On Monday night accompanied by the lovely Fiona, I had a really good evening at the Singaround in the Royal Oak Butterknowle. I did not intend to play because I was feeling a bit achy from practising harmonica earlier on but the Corner Boys roped me in on a couple of songs and lent me a harmonica. The musicians were really great and entertaining and it does surprise me that considering most of us are in our late 50s and some even older than that, no names mentioned, but everyone continues to improve.

I particularly enjoyed the Corner Boys not least because for some strange reason they had a load of reverb on the PA setting and it made them sound really good in terms of sound quality. I hope they continue to do that. Great and really authentic are the Corner Boys and I hope they do a CD. Personally I would like to record them because I know I could get the tone right for their great authentic music. Lashings of reverb for that "Time out of Mind" sound that Dylan did. Just an opinion?

One of the guys I really enjoyed was Jimmy Nellis and his warbling tones really grabbed me and sent me somewhere else in much the same way that Paul Ruane does and Julie McGrath. Mr Nellis though plays very modern songs and I really like that. I look forward to hearing him again.

I did my wailing and flailing bit on the harmonica,  Fiona took a really nice carrot cake as well and Heather Cummings made her excellent meat pie. The Royal Oak chips were really good as well. Great night.

Oh yes, Button Hole Jam are really getting into vocal harmonies and that is a really good and interesting direction for them to go in.