Jools Holland

I tried to post this yesterday but blogger was having a spiteful moment and wouldn't allow it...So here you are! Enjoy!

Now I may be poor but when someone offers you the chance to go and be part of the audience at a Jools Holland TV recording, it's not something you turn down.

Tuesday afternoon saw me leaving work early, half running to the train station only to get there early anyway. A train to London, giving me enough time to discuss plot lines for Doctor Who, paint my nails and have a small nap before arriving at Waterloo. From there it was straight to the BBC Studios.

Now, for a southerner like I, who until December had never been further north than London, anything that usually remains within a TV screen is fairly exciting. We joined the queue of people forming outside the BBC, and were rather pleased we arrived about an hour early...within 10 minutes the queue had doubled with people gathering behind us. Apparently more people are invited than there are spaces for so we were fortunate to be further to the front than most.

Inside, or perhaps firstly more importantly outside, there is a giant Tardis, poster of Matt Smith and big BBC blocks...Yes, we did take tourist type photos...but lots of other people did too so I don't feel too ashamed!

We grabbed a drink and milled about inside waiting for the okay to enter the studio. By this point our excitement had reached new highs and consequently our speech was in nothing but high squeaks and the occasional flap of hands.

And so, we saw...

The Arctic Monkeys

Randy Newman

Gappy Ranks

Warpaint

Alison Krauss

and Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys...

Oh and of course, Jools Holland!

The whole thing was a little surreal, the music quality was beyond astounding. I may not know my technical details but it sounded phenomenal, and even though reggae or country aren't really my kind of thing, it was just such an exciting opportunity and so enjoyable! Was rather fun to have a bit of a cheeky dance too.

I think the highlight, as much as it was good to see Arctic Monkeys and I loved Warpaint, was by far, Brian Wilson. A member of The Beach Boys, singing classics such as Good Vibrations and California Girls. His last time in the UK, it really was a once in a lifetime experience.

With so much listening pleasure, it all passed a tad too quickly, but four hours on your feet is a tad draining so by the time we returned toWaterloo it was time for a bagel and a very large cup of tea.

 

And then, outside the bagel stand a bearded man announces to me that he designed my dress. You assume that such a claim would be false but on hearing all of the finer details of shop, buying time and price you begin to be a little suspicious that this man knows rather too much about women's fashion than is usual or healthy for a man in his 60s... Anyway, with business card in hand I trundle off, get chatted up by the sales person in WHSmiths (who chats girls up by commenting on their choice of Coke and Oasis!?!!) and jump on the train to head home.

Turns out the guy I met is indeed a famous designer of women's close and owns a huge fashion house. Ridiculous!

So yes, that was my evening, it also involved seeing Carol Vorderman, and Marcus Mumford (and possibly another one?!) as well as getting home at 3am and being up at 7am for work.

That's probably the highlight of my week...just probably...

Check out the BBC on Friday night and see if you can find me and my lovely ginger friend in the audience!

xxx