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Costa Rica

Posted on by Jackie B

My epic trip is finally here! I’m planning to post a daily (or almost daily) diary here so you can follow my Costa Rican adventure

Day One: The: Journey

Up at 3am,picked up by daughter at 4am, we got to Newcastle Airport for an internal flight to London Heathrow. Daughter very kindly came in and helped me check in, incurring vast car parking charges but all went smoothly.

I had booked travel assistance and was taking my small folding scooter, which has aircraft compliant lithium batteries. Daughter and I said goodbyes and I went through security to get to departures. I was delighted to bump into an old work colleague so it was fun to catch up for a short time before we got to our gates. The assistance had worked very well and I had help with my scooter and bags both in the airport and onto the plane. The flight left on time and soon I was in Terminal Five at Heathrow.

Here I made contact with one of the staff from Limitless Travel who I am travelling with for the next almost 2 weeks we agreed to meet in departures. This company specialises in travel for people with disabilities. All the staff accompanying their trips are trained carers and will provide personal care packages for customers who need them. All accommodation, transport and excursions are fully checked as being 100% accessible. I have found in the past that things described as accessible are not so it’s been nice not to have to do a load of checking in advance.

The group on this trip comprises seven customers and three staff. It took us ages to board because of the number of disabled people requiring the aircraft lift. The travel assistance staff were great though, very helpful. Once I was on board I was delighted to find that I had a bulkhead seat with loads of legroom. Throughout my 11 hour flight, I enjoyed the company of a couple sat next to me who enjoyed a visit to Costa Rica last year so much that they were returning.

Two films some knitting and reading and several aircraft meals later we arrived in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica . Once again it took ages to unload us all and it was dark so the short drive to the hotel revealed very little of a view

This is my room for the next couple of days at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel. It’s vast !

This is the bathroom .

I’ve been provided with a shower stool so everything is fully accessible for me

I got a call inviting me to join the rest of the group for dinner and I’m glad I did this despite hesitating as I was so tired. . It was nice to meet them all properly even though I was nodding off into my club sandwich. Before long I went to bed before much longer and woke up to this view….

Day Two: Around San Jose

This is the view from my room.

Opposite the hotel there is a small park with Acacia and mimosa trees.

At nine I met with the rest of the group for breakfast: an interesting mixture of international and a few local specialities: cheese stuffed tortillas, rice and beans and tomatoes in a salsa. after breakfast I checked out the pool.

After that we explored the area around the hotel . leading a small convoy comprising a power chair, two manual wheelchairs and three scooters is no mean feat but our lovely team did an amazing job with great good humour. There were several hazards for those of us on wheels. First of all there are lots of ruts in the pavements. Then there are the storm drains these are deep open gullies that run along the edge of roads. We had to navigate between the bridges that cross these drains to get about and get across roads.

It wasn’t all bad though I was absolutely bowled over bye the kindness of the Costa Rican people. Random strangers would come over and stop the traffic on busy roads so we could cross easily.

We stopped for awhile and a little park which had at the centre a magnificent tree. It had some fascinating aerial roots and there were Bromeliads growing on the branches.

Several of the plants in the park I recognised as house plants from home, including this Monstera or Swiss Cheese Plant that was growing up the side of the large tree

These looked like air plants

We returned to the hotel to meet our guide and driver and board our accessible bus to travel to the heart of. San Jose

Our guide pointed out several interesting buildings along the way, including the former army headquarters and the parliament building

We then visited the Jade museum which houses of vast collection of ancient artefacts any of which had been returned to Costa Rica having languished in museums in other countries for many years

Although Jade has been found in Guatemala and Honduras the role material has never been found in Costa Rica which would indicate ancient trade with central American neighbours . The Jade items were absolutely beautiful and intricately worked. I particularly love this Jaguar claw.

Animals particularly predators like the Jaguar and the crocodile well often depicted on these items as a symbol of power. There were also many items carved out of stone some,

Several items were believed to have been used in shamanic healing rituals.

It was a truly fascinating insight into ancient Costa Rica.

