The Flying Tumblers

*Composer boasting alert*

If you missed The Fringe, Fame And Me on BBC - it's here.

If you missed War And Justice: The Case Of Marine A on Channel 4 directed by Stephen Bennet - here is the link.

And hooray for Half Past Midnight from my Hamilton Mausoleum Suite album popping up on Hannah Peel's Night Tracks on BBC Radio 3. Link is - wait for it -  *here*

*Composer boasting alert ends*

Finished final episode of The Detectorists. Loved it all over again. Looking forward to its return as a one-off special.

Farewell and thank you, Raymond Briggs.

Louise Lockwood's film for BBC stands as a beautiful tribute.

And farewell, Olivia. 

When I was wee she was the one that I wanted...

This:

...is a dark, rollicking read:

"Blue was a yapping terrier of a man, short and wiry and ferocious, with a sandy moustache to match his sandy hair. He come in holding his arms like a man who'd taken a correspondence course in judo, so Parker stuck out his right hand for Blue to play games with..."

And now for some hilarious, delightful daughter-to-father holiday banter:

"Look out, everyone! There's a big fat whale in the middle of the swimming pool!"

Ah, kids...

Teenage Fanclub just played a festival in the beautiful village of Laguardia. We stayed in Logroño. A city that is well lubricated.

On the night before the show we ate delicious pinchos and sipped nice wine an' that - in the vicinity of Calle Laurel.

Threatening a photographer with a bottle.

Next morning/early afternoon we sound-checked. It was hot. To paraphrase Dave McGowan you could have friend an egg on my cymbals.

Some Laguardia sky recently.

I headed to downtown Logroño, the scene of the previous night's crime, for lunch...

Soupy rice squid shrimp thing (delicious)

I know, I know.

Melon cheesecake. Plus sauce.

The co-cathedral of Santa Maria de la Redonda looks nice from the outside.

Apparently it boasts a painting by Michelangelo. But it was closed. Instead here's my sketch of Michelangelo from a portrait by Daniele da Volterra (he typed as if he knew anything about Daniele da Volterra)... 

I visited La Rioja Museum:

"Yes I'm fine posing in profile. Why?"

From the studio of El Greco

The gig was a hoot. Viva España!

We were given some local produce...

Wine? I'm easy-osy...

Waiting in the check-in queue at Santander airport before flying home I muse that if I were to form my own acrobatic group I'd call it The Flying Tumblers.

And still I sketch.

Here's a little thing I like to call Madonna About To Batter Absolute F*ck Out Of Someone:

And here's some more...

Hasta pronto x