Chas N Dave split – but the gig goes on September 22, 2009

Being organised for Husband’s birthday this year, I knew for a while what to get him.

Although I play classical piano to a relatively high standard, he’d still rather I played Chas N Dave – so I booked him tickets for a gig this coming Saturday in London.

Yet what do I find today? Chas N Dave are calling it quits after Dave’s wife very sadly passed away.  It’s a great shame,

but I’m hoping Chas will still do the biz on Saturday and make it a good birthday gig for The Boy.  It’s got to be better than my Debussy and Albeniz anyway!!

Tinkering away July 6, 2009

Trying to keep some semblance of normality in the run up to the wedding, I’m continuing my piano lessons and although I don’t practice as much as I should or do my scales that frequently, I am really enjoying it. My piano teacher’s ace and is picking up on lots of elements of my playing which I haven’t addressed in the past, so it’s all good.

I’m currently attempting to play this Debussy (with mixed results, so far…):

The great piano smashing event! November 14, 2008

Finally, I’ve managed to sort out the video footage from last Friday night’s inaugural piano smashing competition!  It was a wicked night and none of my health and safety concerns bore fruit, so that’s good.   We do have chips of wood all over the lawn, scorch marks on the patio and a melted gutter but heck was it worth it! Some people wondered if I was emotional at seeing my past piano going down with sledgehammer blows but I just think, if I was a piano I’d love it – what a way to go!! Enjoy…

A smashing piano party! October 21, 2008

Plans are underway for a bonfire party at my pad – combined with the extravaganza of a piano smashing competition! I recently got a new piano and the old one was completely duff, so I suggested we took it to the tip or put it on freecycle – but The Boy had better ideas, recalling random local fetes where men smashed up pianos with sledgehammers in a timed competition. The idea is to get the whole piano through a small letter box sized hole – and to do it in the fastest time. Here’s how it might look (2mins in to this video):

A mate of ours has sourced another piano so when I’m washing up, I’m now gazing out at my garden which randomly has two upright pianos sat in it! With my Health and Safety thinking in place, I’m planning on lighting the garden really well, putting down a tarpaulin and ensuring the bonfire’s a safe distance away, so no-one comes to harm. I can’t prevent thumb-under-sledgehammer injuries though!