millionreasons | Down to the shoreline, the trees and the slipway

Tuesday, to the Perseverance pub in Marylebone for a musical varieties night featuring a compere who did songs with puppets, Helen McCookerybook who did lovely folky acoustic numbers that reminded me of the long lost Po!, an Irish-Jewish Bob Dylan-alike, Steve’s new side project Trees and the Slipway, Amy’s Acton Bell ensemble, ex-Piney collaborator Lightning Leo and his rock guitar, and the rather gorgeous Katy Carr who did music hall songs on her ukulele. It’s not often that this jaded, music-weary woman is blown away, but she was so striking and had such an unusual voice, as if she were the reincarnation of Marie Lloyd. I’d love to see her play at Wilton’s Music Hall. There was much singing along, from Lonely This Christmas to Brick In the Wall to the finale of Silent Night. If everyone had a good old sing song ‘round the old joanna every now and then, the X Factor wouldn’t need to exist.

And it was a bargain for £4, especially as I was the first winner in the raffle (prize: a packet of crisps).