We returned to the hotel with time to rest before dinner when most of us decided to try the cocktails

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Altered Images

Posted on by Jackie B

The Grove, Byker, Newcastle. 16 September 2026

The second gig that week was in a venue I’d never been to before. The Grove is in a development of small industrial units in Newcastle’s Byker area. There’s level access into the buillding, which includes a bar, a kitchen serving fast food. a smaller cocktail bar, a music venue and an outside courtyard with a massive tv screen on one wall. I can imagine this must have been great watching this summer’s World Cup matches – I think they also screen movies.

When I enquired about access I was able to secure one of two wheelchair spaces plus free carer ticket. Sure enough, there is a tiny railed off viewing platform to the left of the door into the venue and a seat with my name on. A, who was with me was offered a chair to go behind me.

The staff were really helpful too. Although there is no designated disabled parking, the staff member on the outside door advised me to park by the adjacent industrial unit as it had closed for the day. For everyone else there were a couple of steps down into the space so we had great uninterrupted views of the stage. It is tiny – capacity 350, and reminiscent of another iconic Newcastle venue, the Cluny.

Is it me or are support acts getting better? I’ve seen some great ones recently and tonight’s opener, Zoe Graham is a real talent.

A slight figure with a big guitar, Zoe confidently performs well-crafted pop songs with an edge, with unexpected key changes and melodic vocals. New album “Tent” is being sold on the merch stand in the bar and I’ve been listening to it since the gig. There are some great songs …stand out tracks for me are “Divine Feminine Energy”, “Happen” and “Evelin” (the video featuring Zoe’s mum playing a Fanny Craddock style TV chef having a melt down, smashing cake). So check out the album on your streaming account – it won’t disappoint.

Anyway I digress…it was time for the main feature.

Glasgow’s Altered Images were celebrating 45 years of their breakthrough Happy Birthday album.

Lead singer Claire Grogan has been performing ever since, both with the band and acting….who could forget her as Susan in Gregory’s Girl.

This sort of intimate venue suits her well – she’s as sweet and engaging as ever. The album in question was played in full in the first half, then, after a swift costume change from gold playsuit to a swirl of white chiffon and feathers, she was back with all the other hits, including my personal favourite, “Don’t Talk to Me About Love”

What a great night, and a new venue checked out for accessibility too. I’d definitely go back to the Grove again.

Posted in disability access at music venues, gig review

Tom Bailey/Blancmange

Posted on by Jackie B
A man wearing sunglasses and a microphone passionately speaking on stage, with a stylish patterned shirt and a suited jacket, set against a hazy blue-lit background.

Whitley Bay Playhouse,

15 September 2026

It’s an age since I posted a gig review, but this is a 2 gig week and Tuesday was an absolute cracker at Whitley Bay Playhouse. This is a modern little theatre and has pretty good accessibility as you’d expect from a newish building. The only other time I’ve been there was for an excellent amateur production of Legally Blonde: The Musical a few years back. I’d been able to book a wheelchair space and companion ticket in Row D of the stalls. There is a wider space between rows C and D to make access easier. We were a bit late in setting off and struggled to find parking so we reached out seats seconds before support act Blancmange came on stage. Tonight I was with my bestie from college days, A, who has travelled up from Sheffield to stay for a few days.

A singer performing on stage under blue lighting, holding a microphone.

I saw Blancmange back in the 80s at The Limit Club in Sheffield, a low ceilinged basement venue with a sticky floor and sweat condensing on the walls. It was a bit rough but got some of the coolest bands.

Blancmange consist of original frontman Neil Arthur on vocals with various session musicians on keys/electronics since the death of fellow founding member Stephen Luscombe in 2025. Currently this role is filled by Finlay Shakespeare.

A musician playing an electronic synthesiser on stage, wearing glasses and a patterned shirt, with blue stage lighting in the background.

They may not have had as many hits as some of the other 80’s synth pop bands but there was some good stuff there. Neil Arthur got the crowd going from the get go, with the superfans in the front rows quickly on their feet and dancing (not so great for those of us on wheels in Row D)

Audience members watching a performance in a dimly lit venue with blue stage lights.

He kept it going for an enthusiastic audience, with a set including Blind Vision, Feel Me (I love that hypnotically repetitive baseline), an excellent singalong cover of Depeche Mode’s I Just Can’t Get Enough and biggest hit, Living on the Ceiling. At one point the crowd was singing along so loud that he held the mic stand aloft towards them.

