One lion

When we went for a wander through Nottingham city centre before the concert yesterday afternoon we were surprised to find a huge Christmas Market, complete with Big Wheel, Skating Rink etc. all in full swing. (Actually the Big Wheel wasn’t going round - too windy I suspect!) We wondered how it could be so big and all be paved. 

This morning we realised that Nottingham has a large, open, pedestrian city square - Old Market Square - the largest such square in the UK. So that’s how they can accommodate such an impressive Christmas Market and Fair. The eastern end of the square is dominated by the Council House, the steps of which are guarded by two stone lions. My blip is today - the Extra is the same place last night. 

We made the journey home without any problems. It was so enjoyable to travel by train and, even with the issue yesterday, it was far preferable to driving. We are determined to use the Settle Carlisle route from Appleby more - the station is only five minutes away. 


Some thoughts about the concert last night (ignore if there is too much to read it’s more me thinking things through than anything else)


The Concert last night was wonderful, a magical evening - a one off. Seckou Keita, on the kora, played his own African Rhapsodies with the BBC Concert Orchestra. I have the album they made and have played it many times, so I recognised the pieces, but so good to watch him playing and the orchestra blending with him. Then cellist Ayanna Witter-Johnson joined him and played, and sang, with Seckou, and on her own, and with the orchestra - what a musician, an electrifying presence on stage. Later Konya Kanneh-Mason played a lovely piano piece (funny how the grand piano only just fit on the crowded stage!), a piece composed by her sister Isata, who was in the audience Then followed some exhilarating music-making involving all of these musicians and more, including double bassist Davide Mantovani, a great character, and brilliant percussionist Sunou Susso. Seckou obviously has a huge following in the area and his warmth and joy in working with others, made for a highly-charged atmosphere. The reception by the packed audience was enthusiastic beyond measure. I feel privileged to have been there and so pleased that I took a chance and booked (excellent) seats so long ago, not knowing how we were going to get there, but knowing that we needed to be there.  

In Seckou’s words: "Put these fabulous musicians alongside the amazing crowd of my adopted hometown of Nottingham and we will have a truly special, never-to-be-repeated evening together."