Music is becoming an increasingly important part of my gap year preparations. In the transition from CDs to streaming and Spotify, I’d kind of forgotten how much I enjoy pottering around the house with music on and how relaxing it is to cook or do the packed lunches with some tunes. I’d also forgotten how much I love to sing. Last night I took to the mic for the first time in about ten years, and sang some folk songs with Gallant Grandpa at Boston Tea Party’s Play On. It was great to sing about feisty young women of the 17th century, and I tested out my red lippy again which was fun. It definitely is like putting on an instant slick of confidence (thank you YSL!)
Going to see live music was a massive part of my teenage years in Leeds, and I had the privilege of seeing both Madonna and U2 outdoors at Roundhay Park. I now have two live music events to look forward to in the gap year – The Dixie Chicks at the O2 next year and Farmfest in August. After singing last night, GH and I watched a brilliant BBC documentary about the evolution of music festivals and it really inspired me about the heady mix of hope, politics, fields, music and dancing (Bad Brain means no recreational drugs on my menu!)
For the last few months I’ve been challenging my vocal cords and sight-reading skills in a local jazz choir, Harmoni. It’s so much fun practising discordant harmonies and lots of “doo-be-doos” as we work through the arrangements together. I’ll be getting out that red lippy again for our performance at the local community centre in July. Using the musical side of my brain is so relaxing and such an antidote to busy days of writing as I finish my contract with Action on Postpartum Psychosis. If music be the food of love, let’s play on.
goodgirlgapyear 