A performer singing passionately on stage with a microphone, surrounded by audience members in low light with colourful stage lighting.

All delivered with Arthur’s deadpan Lancashire wit – he hails from Darwin, a place I know well from when I lived in nearby Blackburn. He ended with the words “We’re Blancmange and you’r not!” It was a great start to the night.

A performer engaging with the audience under blue stage lights.

During the interval in the bar I bumped into H – a regular at local 80’s gigs that I first met at ABC last year – I think she gave me the head’s up about tonight’s gig in the first place. We’ve now exchanged contact details so we can keep each other posted about upcoming gigs.

Two women smiling and posing for a selfie, one with blonde hair and a black top, the other with white hair wearing a mint green jacket and a silver necklace.

Tom Bailey was founding member and lead singer of The Thompson Twins.

A musician wearing sunglasses and a black blazer, focused on performing with a microphone headset, adorned with a colourful floral shirt, in a vibrant, illuminated setting.

The band’s other members changed over time, but most of the hits were recorded by a trio consisting of Bailey with Allanah Currie and Joe Leeway. These days Tom is joined on stage by Charlotte Raven on keys/cello…

A female singer performing passionately at a keyboard, with emotional expression and a microphone in front of her, under soft stage lighting.

…Paulina Szczepaniak on drums …

A performer with long blonde hair and sunglasses plays an electronic drum kit, with vibrant stage lighting in the background. Silhouettes of audience members are visible in the foreground.

…and Meelie Traill on bass/keys.

A female musician playing a glittery bass guitar on stage, illuminated by blue and purple lighting, with her hair pulled back.

And they perform all those TT hits, including those you’ve forgotten about, Kicking off with ‘In the Name of Love’ one of my favourites and the perfect start to get everyone up and dancing. The set continued with ‘Sci-fi’, ‘You raise me up’, Shooting Star’ and ‘We are Detective” had definitely forgotten about that one.

A female musician playing an electric cello while standing next to a male guitarist performing on stage, illuminated by dramatic lighting.

On with more, including’LayYour Hands on Me’ and a great cover of Talking Heads’ ‘Psycho Killer’. At one point a huge red balloon was thrown into the audience and kept in the air for a while but then a woman sat behind me popped it. The look of utter shock on her face was priceless!

Audience members holding phones to capture a large red balloon on stage, with stage lights creating an atmospheric backdrop.

The hits continued on with ‘Doctor Doctor’ and ‘Love on Your Side’, ending with the beautiful,’Hold Me Now’

A musician with grey hair performing on stage, wearing sunglasses and a patterned shirt, with a microphone headset and guitar.

I had a bit of a moment there – it’s such a beautiful song and I remembered Kevin buying me the 12 inch single and a single red rose one Valentine’s Day.

A musician performing on stage with a black electric guitar, wearing a stylish jacket and a patterned shirt, under purple stage lights. An audience member is capturing the moment with a smartphone.

The crowd loved it, singing their hearts out…as did I! A great night, two fantastic bands and a whole load of 80’s nostalgia.

Audience watching a live performance with stage lights illuminating the scene.
Screenshot
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The Mighty Hike

Posted on by Jackie B

Sorry it’s been quite a while but I really need to get back into blogging!

I had a lovely day on Saturday. Daughter got a place on the McMillan Mighty Hike along the Northumberland Coastal Path. A place became available at the last minute when a friend’s sister had to drop out. It’s a 26 mile walk from Alnwick Pastures (by Alnwick Castle) to Bamburgh, via the coastal villages of Alnmouth, Howick, Craster, Embleton, Newton by-the-Sea, Beadnell, and Seahouses. The route took in some of our most beautiful coastal views.

The walkers were raising funds for the MacMillan charity, which provides support for cancer patients and their families, including specialist nurses. It’s a really worthwhile cause.  The route soon filled up with walkers wearing the charity’s distinctive green and white T-shirts. Around 2000 people were participating.

It was a gorgeous sunny day, but with a nice breeze to keep the walkers cool. The plan was to keep track of daughter using WhatsApp Location Finder so I could meet up with them. This backfired as the mobile signal is not good along parts of the coast! I was looking after her little Labrador, Wren. 

