African Dance Party and the Festival

The last thing I went to on the Fringe this year was the African Dance Party at the Parish Hall.
It was a bit late starting, but that was okay, because we wanted to see Doctor Who before we came out (the end of a two parter, and very good indeed).
Fortunately, it was a fine evening, and tables had been put outside while the setting up was being done inside. They'd also got some decent real ale in.
The Seckou Keita Quartet were playing - and they were brilliant!
The lead musician was a kora player from the Gambia - and he really bounced around the stage as he played. About halfway through the set, he demonstrated how the kora is played, with one thumb doing the bass line, one doing the pattern of the melody and the two fingers improvising over the top, with the rest of the hands holding the handles of the instrument. And then he sang over the top of that as well!
He started the second set solo, on a double kora, which sounded very like a harp. Then he grinned and said, maybe next time he came he'd have been to the gym, and he'd be able to jump around the stage with that kora as well!
He was accompanied by a violinist, double bass and drums, and the other members of the group come from Senegal, Egypt and Italy!
It was a brilliant night out (and we bought the CDs!).

I've been talking to other friends, who went to different Festival events. Marina thoroughly enjoyed Peter Falk (Columbo), who is 85 now, and wasn't quite sure where he was - but was still very interesting to listen to.
David Attenborough was also fascinating, but his whispery voice is getting more whispery with age.
Tony Benn's talk was packed out - but the lady who went to see that complained of the queue to go in getting mixed up with the queue to come out of the previous event. She's only 5' l", and felt in danger of getting squashed. She went up to Llanigon for a violin concert in St Eigon's church as well, which she said was very good.
The Beethoven concerts at St Mary's were very popular - Jerry the music man sold a lot of boxed set CDs afterwards, and was also on hand at the Bryn Terfel concert.

So that's it for another year. The tents are coming down, and the crowds have departed - but the Sandwich Cellar is still busy with coach parties, and Wool and Willow are preparing for an exhibition at the Minerva Centre at Llanidloes.