Mill Hill Music Festival - Dear Diary Day 2

First a quick note for those of you who haven't followed the blog over the weekend. This week is the BiAnnual Mill Hill Music Festival. My life this week is all about running sound systems at the festival, so for the week, this is my festival diary. I really want to focus on music this week and not get wrapped up in the other stuff I usually blog about. I hope you find it interesting. If you don't sorry - normal service will be resumed Monday week.

So day 2 is over, this was our most full on day. 4 events, all totally different at 4 different venues. First up, a trip to the Three Hammers for the Fathers day Jazz Lunch. My involvement, dole out a few leaflets and talk to a few punters. A good crowd. The Ian Bramald Dixieland Jazz Band are a fairly self contained outfit. The gig was free to enter and rather popular with the local OAP's. The crowd enjoyed a pleasant day in the sun, listening to some good music. As ever with this gig, we always get a few compliments, from people who can't get out as much as they'd like. Half way through, I crossed the road, to help get Maiko Mori's piano recital going at Belmont School. A very different crowd of music lovers. I only caught the first couple of numbers, but she is a truly inspiring player. I feel I must say something here about one of our team, Lesley Evans, who's husband Richard has been in the news of late. Lesley runs the bars (Richard has in past years helped out). It wouldn't be right for me to say anything about the case here, but I asked Lesley how Richard was and we had a brief chat about the situation he finds himself in. I just cannot believe that the way his case has been covered by the press is right or fair. I don't subscribe to Richards brand of politics, but even if he is completely exhonourated, his name has been dragged through the mud. We have a tradition of innocence until proven guilty. If your name is plastered all over the press, your reputation trashed and your family traumatised, how can that be fair, if you have been found guilty of nothing? When the case has been heard and the verdict given, we can make our judgement, based on the evidence, until then, we should leave him alone. The story should be that he's been suspended full stop. I just feel very sorry for him, his wife and his children and hope that he is treated with a modicum of decency pending the outcome of the investigations.

The third concert was the Choral Evenson & the London Single reed clarinet orchestra. I missed this, but Mrs T tells me it was a great success. I then went over to The Adam & Eve pub to set up the rig for the good old boys. I was there from 3pm till Midnight. The band were awesome, a mix of great classic rock tracks from the 50's 60's & 70's. There was a good crowd. When Nick Semper, a former member of the Classic Deep Purple line up compliments you for getting a great sound, it all seems worth while. The rest of the band were pretty tasty players as well. When you have great players, who understand the dynamics of a live gig, being a sound guy is the most rewarding job in the world. It is a strange job because you know you've done a good job when no one notices you. I guess it makes dull blogging to say they are all nice guys and it went well. There you go.