The walk has a staggered start and daughter and friends were setting off just after 7 am. I was supposed to meet them later on. Daughter would collect her dog and veer off the path onto the beach so she could have a nice walk. We met up at Embleton Golf Course, where I parked near the path where the walkers were coming past and handed over the dog, then drove to Newton by-the-Sea.

 Somehow we missed each other at that next rendezvous point as I was unable to track her location but probably also because I was distracted by the view.

Newton Beach is one of my favourites and I spent so much time there as a child. Today it was at its best and I enjoyed sitting in the sunshine watching that view while I had a coffee and my picnic lunch. Although there were only tiny waves there was enough wind for the sailors: there were a couple of Laser dinghies getting up quite a speed and some larger yachts sailing past outside the bay.

Consequently, the dog got a much longer walk before I eventually caught up with them at Seahouses ! I was so glad I’d brought some water and a bowl because Wren was pretty thirsty after covering such a long distance. Even though I’d packed snacks and drinks the only other support I needed to give our walkers was to pick up daughter’s walking boots when she changed into trainers – it saved her carrying the heavier boots in her backpack. The  event was very well organised with lots of refreshment stops providing drinks and food.

The last 3 miles of the hike between Seahouses and Bamburgh are the toughest. The imposing Bamburgh Castle is visible throughout this stretch and never seems to get any closer. That’s got to feel even worse if you are getting a bit sore and tired, even though the route is fairly flat.

Eventually they arrived at Bamburgh.

The group made it in good time, completing the 26 miles in around 8 hours. At the finish, on Bamburgh cricket field, the walkers were presented with a medal and a glass of non-alcoholic fizz. There was plenty of food available too.

I waited in a nearby car park where there is my favourite view of Bamburgh Castle from the north

Wren was delighted to meet up with her Mum, who was feeling slightly sore but suitably proud of her achievement – She reckoned she hasn’t walked more than 8 miles in one go before this.

As I drove her back to Alnwick to retrieve her car she shared how much fun, but also how emotional the day had been. As they set off U2’s Beautiful Day was playing – this was one of her Dad’s favourite songs and was played at his funeral. She said it felt like a sign that he was watching over her and she’d be ok. With that and the very personal messages walkers had written on their numbers about why they were supporting the charity, there were a few tears on the way round.

Well done to all the walkers on the Mighty Hike (both on the 26 miler and the shorter 13 mile version held the following day)

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Bye Bye Buddy

Posted on by Jackie B

Last week we said goodbye to our 11 year old black Labrador dog, Buddy. He was not quite right over the weekend and much worse on Monday so we got an emergency veterinary appointment. The vet kept him in overnight for tests but the verdict was not good, with little hope of recovery without risky surgery. They kept him comfortable and gave him painkillers. We brought him home and made the difficult decision to have him put to sleep the next day.

We got Buddy in 2015, not long after I retired. We’d always said we’d get a dog when one of us stopped working . He was 11 months old when he came to us after health issues drove his previous owner to re-home him. A big dog, with a lovely friendly nature, he was quite a handful at first, but as soon as I realised that like most labs he’d do anything for a treat, I worked a lot more on his training and he was very quick to learn.

He soon got the hang of trotting alongside my disability scooter and we’d have lovely walks around where I live. Buddy seemed to know instinctively that I’m not so steady on my feet – if he was excited he could get very bouncy but he never jumped up at me.Later that year I was very ill and hospitalised for several weeks – Buddy visited me! I was in a ground floor room and my bed was wheeled close to the open window where I could reach out and pat Buddy.

When Kevin retired the following year, scoots round the village were replaced by long beach walks . They both loved these. In the summer, busier beaches would be avoided as Buddy, ever the scavenger, would love to raid a picnic. You’d have to watch him anywhere though as he’d also try to each anything dead that washed up (the deader the better!)

As he got older, Buddy got a bit quieter and steadier but retained his enthusiasm, loving people and getting so excited when anyone came to the house. You’d always get such a welcome.

When daughter got her dog, Wren – also a lab, but tiny compared to Buddy…literally half his weight when she was fully grown, we crossed our fingers that they’d get on ok.

