Waterloo Sunset

Now, given the title of this post, and the fact that on Sunday evening I got to see Ray Davies perform the last night of the Meltdown Festival at the Royal Festival Hall, you'd think there would be a picture of a Waterloo Sunset.  I DID take one.  In fact I took several as I wandered along the Southbank. I also took several (permitted) photos in the gig - there's usually a ban on photography, but as this was a special occasion, Ray said that there would be a photo opportunity during "People Take Pictures of Each Other",

So there should be pictures, because I took loads, before, during and after the gig.  Except that I hadn't got around to downloading them, and then I went for a long walk yesterday.  

My camera was in my rucksack, as was my showerproof jacket, just IN CASE the sun stopped shining and we had a shower.  Unfortunately, it was far more than a shower and went on for a couple of hours, and my showerproof jacket and rucksack were no match for the downpour.  Everything was soaked, inside my rucksack and ALL of my clothes.  As soon as I got home  I got the camera out and at the moment it's not looking good.  I've researched it on the internet, and I'd already done the right things - taken out the battery, and the memory card, opened everything that opened and left it in the airing cupboard, but I'm afraid to say it still isn't looking hopeful.

I'm going to take it to the camera shop today to see what they recommend, and I'm going to try putting it in a cardboard box with some of those silica sachets, which was another internet suggestion.  Not sure I fancy putting it in a warm oven overnight, which was one of the other suggestions, although if everything else fails ....  

So, no pictures I'm afraid.  I nicked this one from the Guardian's website.

It definitely makes it into my list of 'Top Ten Gigs I've Attended'. To think I nearly didn't bother to get a ticket - the whole 'Orchestra and Choir' combo didn't really appeal to me, but when I looked there was one little seat on its own in the very centre of the second row of the rear stalls, and all the other seats were booked, so I decided to go for it.  I'm SO glad I did. The LPO and the CEFC, far from detracting from the performance, as I'd feared, made the whole event so much bigger and better.  And I love the fact that when the cellists weren't actually playing, they were clapping their hands enthusiastically over their heads and rocking with everyone else.   

The first half was the whole of The Village Green Preservation Society album, and then the second half was a mixture of Kinks' hits and tracks from Ray's solo albums.  A really good night, and when I got chatting to the couple next to me - it turned out they had nearly bought the seat I was in, but in the end decided not to invite their mate, for which I am very grateful, or I wouldn't have got to be there.

I must say, it seems odd to go to a gig and sit down.  All the gigs I usually go to are standing-only venues, which will always be my preference, but it DID make a pleasant change to sit there with a really good view, without people continually getting in your way or spilling beer down you as they squeeze past with four pints of lager and two of Guinness.  Obviously, no-one is capable of watching a band without pouring alcohol down their necks, in much the same way as they can't watch a film at the cinema without shovelling popcorn in their gob.  Believe me, I can do both, and I've never collapsed through dehydration or malnutrition - maybe I've just been lucky.

Talking of which, wish me luck with the camera.

Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks