June 30th - Day 73

I marked the one-fifth-way stage of my journey by finding my camera zoom lens which, until yesterday, was still hiding in a box, post-house move. My excitement was short lived, because I'd forgotten my camera was out of battery juice until I didn't take the first photo, so it was back to the camera on my phone. I think the battery re-charger's also in a box...somewhere.

The subject of my photos were the delectable and Edwardian Underbling and Vow (and pianist) leading a good old cockney Knees-UP!! around the Soho Square street piano. The fact that I appeared to be the only person watching them who either wasn't holding a can of lager in their right hand, or wasn't from Mexico, didn't detract from my enjoyment - I even joined in...well, I moved my mouth in time with the words on over one occasion. The twenty-strong crowd, by the way, were a little more enthusiastic than this photo suggests. The man sitting in front of a kangeroo was having a well earned knees down after his knees up.
underblingandvow.co.uk

October 19th - Day 184

Open mic night at The Spice of Life in Soho, the big pub just off Charing Cross Rd, sort of behind where Les Miserables was for years. Every other person walking through the basement bar door seemed to have a guitar case slung over their shoulder. All guys thinking about it. I saw two singer/guitarists - Alex (pictured) - and Timothy Thomason who was folky and sang a song about being a fisherman. He seemed a bit despondent, I think because his guitar was out of tune - "Ropey", he said.

spiceoflifesoho.com/music.htm