They did, as long as she didn’t steal his food! As Wren got older they made a formidable team for extracting food from their humans

Our son always adored Buddy, but after Kevin died he took on most of Buddy’s care and they were inseparable. Buddy slept on his bed and absolutely loved him as he had loved Kevin.

We wanted to make Buddy’s last day as special for him as we could. We sat with him and cuddled him all day and fed him treats. He was well enough for a last lovely walk on the beach. It was a blustery rainy day with the wind blowing spray off the wave crests, a moody sky and frequent rainbows.

Buddy loved it, getting drenched as it started to rain more heavily.

The veterinary teams at both Worrall Bank and Alnwick branches of Robson and Prescott have given Buddy the best of care during all this . It was Buddy’s usual vet who carried out the procedure and she was, so kind and caring with Buddy and to me, son and daughter too as we all wanted to be there for him. It was a very peaceful end, surrounded with love. As we said our goodbyes and left the building I notice that the lovely receptionist had placed a lighted candle on the counter..

Pets enrich our lives so much, they bring us companionship, unconditional love and endless entertainment. They can keep us fit by encouraging us to walk, get us out into nature and support our mental health, even stimulate our immune system. We owe it to them to look after them and we have the privilege of the power to end their suffering if they are ill and won’t recover, painful as it is for us.

This past week all three of us have cried a lot. I’ve also noticed just how much I’ve modified my behaviour over the years he’s been with us. For example, I always load the dishwasher quickly before Buddy would stick his head in and start licking the plates, earning the nickname “Pre-wash” I no longer need to hide chocolate securely in a drawer – despite it’s toxicity to dogs, Buddy had stolen and eaten chocolate, fortunately with no ill effects, several times over the years. He once ate an entire tub of Celebrations chocolates, including the tub and the wrappers, leaving only the plastic lid and the Snickers. I would always keep my bedroom door firmly shut. Much as the children were happy to have the dog on their beds I didn’t allow him on mine., though he’d sneak on there given half the chance, usually if he had muddy paws and I’d just changed the bedding of course!. He’s left us with so many funny memories.

We all miss our big, happy, greedy character of a dog so much. Goodbye Buddy old friend.

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Riverdance – still stunning but don’t go to a matinee!

Posted on by Jackie B

Utilita Arena, Newcastle 19 October 2025

Riverdance first entered our conciousness as the interval act when Ireland was hosting the Eurovision Song Contest back in.1994 It ended up being more memorable than any of the Song Contest entries. A whole show evolved from this and toured the world, telling the story of the Irish diaspora through music and dance. It turned principal dancers Michael Flatley and Jean Butler into international stars and made Irish dance sexy.

Daughter is a huge Irish dance fan and has wanted to see the show for years. She’s been learning Irish dance too – it’s ironic that she can ski and ride horses, both pretty dangerous sports but sustained her worst ever injury doing Irish dance! I bought the tickets as part of her birthday present over 2 years ago – probably the longest time I’ve ever held on to tickets! I’m not sure what made me book for the matinee show, but I did come to regret it.

Newcastle’s Utilita Arena is getting tired and tatty. A replacement arena is due to be built in Gateshead, though work has not yet commenced and the whole project has been put in jeopardy by spiralling costs. Will the current arena last long enough to see the new one open? I hope so. It would be tragic if the North East missed out on major tours through the lack of a suitable venue. The region already struggles to complete with larger Wembley and Manchester, and with the trend towards “residencies” at one or two sites instead of the traditional tour we desperately need an upgrade.

This arena may not be pretty, but they know what they are doing. The venue is always well organised with professional stewards, good security and is fully accessible, with designated viewing platforms for disabled customers.

Sadly, it was barely half full. This was the thirtieth anniversary tour and I did wonder if Riverdance may have run its course. Maybe there is no longer the demand to see the show, and fill an arena-sized venue for multiple performances in each city. That is probably why the show was scheduled so far in advance: to get a run of dates in each venue. I also wondered if the arena was the most appropriate place. Certainly it does require plenty of space to accommodate a huge cast of dancers and musicians, both on the stage and backstage for costume changes etc. Maybe the stage has to be of a particularly robust specification to withstand the powerful taps of the hard shoe dance steps! There also seemed to be fewer stewards than Ive seen previously.

