Driving down

a country lane in Sussex. 

Sitting on the shore

waiting for the sea

to rust away the chains.

The woodburner at Dalston Curve Garden

was started by Michael Sebastian, his pink guitar and many loops

continued by James Riley

and brought to an end by Gnawa Blues All Stars

who got the people up on their feet and dancing. 

After seeing

 The Darts

 Plain Sails

and North Parade at the Monarch

I came back in time to listen to the Mangrove Steel band practice for the carnival. 

With a little help from my concert going friends

 I discovered a new music venue, the spiritual bar where I saw Morten Lava

 Izzie Yardley (for the second time this week)

 Simeon (who I saw once before (I think it was round the corner from here, at The Monarch))

and in the end there was an open mic for anyone to come up and play some music, do some spoken word, recite poetry or do some comedy and this guy came up and played a few songs for us, unfortunately I don't know his name).

Met some friends at the Monarch

 and we saw (and listened to obvs.) Matt Maynard

 Goodies (not The Goodies from the telly, but this is just their drummer of the photo)

and Khatroum - only showing you the singer/guitarist on this blog (at least I hope I got them all right)

It was the 14th of the month again

 and we walked, silently, down Ladbroke Grove, into the late summer silent evening

 and afterwards I went to the Monarch to set my mind free and listen to some Moon Balloon (I chose to show you the bass player of the band, because I feel whimsical today and because I can)

 and the Beach for Tiger (the drummer, for reasons why him and not anyone else from the band, see above)

and Voksal (need I explain?)

Happy Birthday Miri!

(There is Joe's special cake somewhere underneath those flames)

 (and you even entertained us on your birthday)

together with your ever present partner in crime

Minnie Birch

Izzie Yardley

Tom Craven

and Chloe Hawes

Trying to distract myself

with I am HER at my local Rough Trade,

 Lara Smiles

 Artificially Yours

 Pete Kosanovich

 Model Society

and Sam Eagle & The Lemon Lizards at the Monarch 

I caught

 the guitarist/singer of Big Peyote during a pensive moment

 The guitarist/singer of Rival Karma in an energetic moment (but to be fair he has a lot of them)

 one of the fans in a 'let your hair down' moment

and the singer/guitarist of Romances in a guitar-less moment.

Some of the joy

of taking photographs is lost when the camera is no longer reliable, but I still took a few photos of Daria Kulesh

and Allison Sleator at their concert at the Green Note.