HW: Hawkwalk on Saturday 29th August

[Keith Henderson]

Jill wrote...

> Looks like there is going to be a
> Hawkwalk on Saturday morning - not an official event but the
> guy doing it seems very organised and he has written an
> extensive set of historical notes to be found here:
> http://www.starfarer.net/hawkwalk.pdf

Thanks for posting that link.  I've now got a colour copy in front of me, and it looks very cool, though I haven't spent the time to go through the actual text and story.  Great 'then and now' photos at least.

Anyway, more to the point, I have gathered that indeed some folks are going to meet at 11 AM on Saturday morning outside the Notting Hill Gate tube station (where the guided walk starts), and walk along the route to get to Porchester Hall.  But I have yet to find the official announcement that Jill alludes to, and I fould referenced at the Yahoo list as being something that was up on the Starfarer Forum page.  Well, I can't find the Forum page, so that is part of the problem.  But I gather that the author and walking tour designer, Jim Skinner (aka JimSki) will be there to guide the tour himself.  So count me in...hope to see some of you there.

I don't know what boc-l folk were intending re: the usual preshow pub meet-up, but I figure it won't be such an issue this time, since the doors open at 14:00.  I mean, I like having a beer as much as the next guy, but starting around Noon seems like I should be thinking about a 12 step programme instead of space rock history.  But in case the walking tour ends up earlier than I would have thought, such that there is just way too much time to stand around and wait for doors to open (where I imagine wonderful ales will be available via these Hawkfest caterers...right?!), well maybe I'll head to the pub after all, even if just to have a place to sit.  Somebody at Yahoo HW suggested this Cock and Bottle place just a little ways west of Porchester on Westbourne Grove.  Is that where folks here are going to go?

So...I haven't been writing much here lately, sorry to lurk, but I have been wandering aimlessly (der ziellose Weltbummler bin ich immer noch) though the wilds of Scania (Skåne/Schonen) for the last two months to the tune of 900 km with a 22-25 kg load (dh, mein Scheckenhaus), and internet access there is tough to come by.  I lost a couple stone in the last months, so I look rather much thinner than normal, but I shaved off the greybeard so I should still be recognisable to most.

I am staying in London for a few more days after the Saturday gig, as I wanted to take the opportunity to catch Nektar again.  They are playing at the Borderline on the 2nd, for only 12 quid.  And I will go check out the Oliver-Dawson version of Saxon that is playing at Camden Town Bridgefest on Sunday night, just because.  Rodrigo y Gabriela are playing in London same night as Nektar, but it is sold out anyway, so I didn't have to make that hard choice.  And as it turns out, dumb luck has befallen me, because during the otherwise tedious layover between my flight to the US (JFK New York) on the 16th of Sept. and my overnight bus ride to central Pennsylvania, I will have the opportunity to walk a mere 12 blocks north of the Port Authority in Manhattan to see Rodrigo y Gabriela on stage there at Terminal 5.  Awesome.

For those that are unfamiliar with this amazing acoustic guitar duo from Mexico City (transplanted to Dublin these days), you just have to hear to believe.  Check em out on rodgab.com or their MySpace page.  They were formerly in a heavy metal band, so that influence is underlying their otherwise 'all-acoustic' music.  (They often cover Metallica songs in concert and even on album...also Stairway to Heaven, but not in any traditional way.)  But really, just the fact that their playing is so intense and innovative is enough to knock your socks off.

So hope to see lots of you at Porchester Hall.  (JonJ...are you going to be there Sat?)

Grakkl

ObCD:  dredg - Catch Without Arms (melodic, and even poppy at times, but still powerful energetic progressive music...new one is not bad either)

P.S.  To whoever went to Beautiful Days...are they still doing Mirror of Illusion and/or Infinity?  Would love to hear both on Sat.