Soon it was showtime, preceded by a notice prohibiting photography and video until the finale. Fair enough.

This was the thirtieth anniversary show. In parts, film of the original was projected on to the backdrop.

It remains a masterpiece, showcasing the best of Irish dance, from the lightest of soft shoe routines, where the dancers appear to float, to the most powerful of hard shoe, tapping out deafening rhythms, perfectly timed and synchronised. 

The dance sections are interspersed with glorious music, expertly performed, all part of the narrative.

There were a lot of children around for the matinee – didn’t have a problem with them, in fact it was quite sweet to see them all practicing their dance moves during the interval. Some of them were rather good!

Unfortunately it seemed that much of the audience was only there for the dance. It was quite hard to hear some of the musical sections over the talking and rustling of sweet wrappers….from adults, not children! Rude! There was even a screaming baby at one point (why take your baby to something like that? At least take them outside if they are crying)) . It was disappointing that people couldn’t appreciate the entire show and were quite disrespectful to those amazing musicians (and those of us who wanted to listen to them)- the music is part of the narrative, not just a filler to allow time for costume changes.

And it’s not just Irish dance – the show also includes other forms – some Eastern European folk dance, flamenco and tap, all stunning.

Before long it’s time for the finale and the dancers line up across the stage for the final number. I was sorry to see it end. I loved every minute….of what was going on on stage that is.

These days it’s impossible to do anything without being asked to review it, so I did, voicing my concerns about the lifespan of the arena with no sign of a replacement yet and also the lack of respect from the audience…I was actually surprised to get a response.

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts following the Riverdance performance. We really appreciate you offering such detailed feedback about your experience — it’s always helpful to hear from guests who are passionate about live events.

I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the incredible talent of the cast and musicians. Your comments regarding the audience behaviour, stewarding, and the overall venue experience have been noted and will be shared with the relevant teams for review as we continue to enhance the experience for all our visitors.

It’s great to know you continue to support live performances here in the North East, and your feedback contributes to helping us maintain and improve that standard.

Best regards,

It’s nice to know someone actually reads what you write!

Posted in crochet, Uncategorized

Hook Yourself A Headband!

Posted on by Jackie B

I’m currently making final preparations for my next improvers workshop at Amble Pin Cushion this coming Thursday 30th October This time we are making cosy textured headbands.

Participants will receive a complimentary 100g ball of James C Brett Aztec yarn in the colour of their choice. This includes some alpaca in the fibre blend that gives it a gorgeous soft feel. This Aran weight yarn is thicker than the double knitting I use in my beginners classes, and requires a bigger hook – 5mm. Here’s a small selection of some of the colours available.

We’ll be perfecting our half treble stitches (UK terminology) and learning how the stitch placement creates the ridged effect, which resembles knitting.

Having mastered the basic stitches, we’ll then go on to make the headband. I’ll be explaining how to adapt the pattern for different child and adult sizes and how to make the central twist.

As usual I’ll provide full illustrated instructions to complete the headband at home, including left-handed versions of how-to stitch guides for those who need them. There’s still places left – full details can be found here.

It’s the first brand new workshop I’ve developed in a while and it’s nice to do something new , especially something seasonal…..perfect as colder weather approaches. There’s enough stretch for a comfortable fit, whether you wear your hair up or down and the band is wide enough to keep your ears warm when the wind is biting

My friend Edi kindly agreed to model it so we did a little photoshoot – you can see how great it looks and what a perfect fit it is.

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Beginners’ Bookmarks

Posted on by Jackie B

I had the great pleasure of teaching six more beginners the crochet basics recently at Amble Pin Cushion

In my “Crochet For Absolute Beginners” Workshop we start by going through the principles of how to hold your hook and yarn to maintain tension and maximise control of the hook. I feel it’s important not to be too prescriptive about this. After all, everyone’s hands are different. I myself don’t have full movement in my wrists. I’ve taught people with arthritic conditions and a lady who had very little movement in her left forefinger. In every case I’ve tried to find a hold that works comfortably and effectively to suit that person. I’ve also developed some illustrated “how to” sheets in both left-handed and right-handed versions. Crochet should be accessible for everyone!

