Concert: Music for Cure

Tonight, back in London, TAC offered free tickets to a Baroque/classical mandolin concert at Cadogan Hall! They asked for a donation to a cancer hospital of at least what you would have paid - said the concert was in aid of that - mind you, they didn't say which hospital! Seeing a GOSH appeal during the ads before the film last Sunday, I assumed it was them. I booked for Cote Sloane Square beforehand - they, at least, fixed their service issues! Unlike the one at Hay's Galleria..

The Tube was pretty uncrowded, and I made it just in time. Was seated immediately - and yes, they could teach their colleagues at Hay's Galleria a thing or two. Service was what you might call spontaneous - they anticipated my needs, rather than leave me begging for attention. The food arrived quickly - I'd ordered a baguette, but my main arrived so fast I ended up finishing the baguette afterwards. I skipped dessert, which I didn't really have time for - but I was well fed, and happily. By the end of the meal, service was no longer spontaneous - but all I had to do was glance in someone's direction to be attended to immediately. Now, that's what I call service..

I had to collect my ticket at the box office, which caused the guy at the door a small bit of consternation. Went straight to my seat - rear stalls, but very central, and for a free ticket, I'm not complaining!


We were given free programmes on the way in - which was how I found out that no, GOSH wasn't what they were fundraising for - appropriately enough, I guess, it was for a Brazilian charity, TUCCA. Well, they didn't make it terribly obvious.

The repertoire was nice - the first two, and last, pieces in the first half were apparently composed by one of the performers, Hamilton de Holanda. And just as we were wondering what all the other music stands on stage were for, out trooped the Sao Paulo Chamber Soloists for Bach's Concerto in F Minor. A more colourful bunch than the classical performers I'm more used to, they were in blue, turquoise, forest green, olive green, red, scarlet.. Mix in some pieces I'd never heard of, and we were into the interval.

..where, after a trip to the loo, I ventured to the bar. Just as we got our 10-minute warning. The queue looked massive, but to be fair, it only took five minutes for me to get served. Upstairs again, the second half started with Vivaldi - and then turned decidedly Brazilian. No bad thing, sounded very festive - and we had a new performer, who got a massive round of applause. Pity I had no idea who this was - but he played a drum, and then the tambourine. For a Brazilian mix of a Bulgarian folk tune, of all things!

All in all, it came across very well - and I'm sure I was in the presence of great mandolin players - I just don't know much about the mandolin! They played three encores - one of which, much of the crowd sang along to. So I guess that was a traditional Brazilian song, then! Lordy, isn't it always thus - whatever nationality relates to the act you're seeing, that's where the audience will come from as well..

Lovely concert, opened my eyes to mandolin music, to Brazilian music, and to Bulgarian music even! to a lesser extent. And with less traffic on the way home, I got home by buses.

Next, three more Meetups in a row. Tomorrow, I'm with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) at The Old Vic for The Real Thing, by Tom Stoppard. Eating beforehand in The Duke of Sussex - which does sell out, so it's better to book.

On Wednesday, back with London Literary Walks for The Magic Toyshop. Meeting in The Alexandra, Clapham, which only does pizza - so I've booked at Carmen Tapas, just up the road, beforehand.

On Thursday, back with UITCS for a play called The Lightest Element, at Hampstead Theatre - and there's a terrific deal with Time Out!

On Friday, I'm back with CT for the Backyard Comedy Club, first time in ages!

And on Saturday - yay, he's back! Laurence Summers is taking the 45+ Not Grumpies on a walk around Shoreditch & Spitalfields.. and I'd completely forgotten, but Helen said she'd come on this too! Cool.. should be a great day out!

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