset (Kinks) and London Calling (Clash) - the latter group also had lots of other songs featuring London boroughs - Brixton, Hammersmith etc.