It’s always nice to come away from a workshop with something you’ve made, so my beginners worked on some colourful striped bookmarks (I also gave them full instructions to take away in case they didn’t finish or wanted to make more at home). I think they absolutely nailed it!

All three made great progress and were crocheting like pros by the end of the session.

I think they enjoyed themselves. They certainly look pleased with their work, and rightly so!

Look out for news on my next workshop….coming very soon!

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Gig Review: China Crisis (beats Coldplay)

Posted on by Jackie B

Alnwick Playhouse 17 October 2025

Earlier this year I was on BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours consumer programme.. There was a feature on live music and how there was a trend towards “residencies”. No tour, several nights at Wembley, maybe a couple more at Manchester arena and somewhere else if you are lucky. If you live in the north east corner of England like me, that involves travelling long distances (don’t get me started about using trains if you are disabled), hotel stays, food, drink (and huge ticket prices: let’s not forget the Oasis dynamic pricing debacle). Coldplay said they were being green and reducing the tour carbon footprint. but I’d really like to know about the the environmental impact of large numbers of fans travelling the length of the country, with associated fossil fuel emissions, junk food consumption etc etc etc. and if this was taken into account. Show me the maths!

I’m used to travelling to Newcastle and, on occasion a bit further, to see the 80’s bands I love (and in my own small way these days, contributing to their pension plans!). What an absolute delight it was to discover that China Crisis were appearing at my local arts venue, just 10 minutes away from where I live. Did I go? Well, it would be rude not to.

Alnwick Playhouse had a major refurbishment a few years ago and it now houses a library, cafe, exhibition space, as well as a nice auditorium. I have very happy memories of drama and musical productions staged there that involved my children when they were in high school. There is parking nearby (behind the Playhouse), ramped access to the front of the building, a lift to other floors and level access to accessible seating, to either wheelchair spaces or seats to transfer into (which would require a walking aid, scooter etc to be left in the corridor immediately outside the hall to avoid blocking access) – staff were really helpful too, both front of house and at the box office. Full details of accessibility can be found here.

So here I was, with the friends who gave me the heads-up about the gig, sat on the front row – basically on the stage. From our vantage point at stage level this was always going to be the most intimate of gigs. It felt like being in someone’s living room – for the band, it was pointed out later, it felt more like a lecture theatre. and (sadly) only around half full.

Back in the eighties when bands like Duran Duran and Culture Club ruled the charts and the headlines, China Crisis were denied the massive success of some of their contemporaries. They wove together complex rhythms and harmonies with often political lyrics: a much softer approach than the aggressive political punk music that was around at the time, but it has given them a timeless quality. No wonder, when they cite the Beatles and Steely Dan as influences from further back, later working in close collaboration with Steely Dan’s Walter Becker.

China Crisis original band members Gary Daly and Eddie Lundon are now joined by Jack Hymers on keys and Eric Animan on sax. Daly commands the stage and takes on the role of MC for the evening.

He’s a great raconteur, talking us through the set with anecdotes from childhood days in Kirkby, Merseyside, where he and Eddie grew up, both children of large families, meeting as schoolboys, arriving in London aged 19, and becoming an established part of the music scene. Eddie Lundon’s guitar playing is heartfelt. He inhabits the music and shares vocals with Daly .

Together they bring beautiful harmonies, wistful chords that would stand alone but with Hymers adding the layers of keys and drum tracks they create perfect pop songs, embellished with Animan’s sax solos “that would get a standing ovation at Ronnie Scott’s”.

The new boys have some cool kit too. Jack Hymer’s expanding rack of keyboards and electronic wizardry includes what looks to be a bit of a balancing act – but it’s kept together with velcro. Jack knows his stuff.

As well as that gorgeous saxophone, Eric Animan plays what appears to be entire woodwind and brass sections combined in a single instrument that resembles a giant silver banana. It even has a bagpipes setting .(more of that later). I’m fascinated.

They open with The Souls Awakening and Here Comes A Raincloud. “What were we thinking? It’s Friday night!” quips Daly (not the cheeriest of songs) . We are reassured that the hits will be played, that there will be an interval to recharge our glasses and even a chance to get up and dance for two or even three songs if we have the energy for that.

