THE vagaries of the weather have always been a concern if you’re British, but none more so than if you have a ticket for a ‘Picnic in the Park’ concert.
Do I take an umbrella? Or a warm jumper? These questions crossed my mind as we were planning to go to Shugborough. The rain held off, although it threatened all evening, and so we settled down with our coolbox and camp chairs.
In contrast, people around us gathered with proper tables groaning with food and drink, candelabra and lanterns twinkling in the crystal glasses. I’m surprised some of them didn’t have butlers.
The warm-up acts were typical of this sort of event — unknown, but fairly accomplished. Two of the acts were from Nova Scotia (the concert was sponsored by the Nova Scotia tourist board) and young Joel Plaskett might be a name to look out for in the future.
The British contribution was Passenger, a solo singer-songwriter with a very distinctive sound, but not to my taste at all.
All were greeted with polite applause — well, from those of us who could put down the glasses of champagne for long enough.
What we were all waiting for, of course, was Jools Holland. When he took to the stage the applause told you that eating and drinking had been suspended for a moment by more than 4.000 people.
He soon had everyone up and dancing to his lively boogie-woogie sound. He has managed to gather together some very accomplished musicians for his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, all individually talented, demonstrated by their solo spots.
But together the sound is brilliantly contagious.
I would like to bet there wasn’t a foot on that field that wasn’t tapping.
Alison Moyet made a guest appearance.
I have to say she is a shadow of her former self, but only in the respect that she has lost an enormous amount of weight. Her voice is as big as ever. This is her first appearance with Jools and probably won’t be her last.
The big and beautiful Ruby Turner also guest-starred and gave an excellent and powerful rendition of This Train.
Acting from experience, we packed up and moved out before the encore, which entertained us as we walked back to the car, the fireworks reflecting in our wing mirrors.
