Ooh, I love a quiz, me. This week, I had my thinking (flat)cap on when answering a potentially ticket-prize-winning question posed by the fiendishly smart quizmeisters at 5000 Presents:
Q: How many wheels does a standard wheelbarrow have?
I confess - I had to have a little think. They can be a bit tricksy, those 5000 chaps, and I thought it may be a cunning plan to confuse us simple folks. No need to have worried. I stuck with my gut instinct of:
A: One
Lo and behold, I was the lucky winner of two tickets to a show of my choosing (look, okay, so maybe I am friends with the quizmaster - but I maintain I won those tickets fair and square, with a correct answer, in the time-honoured fashion. I'm also reliably informed by an official adjudicator that answers of 'two', 'three' and 'four' were submitted - seriously). And my choice of prize? The rather excellent blues-meets-country sultry sounds of an Eilen Jewell show at Cecil Sharp House.
Taking along McG as my guest (his lady Bernie to join us later), we were treated to yet another excellent show here in this lovely venue. I seem to be spending an inordinate amount of time at CSH these days, but it's most definitely a good spot to hang out. Playing to a packed-out room, the atmosphere still feels cosy and intimate. Right from the off, the joint was jumpin', courtesy of sassy Ms Jewell and her excellent band (top drumming, thumping double bass and some fine electric guitar). People danced in the aisles - yup, they got out of their comfy seats and jigged about.
We were treated to new songs from her latest album "Queen Of The Minor Key", some old songs from "Sea Of Tears", a couple from her tribute album to Loretta Lynn (a cracking "Fist City"), all topped off with a much requested and shrieked-for title song from her first album "Boundary County". She can crank it right up when she wants your toes tapping, take it right back down when she wants your heart to ache. And she's a charmer - clever off-the-cuff wit between songs have a smitten audience curled up in the palm of her hand. Anyone not smart enough to know that a wheelbarrow only has one wheel was more than happy to part with their hard-earned for the privilege of being there.
(Oh, bog off. I know the post title's a bit wanky but I couldn't resist.)
