It’s the Sunday evening before Christmas, thought I’d tap out a quick update before I head off to see Fackham Hall, and joys, the Louis Crosland Trio are playing Whistlebinkies at midnight (one can never too sure too soon). My Christmas week starts tonight!

A bit of a departure on my advent calendar today, I reposted a montage of ice creams from Thistle & Churn, well, the track with it was Ice Cream Man by Tom Waits, a classic in my book, and so are their ice creams. Oh, and I have three precious tubs from T&C in my freezer! Two of Caledonia Cream and one of Clootie Dumpling, they should see me into the new year, yeah, should.

It was my first time back in the reopened Filmhouse to see Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Mind, I’m still a little confused about the scene that was meant to explain what happened in the wood, nah, kept running it through my head. Help, someone. Even better for me was The Running Man, and I went in not sure about it, but yay, Edgar Wright wove his magic again. Had a wee inward cheer to myself, when I spotted Rich Hall in a brief scene, nice one.

On a much smaller screen, Carl Marah has a video on his YouTube channel to go with his latest song Cold Cold Christmas, do give it a watch. Mind, if you want to just listen to it, I wouldn’t bother asking your smart speaker! Certainly Alexa refuses to understand the name Carl Marah, stupid, stupid !!#*?!! I was round at a friend’s, it just confirmed to me why I’ll never bother getting one.

Tonight will be the second time this week seeing Louis Crosland as I caught the band in Stramash on Thursday evening, but it wasn’t a trio, oh no, added keyboards. I did wonder beforehand, but any doubts were quickly dispelled, a part of the puzzle that we hadn’t even realised was missing. A perfect fit for Louis’ sound, especially his own songs; sadly, it was only for the one evening so far, but hopefully, he’ll be back, that’s Guilhem Forey.

With more originals on the setlist some of the usual had to go, so not much Dylan except, of course, Knocking on Heaven’s Door, Louis’s all time favourite song. I’ve heard the band play Louis’s My Kind of Heaven a few times, but it was a first outing for Losing Game, apparently voted into the set by the rest of the band, they all really like playing it. Yeah, I could tell you the names of the other two new originals, but I wasn’t taking notes, just enjoying being in the zone. Like I’ve already said, the keyboards slotted in so sweetly, the bass vibe was brilliant as ever, thanks to Rob Henderson; I’ll leave that there, just add a few pics for you.

Blimey Charlie, time I shifted! More very soon. Toodle pip!