A summer sabbatical

After the Royal College of Art Show on 12 June, we attended the huge Roundhouse Gala. This is a great event with performances by the lovely Beverly Knight, as well as, some star turns by Suggs, Toyah, Peter Sarstedt, Nick Mason, Ray Cooper and several new stars from the young people the Roundhouse supports and promotes.

Over the weekend of 21 June, we visited our dear friends Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp in their wonderful house in Worcestershire. The front of the house is on the main square and very buzzy but the back garden goes down to the tranquil river. It really is the best of both worlds.

Visiting Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp

They fed us delicious lunch and tea till we nearly burst then regaled us with tales of the haunted history of the place, which was featured on Living TV last week.

Toyah with the oversized tea cup

We have a very talented young friend called Ben Garrett. He is 19 and has already established himself as a highly talented singer-songwriter. Ben has a distinctive voice, like a new Bryan Ferry, and writes fascinating lyrics, some of which have the additional wow factor of being very catchy. I love the songs ‘Happy’ and ‘Ides’.

Ben Garrett with his band FrYars at the Albert Hall

We saw Ben at the Royal Albert Hall with his band FrYars, check out and download ‘Happy’ online at www.bandstocks.com/frYars.
FrYars are currently supporting Alison Goldfrap, who did a great set too.

Rob Ryan is a wonderful artist who specialises in print-making and unbelievably fine cut paper stencils. He and his wife Lorna have just opened a lovely shop selling everything from glasses to t-shirts, which feature Rob’s images and lovely words. The shop is on Columbia Road, where every Sunday the flower market is a strong draw for locals and tourists alike.

Rob and Lorna Ryan at their shop opening

On 26 June, after Rob’s opening, we were invited by our friend Oliver Rothschild to a very happening event, the Pollock’s Blank Canvas in Carnaby Street. There was live life drawing, great DJs, people in fabulous creations and some great art, all put together by a young man called Josef Valentino. Visit pollockslondon.blogspot.com to see what it’s all about.

Pollock's Blank Canvas in Carnaby Street

Having fun at the Pollock's Blank Canvas

Hyde Park was the place to be on Sunday 29 June when the Police performed their last ever London gig. It was a beautiful evening and they performed an excellent and memorable set. Sting looked very happy, muscular and healthy, although I’m not very keen on his new grey beard (or anyone’s beard for that matter).

Enjoying The Police in Hyde Park

Stuart Copeland and Andy Summers were both on top form and it was amazing how rich a sound the three of them made; treating their classics as lovingly as if they were fresh material, not just trotting them out, as some bands do with their vintage material.

Sting sporting his beard

On 30 June, we were back at the Albert Hall to see Lou Reed and his ultra talented band performed his album ‘Berlin’ with the London Children’s choir and the horn section of the London Met Orchestra. It was an unbelievable concert. The set was designed by Julian Schnabel and although this all sounds like it might have been a little Byzantine and over-the-top in its complexity, it wasn’t.

Lou’s amazing vocal timing and his gritty voice (the voice of a man who has lived far too close to the edge) lent it the required roughness to balance all that beauty.

I am not planning to post any more issues of Helen’s Diary during July and August, as I hope life will be completely uneventful over the summer, and I will be able to spend valuable diary-writing time composing poetry, or lathering myself in fake tan and lounging around various pools, but I will be back in September.