Magic Numbers

A less than comfy bed and the constant drone of an air con unit outside the window of my room, leaves me bereft of sleep. More happily though, after the rather unfortunate start to the conference yesterday, I’m glad to say that today went decidedly better.

It’s a mix of festivals represented here. Many are small folk festivals ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand, but there are also a few festivals that share more in common with Greenbelt in terms of content or size, such as Lamar Tree, Cambridge and Guilfest. The range of talks and workshops are similarly broad, with some interesting issues covered.

Above all it’s good to talk and hear what other people are doing. Sometimes it reassures you that we’re on the right track, other times it challenges you into thinking about something in a different light.

M and J are just there for the day and so having said goodby I grab a quick and uninspiring early meal at the hotel, before jumping in the car and heading back up to Manchester. The weather is pretty grim, which together with roadworks makes the going slow.

S and R are ready as I pull up and we get to the Apollo in time to hear half of the second support, Doctor Dog’s set. Not a bad sound, with a couple of numbers standing out. Hats, however, as I’ve sad before, are rarely a good idea in the world of music.

As we wait for the main act, Doctor Dog’s promo guy hands out some samples. Opening it up I find 7” vinyl. Hmmmm…what am I going to play that on I muse.

The young couple standing next to us are even more intrigued. They’ve never seen one before (oh my, I feel old).

Talking of couple’s K notes a very strange phenomenon at the Apollo tonight. Clearly the Magic Numbers are now the sort of group that courting couples come to. Muttering “get a room” under her breath, K manoeuvres us further forward to a space less overrun by raging hormones.



The other thing that has changed is that Magic Numbers can now headline a medium size venue like the Apollo. Whilst their performance is excellent and they have the means to carry off the larger space, I can’t help comparing it back to the last time I saw them, when it was that bit less slick and more intimate.

Their latest album is similarly pretty good, but somehow it doesn’t quite have the charm of their debut.





All in all a good night though, and as I drop S and K home before heading back down to Telford, I just hope that this time S bought the right size T’shirt…