Daly is hilariously funny – it’s not just a monologue of name-dropping (ok there’s some of that). There’s some great banter with the audience too. He requests the house light to be turned up a bit so he can see us. It turns out that he’s brought the family to Alnwick on holiday in the past and knows and loves the area, but hates the pronunciation – the silent “L” in Alnwick (which always catches visitors out. To be fair that’s one of easier ones. I wonder if he’s been to nearby Eshottheugh – that’s more tricky!)

The second half opens with African and White, their breakthrough track, followed by Arizona Sky. (a favourite of mine – we get to join in with that one). Best Kept Secret, Black Man Ray, the beautiful Wishful Thinking, King in a Catholic Style (I think we are up and dancing at this point).

The banter with the audience continues. Daly spots a man in the audience with a passing resemblance to Midge Ure. (turning red with embarrassment as the audience peers to see if it’s really him). It’s all good natured though. Daly wonders if China Crisis could have had a Christmas No 1 if they’d added bagpipes and a marching band to one of their songs. It this point Eric finds the bagpipe setting on the orchestral banana – and yes, it really does sound like bagpipes! (NB Midge -the real one, and his band Ultravox were responsible for iconic 80’s song Vienna, denied the coveted Christmas No 1 spot by Paul McCartney’s Mull of Kintyre – with bagpipes a plenty. It was considered a travesty at the time)

The audience may not be huge, but it’s appreciative… and we are all invited to join the band in the pub over the road, where coincidentally it’s karaoke night. Also to say hello if seen in Barter Books the following morning (for a planned bacon butty before travelling). The set finishes with Tragedy and Mystery, then the ethereal Christian.

An encore is demanded (we are all having such a great night and want more). It seemed in doubt for a while and the Front of House staff looked confused, But then CC were back on stage to play Sweet Delight. Daly explained how this was a love song he wrote for his wife and he dedicated it to all the women in the audience (because men mess things up with bombs and violence and the world would be a better place if women ran things). It was beautiful and Daly connected with the audience in a way I’d never seen done before. As he sang Sweet Delight, he indicated and acknowledged in turn every woman in the audience. It wasn’t creepy, it was respectful and rather lovely…

….you don’t get that at Wembley Arena.

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Beginners’ Bookmarks

Posted on by Jackie B

I had the great pleasure of teaching six more beginners the crochet basics recently at Amble Pin Cushion

In my “Crochet For Absolute Beginners” Workshop we start by going through the principles of how to hold your hook and yarn to maintain tension and maximise control of the hook. I feel it’s important not to be too prescriptive about this. After all, everyone’s hands are different. I myself don’t have full movement in my wrists. I’ve taught people with arthritic conditions and a lady who had very little movement in her left forefinger. In every case I’ve tried to find a hold that works comfortably and effectively to suit that person. I’ve also developed some illustrated “how to” sheets in both left-handed and right-handed versions. Crochet should be accessible for everyone!

It’s always nice to come away from a workshop with something you’ve made, so my beginners worked on some colourful striped bookmarks (I also gave them full instructions to take away in case they didn’t finish or wanted to make more at home). I think they absolutely nailed it!

All three made great progress and were crocheting like pros by the end of the session.

I think they enjoyed themselves. They certainly look pleased with their work, and rightly so!

I’m currently getting ready for my next improvers workshop at the end of this month. This time we are making cosy textured headbands.

Participants will receive a 100g ball of James C Brett Aztec yarn in the colour of their choice.. Aztec includes some alpaca in the fibre blend that gives it a gorgeous soft feel. It’s an Aran weight yarn so thicker than the double knitting I use in my beginners classes, and requires a bigger hook – 5mm).

We’ll be perfecting our half treble stitches (UK terminology) and learning how the stitch placement creates the ridged effect, which resembles knitting.

Having mastered the basic stitches, we’ll then go on to make the headband. I’ll be explaining how to adapt the pattern for different child and adult sizes and how to make the central twist.

As usual I’ll provide full illustrated instructions to complete the headband at home, including left-handed versions of how-to stitch guides for those who need them. There’s still places left – full details can be found here.

It’s the first brand new workshop I’ve developed in a while and it’s nice to do something new , especially something seasonal…..perfect as colder weather approaches.

My friend Edi kindly agreed to model it for this photo so you can see how good it looks and what a nice fit it is.