So last nights gig supporting the Smoke Fairies in Nantwich was a curious affair. It started a little ominously as I somehow lost my bank card on the way up and arrived a little flustered. Playing in the very old Crown Hotel – one of the oldest surviving buildings in this old roman market town, built on salt mining – there was alas nowhere to get changed or practice, nor time to get something to eat so I explored the pleasingly uneven floors and found myself in a small and all pink janitors closet. It had a bit of a David Lynch vibe to it which only contributed to the sense that I had come a long way to parts unknown. So focusing all my energy (see concentration face) I went out and played to the very nice Words & Music Festival audience. I don’t know quite how it went down, perhaps the chat was a little much, but I gave it everything and met some great people after the show.

The Smoke Fairies played a rocking show, all noir-y blues rock with harmonised vocals and serious faces. The crowd loved it and brought them on for two encores. They did roaring trade at the merch stand as I rather enviously looked on, and we managed to have a tiny and slightly awkward chat about how they hadn’t heard my set, but their manager and I realised we both know the Smugglers record lot and that was cool.

Chris and Annie very kindly put me up, we talked owls, ate cheese on toast, slept for 6 hours and then they dropped me back at the train station to climb into the iron horse for another early morning journey south.

Big thanks to Nigel Stonier and Thea Gilmore who organise Words & Music Festival for inviting me and all the super friendly volunteers who make these kind of events what they are. Onwards!