Post by The Wanderer on Jun 9, 2007 18:15:21 GMT -5
I went out walking through streets paved with gold. After around 5 hours, found myself on Waterloo Bridge, I could see the Queen Elizabeth Hall and was wondering how it could really have been over 10 years since Ray's wonderful gigs there, I remember them so well (and the woman afterwards who came out with these words of wisdom as her assessment of one of the gigs - "He makes up the truth to suit himself").
Today, something was happening on the South Bank, which turned out to be this; www.southbankcentre.co.uk/overture/ I wandered past the Waterloo Sunset posters, watched a band, some dancers and many people frolicking in fountains, then came across Billy Bragg doing a free outdoor gig by the riverside. He was playing old songs he used to play as a busker. I joined the crowd and sang and danced along to songs like Goodnight Irene (twice), I'll Fly Away, Me and Bobby McGee, Long Black Veil, The Weight, I Can't Help Falling In Love With You, One Love, a little bit of Mystery Train, The Mountains Of Mourne, Underneath The Arches and a couple of his own songs but the best song, which got the best singalong from the crowd, was Waterloo Sunset - he let the crowd sing part of it alone and did the first verse again at the end because it was the song that got everybody joining in.
It doesn't end there, though, guitarists and ukulele players had all been invited for a big outdoor busk around the back of the venue later in the day. A rehearsal was held indoors, with chords and lyrics handed out (also available to download online), then Billy and the boys in the band took to the balcony, while the buskers and crowd gathered in the square below. The band, the buskers and the crowd did various songs (or parts thereof) including Underneath The Arches, Louie Louie, Wild Thing, Get Off Of My Cloud, Guantanamera, Deep River, Tracks Of My Tears, Twist and Shout, Common People and more but the best was saved for last - Waterloo Sunset. The last verse was sung at least three times before the band had to leave (an orchestra was playing inside the venue) but we were told that a choir would come down the river in a boat at 10pm and sing Waterloo Sunset and that Billy Bragg will do two more gigs there on Sunday afternoon - Waterloo Sunset will undoubtedly be on the setlist again.
I heard two policemen afterwards saying there were maybe 15-20,000 people there.
Oh, and the steps of the Hungerford footbridge are paved with gold.
Today, something was happening on the South Bank, which turned out to be this; www.southbankcentre.co.uk/overture/ I wandered past the Waterloo Sunset posters, watched a band, some dancers and many people frolicking in fountains, then came across Billy Bragg doing a free outdoor gig by the riverside. He was playing old songs he used to play as a busker. I joined the crowd and sang and danced along to songs like Goodnight Irene (twice), I'll Fly Away, Me and Bobby McGee, Long Black Veil, The Weight, I Can't Help Falling In Love With You, One Love, a little bit of Mystery Train, The Mountains Of Mourne, Underneath The Arches and a couple of his own songs but the best song, which got the best singalong from the crowd, was Waterloo Sunset - he let the crowd sing part of it alone and did the first verse again at the end because it was the song that got everybody joining in.
It doesn't end there, though, guitarists and ukulele players had all been invited for a big outdoor busk around the back of the venue later in the day. A rehearsal was held indoors, with chords and lyrics handed out (also available to download online), then Billy and the boys in the band took to the balcony, while the buskers and crowd gathered in the square below. The band, the buskers and the crowd did various songs (or parts thereof) including Underneath The Arches, Louie Louie, Wild Thing, Get Off Of My Cloud, Guantanamera, Deep River, Tracks Of My Tears, Twist and Shout, Common People and more but the best was saved for last - Waterloo Sunset. The last verse was sung at least three times before the band had to leave (an orchestra was playing inside the venue) but we were told that a choir would come down the river in a boat at 10pm and sing Waterloo Sunset and that Billy Bragg will do two more gigs there on Sunday afternoon - Waterloo Sunset will undoubtedly be on the setlist again.
I heard two policemen afterwards saying there were maybe 15-20,000 people there.
Oh, and the steps of the Hungerford footbridge are paved with gold.