Local shows, this bloody heat

Christmas is a weird one, isn't it? I can't wait for it all year because it's the most magical time of the year, yet I always use it as an achievement benchmark....how much have I achieved this year? That sort of thing. But right now, middle of June, I can't WAIT for Christmas. Not because my achievement stats have been spectacular in 2025 to date (I mean, they've been alright, but there's more to come) but because IT'S SO HOT AND I'D LOVE SOME WINTER BREEZE, PLEASE.

The heat does drag me down, especially as I spend a majority of my working day driving about to lessons all over Cambridgeshire in a car that claims to have air conditioning but, let's be honest, it's lying. I'm really happy with the new course I've written for my students (the wedding drummer one) as it's given them a whole new focus and structure, but the heat was a bit of a battle for all of them. Looking back on the last seven days, they're all proper troopers. 

This time last week we, as a band, were running a 6-hour 'how to be in a band' workshop, as we did this time last year. It was better this time, it felt like we were better prepared for it, and it flew by, with the two bands writing their own material as well as covering a track and then performing it in front of their parents later on. Lovely stuff.

The focus last week was very much on the Cambridge performances of 'No Dreams...' and the final ever performances of 'The Second'. Just the two nights, both totally sold out, was lovely. I'm sad to see 'The Second' go so early; we have a great team on that one (Alex, Nicole, Paul M, Cara, Alan) but the problem with having such a talented bunch is that they're all busy with other stuff, too. It was easier with Little Git last year because there were fewer people involved; diary management is always a mission. Regardless, I always felt the show deserved better in Brighton given the work that had gone into it, we just had very small audiences, but in Cambridge it got the response it deserved. Two cracking performances, ending on a very sweaty high. 'No Dreams...' which is heading to Edinburgh in the summer (and a few other places before then) really settled, too. It feels like I've had this show for a long time already but in reality I wrote it four months ago and it's still new. I keep finding little nuggets in it, and it's becoming a proper nice thing just in time. 

Anyway, back to being angry about the weather, like the true British man I am. 

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