South Bank Centre, Bristol

Happy Birthday PC!

Thanks for a great night and for arranging a Keele reunion,
music from Clayton Blizzard 'a one man folk-rap army' and a set of party songs from Plucked! on sin, loneliness, heartbreak and poverty, great food - curry and cake, even though the candle refused to light, burlesque hoola-hoop dancers and a cuddle for everyone from Char. Sorry it took so long to get the pics up, but we didn't get back to Newcastle until 3.30 a.m. and needed all Sunday to recuperate. You can find a few more here.

The Moathouse, Acton Trussell

Keele Hall

Ashbourne, Empire Ballroom

I missed last year's Highland Fling with the Ashbourne and District Pipe Band so this was the first time that I've been up close and personal to massed bagpipes – loud aren't they? We first met Jonathon one New Year's Eve at the Royal Oak Hotel in Cheadle but I didn't know that he also played the Irish uilleann pipes. We'll have to arrange a bit of a session next time.

If you would like to know more about the ADPB or fancy learning to play Scottish or Irish pipes you can find out more here.

Not as many pictures of dancers as usual – something to do with Emma not being able to play drums and take photos at the same time. What is the point of all those paradiddles?

The programme for the night.

Behind the Haystack / Merrily Danced the Quaker's Wife
Ashbourne and District Pipe Band
The Gay Gordons
A Highland Welcome
Jonathon Whilock – small pipes
St Bernard's Waltz
Ashbourne and District Pipe Band
Warwick Adams – Address to a Haggis
Supper accompanied by Jessica and Jonathon Whilock on uilleann pipes
The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
Barn Dance
Snare drum solo
The Ashbourne Fling
Warwick Adams – three Robbie Burns poems
The Dashing White Sergeant
Pipe Major James Dungavel
Prize Draw
Cumberland Reel
Strip the Willow
Auld Lang Syne

Cobridge, Doreen and Tom

There may have been snow on the ground for Doreen and Tom's wedding but a big crowd from Ireland made sure that we all had a great time inside the hall. Everyone seemed to have their dancing shoes on from Doreen and Tom's first waltz together to displays of step dancing, salsa and even body-popping!

Thanks to Mike for the photos - more can be found here.

The Dances

Doreen and Tom's First Waltz
The Cock O' The North / 100 Pipers
The Glasgow Gallop
The Snowball
The Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
The Siege of Ennis
The Gay Gordons
The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
Doreen and Tom's Second Waltz
The Goatland Square Eight
Strip The Willow
Polka Off
Waltz Midnight on the Water
Step Dancing
Old Swan Gallop
Waltz Shebag an Shemor / Give Me Your Hand
Circassian Circle
Step Dancing