Hi all – just back from a few days working at the Cropredy Festival – it’s been going for 40 years or more and Fairport Convention play there EVERY year – mmmmmm……well………

It was very friendly but I found it so weird after the usual festivals I go to – it’s enormous with nearly 20,000 punters but there’s only one stage so no choice of music. I couldn’t stand most of it but I really enjoyed seeing Steve Winwood and Dreadzone. Some of the rest was dreary folk music (of course this is only MY opinion ha ha).

I was working on a stall called Goodies From the Gambia which sells lovely African clothing and fabrics – I’d never done this kind of work before and it was tiring but really fun.

Here’s a picture of me, Peter and Pa outside the stall:

I’m wearing one of the dresses we were selling and I think they’re lovely and each one is slightly different as they’re all hand-dyed and hand made.

Now we’ve got a couple of days at home then we’re off to help organise the main event of the summer – a five day drumming summer school in Somerset – we’ll be there for about 10 days in the van and a couple of days in Bristol first. Will be loads of work but should be fun.

More photos! Here

Ok – so I’ve decided that I’ll only blog here from now on. It seems stable, easy to use and very much the old friendly feel of Efx and I’m fed up with constantly cutting and pasting. I’ll not delete Efx2 or Vox so they’ll be there if I need them but I’ll only be here for the near future so do subscribe to this one if you haven’t and you want to keep track (click the orange RSS icon top right).

I’ve just got back after a few days in Bristol going to my best friend’s birthday party. I played a set with Paddy there and there was a good Latin band afterwards with dancing in the garden – miraculously the weather stayed very warm and pleasant – it’s been raining nearly incessantly in recent weeks.

This week we’re going to be working on a friend’s African goods stall at Cropredy Festival – mainly folk music I think – then going to a wedding on Saturday.

Then next week we’re off to Bristol with the vans to prepare for ABC – African Beats Camp which we’re helping to organise. I’m really looking forward to it though it’ll be hard work as we’ll be crewing – it’ll be at least 10 days on the road so should be fun.

OK….so, looking forward to concentrating on this blog only.

How wonderful to see the new features – especially “friends” back on Efx3! Thanks to Pixie and whoever else is doing this work behing the scenes.

I like the social nature of “The Wire” for quick messages to friends etc and being able to see who has posted recently etc.

So…. breathing new life into the place feels great and I for one appreciate it.