More About Very Cool People

Ladies and Gentlemen - Mr Richard Thompson ...... who played at The Point in Cardiff Bay a few nights ago and completely stunned a packed audience of about 800 people.

"Not many" you say ? This is because The Point is a de-consecrated Church that retains all the original features (stained glass windows, candle-lit sconces, choir stalls etc) and - as such - space is limited. It is, however, one of the most magical venues possible with an intimacy that's impossible to describe.

Performers regularly pick up on this : Wow - this is an amazing place to play ; you must be very proud of it. And we are, we are.

Of course this isn't the first time I've seen Richard. We originally met at the Stonedhedge Festival back in 1590 when he was calling himself Cerdic The Bard and playing the lute.

I dimly recall downing several quarts of Mead with him in "The Goat And Scientist" and warning him about the psychotropic qualities of the local "magic mushrooms" : advice he apparently chose to ignore given the evidence of his subsequent performance during which he dropped to his knees and commenced to play the lute with his teeth whilst wailing something that sounded vaguely like " Purple hay - it's in my barn".

"Christ" I thought "give it another 500 years and this might just catch on".

Slightly more in control of himself in 2007 ( experience is a wonderful thing) he played for two hours and included my favourites - "Persuasion" (a song co-written with Tim Finn of Crowded House) , "Vincent Black Lightning" ( a cautionary tale about Irishmen with motorbikes ) and "Turning Of The Tide" ( a cautionary tale about a few women of my aquaintance ; they know who they are ) :

How many boys, one night stands,
How many lips, how many hands, have held you
Like I'm holding you tonight
Too many nights, staying up late,
Too much powder and too much paint
No you can't hide from the turning of the tide

Did they run their fingers up and down your shabby dress
Did they find some tender moment there in your caress

The boys all say "You look so fine"
They don't come back for a second time
Oh you can't hide from the turning of the tide

Poor little sailor boy, never set eyes on a woman before
Did he tell you that he'd love you, darling, for evermore?

Pretty little shoes, cheap perfume,
Creaking bed in a hotel room
Oh you can't hide from the turning of the tide

Did they run their fingers up and down your shabby dress
Did they find some tender moment there in your caress

The boys all say "You look so fine",
They don't come back for a second time
Oh you can't hide from the turning of the tide

A very fine night indeed : see you in another 500 years.