I saw the Decemberists last year. This year, the ABC2 had been replaced by the ABC and Brother Phil had been replaced with Big Scott. Also in that time, Picaresque and been replaced with The Crane Wife (should we interchange replaced and upgraded? – your call).

16 Military Wives replaced The Mariner’s Revenge Song as official crowd panto sing a long with the band… which we did, and we were darn fine and pleasantly in chune. Not giving too much away, but some mid-gig calisthenics proved popular with my back and calves! Could this gig-gym or concert-cardio be the next level of fitness and popular culture™ all in one handy night out?

[last year’s girl] has slightly more. Why do people go to gigs and devote the entire time to catching up on the weeks news with their pals, or to making out with their partner? Secondly, why do they think it necessary to form a siege like boundary around me?

The band were superb. So much fun! The set was mostly drawn from The Crane Wife which makes sense, interspersed with a generous lashing of older favourites. Go see!

Just a wee aside or two:

• The ABC has the biggest mirrorball in the world ever!™ it looks like a prop from early Battlestar Galactica or something…
• The support band, Lavendar Diamond. Well, two observations.

1. Was she quirky or on acid?
2. In a record shop we decided we’d file under Religious/Inspirational.

Whilst I am rambling… did anyone play count the instruments game? or even name that instrument! quite an ensemble! Also, if they have so many instruments, why only let the head roadie bring them out? why not let the trainee-apprentice-roadie lend a hand, rather than test the same mic 17 times?