I saw a couple of gigs last week, and as always had that pleasing little feeling of jealousy, from wanting to be up there playing myself; a regular reminder of one of the reasons I want be a full time musician.

The blue Jays were playing in Kinsale, and gave me another opportunity to watch Brendan Fennessy playing the drums, which is always a pleasure,* then on Saturday I watched Karma Parking, who were the entertainment at Tom and Ben Duffy’s birthday party in Co. Meath.

I loved the way their songs got everyone moving with there infectious grooves, W!LD need more groves I fancy.

After the Karma Parking gig the PA and a few instruments got left out, (in a marquee set up for the event,) and at about 5am a few people unknown, picked them up and had a drunken jam.

Maybe it was because it was the middle of the night, (everything can seem a little distorted if you’ve just woken up,) but I’d swear I’ve never heard music so loud as it seemed to me then, curled up in my little tent about 100 yards away, it was like being in the middle of a rave!

The next day, very tired from that camping experience, I sat through the entire three hours of the giant rock concert that was posing as the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games.

 I don’t know if you saw the ceremony? It was much less risqué then the opening one, but worth watching, even if only for the incredibly touching rendition of Imagine by john Lennon, (accompanied by a film re-mastered by Yoko Ono.)

The Who were quite good fun as well.

 Louis.

*Brendan plays drums in O Emperor, (and some other bands,) and as well as being bloody good, is also great fun to watch, as he always looks like he's really in the moment and enjoying himself... And no I'm not his manager, just a fan.