Turning The Lights Out

Quite a bit to catch up on, and I’m going to work backwards. Played a show at the Forest Folk Club last night, got back around 3am this morning. Learned on the way home that we had got a review in the Independent Newspaper yesterday of the Wath festival show. Very glowing by all accounts which is always nice to get, especially in a national paper.Maybe it was in because Bono edited today’s edition and had a hand in yesterdays! Played in Aberystwyth on Saturday night with a bunch of other Welsh artists including Amy Wadge, The Story’s, the Keys and the Poppies for Autism Cymru. I enjoyed the evening and it was good to give a little help to the great work being done by Hugh Morgan and his team top combat this misunderstood and heart breaking condition. The drive home later through mid Wales under a full moon was beautiful. Had to turn the headlights off and just gaze. Last Thursday was Rob Lacey’s funeral. It was an amazing send off for him. Black was not allowed and it looked more like a wedding. I guess around 700 people showed up and the most moving moment for me was when Rob’s coffin was carried out and the hall burst into applause. We were all asked to write something of a goodbye to Rob on a label, handed a helium filled balloon on the way out and then, after Robs wife Sandra and son Lucas had released theirs, we all let go and 700 balloons floated away with so many heart felt thoughts attached. Quite a send off for a brave man, who will evidently be missed by many. We cannot articulate or calculate these things. We do our best to be meaningful and strong. I think the greatest comfort is not in the promise of whatever may be to come, but in the overwhelming sense that there just has to be more. This cannot all be for nothing. It is written under the moon and the sun. Maybe the light just has to go out so that we can see.