Monday and Tuesday were rest-days in our summer concert series. I took it very easy both days, still waiting for the possible trough from the chemo. Aside from generally feeling tired, nothing else of note happened. I did have to give yet another blood sample on the Monday morning. The results came back on Tuesday, with the welcome news that all the tested markers were now normal, including potassium, which was a cause for concern a few days before.
Wednesday came around, and we were back on the concert trail: up to Bath to see k.d. lang touring the 25th anniversary of Ingénue. Well, she was presently 2 years into the 25th anniversary tour. At this point, it should be noted that I had never heard the album the whole way through, indeed, I had only heard part of the album 2 days before. However, along we went. The show was phenomenal: very good backing band, but her voice was the star of the show. I don't think I have heard a cover of "Hallelujah" done so well.
Thursday was a trip to Bristol to see New Order, the 3rd time this year. This afforded a chance for a catch up with a load of friends from uni and school, albeit rather sober and reserved for me at the back of the arena. Even without my current condition, I can't be bothered these days to head down the front. As good as New Order were (and they were genuinely good), they were better in Dublin, in my opinion. And I was the annoying one in the group who shared this with the rest.
On Friday, we headed into Bath for my support group coffee morning. Another couple of hours spent with various people who "get it", and some more good nutritional advice. Bit of a dip in the shops after: I felt like I was going to pass out, and quickly made for the door. I don't know if there was genuinely something up, or it was just my elevated hypochondria, but better safe than sorry. That night, we went to see The Specials. It was a similar old friends crowd from the previous night, with a couple of new faces, including a lad who I hadn't seen for an age, but have known for some 43 years. I had a chat to him (he only had found out about me that very day), and certainly brought his buoyant festival mood down a few notches...
Being too lazy to pass up the pun, but the concert was certainly special. The band were active 1979-1981 with their "classic" line-up, delivering 2 albums and 7 singles. I would say the bulk of the thousands-strong, middle-aged, crowd still knew the words to most of the songs played. Many times you see a band doing a nostalgia tour and it all looks sad and tired. This is the opposite. I had seen them on their 30th anniversary tour (i.e. 10 years back) and they still have it.
Saturday morning meant a early start for a flight to Dublin, for the final leg of the summer concert series: an evening with Burt Bacharach at Iveagh Gardens. 19 years ago we were due to see him play with the Atlanta Symphony, but the concert was cancelled 15 minutes before curtain rise due to a burst water main. We had not had the chance to see him in the intervening years, so couldn't pass up this chance. Before the gig, we had gone to St Anne's Park with my friend and his son, and took a walk around the rose garden, and then stopped at a festival for some food. At this point we randomly bumped into someone I last saw in the summer of 1997. Amazingly I recognised her, and she had barely changed. So, on to the show. You may think you don't know any of his work, but I would wager money you do but you just don't know it. Without him, it seems that most of the music of 60s would not exist. He is the epitome of cool, and name-dropped like a king. Given his body of work, there is likely a shorter list of who he DIDN'T work with. At 91, he might not have many more gigs in him, so it was a real treat to see him perform.
Sunday brought a stroll and a drive around Howth before heading back home, and then the clock was ticking to my wife's departure. That meant a morning round-trip to Heathrow, and then more sleep. The rest of the week is counting down to cycle 2 firing up. Hopefully the same absence of side-effects as last time.