Monday 27 May 2013

Aston woods


 I thoroughly recommend a walk in Aston woods at this time of year.  They are absolutely beautiful with the bluebells and rhodadendrons.
Photos don't do it justice really.

Sunday 12 May 2013

Glastonbury Astonbury. The Friday night review.

2 names for 2 festivals.  The same apart from 2 letters, and the fact they both had music but the similarity ends there.  One is famed for mud, camping, outside stages, stone circles and various hippy type stuff.  The other took place in a church or a village hall and served tea.  Ordinary tea which you get from a supermarket, not tea made with herbs or mushrooms or whatever.  Well I don't know about the Saturday, but the Friday concert which took place in the church was definately not like Glastonbury.  Not that it mattered.  It had it's own character and charm.

Apparently this has been one of the most well attended Astonburys ever. The church was almost full to capacity.  This could be due to there being a lot of childrens acts performing.  The panto kids and teenagers sang some songs from the panto.  Aston school choir sang too.  Kathy Razzell did a showcase of her music students, my personal favourite being the one who did the Monty Python theme tune. Dan Jefferies played his guitar and sang some songs.  He is a confident, natural performer who was completely comfortable in front of the crowd. If he keeps going the way he is I can see him joining the next big boy band when he's a bit older.

Of the adults to name a few, we had Joe Nutman on his keyboard, Alison Hurt and Luke Fitchett (They did both nights), and Tony Luke, our vicar.  He has a really great singing voice.  He got as far as boot camp once on the x-factor you know.  Oh and some hand bell ringers.  They were surprisingly good.

Most of the acts were people from the village or nearby and did short slots. They were all quality acts and it showed that Aston definately does have talent.

The church was toasty warm, much warmer than on a Sunday I hate to say.  (Not that I want to put anyone off going to church on a Sunday.  In winter wear a good coat and sit somewhere in the middle and its usually not too bad.  In the summer it's pleasantly cool ).  They put the side heaters on as well as the middle ones.