Take a deep breath:
10-12/09/10, End of the Road Festival, Larmer Tree, Dorset. 14/09/10, The Wilderness of Manitoba, The Slaughtered Lamb. 16/09/10, Brian Eno’s Apollo with Icebreaker + BJ Cole, QEH. 17-19/09/10, Rustfest / NYAS Convention, The Canterbury Arms. 20/09/10, Sam Baker, The Luminaire. 21/09/10, Smoke Fairies, Dingwalls. 24/09/10, Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick, DHFC. 25/09/10, Ghosts from the Basement — Village Thing Day, Cecil Sharp House. 26/09/10, Justin Adams and Juldeh Camara, Vortex. 27/09/10, Black Twig Pickers, Vortex. 28/09/10, Pete Molinari, Jazz Cafe. 30/09/10, Eilen Jewell Band, The Luminaire. 02/10/10, Peter Bruntnell Band, The Luminaire. 05/10/10, Band of Heathens, Borderline. 06/10/10, Jonathan Richman, Luminaire. 07/10/10, Black Mountain, Black Angels, Shepherds Bush Empire. 08/10/10, Louisa Killen, Thomas McCarthy, Chris Coe, Kings Place. 09/10/10, Old Nun’s Head Beer Festival + Easycome Stage, Old Nun’s Head. 14/10/10, Emily Barker, Exmouth Market Church Hall. 15/10/10, Nils Lofgren, Cadogan Hall. 20-26/10/10, Bridge School Benefit concerts / IRF, California. 28/10/10, Swans and James Blackshaw, Koko. 30/10/10, Alasdair Roberts, Trembling Bells, Shirley Collins, Cecil Sharp House. 31/10/10, Halloween Fair: Smoke Fairies, Circulus, Mary Epworth, Cecil Sharp House. 01/11/10, Otis Gibbs, The Slaughtered Lamb; Perunika, National Theatre. 03/11/10, Meet On The Ledge: Owl Service, Straw Bear Band, Cecil Sharp House. 04/11/10, Wilko Johnson, Academy Islington. 06/11/10, Tunng, The Forum. 07/11/10, Master Shipwright’s House BonFest, Master Shipwright’s House. 09/11/10, Cowboy Junkies, Union Chapel. 12/11/10, Cheap Trick, Shepherds Bush Empire. 13/11/10, Nick Harper, Headgate Theatre, Colchester. 14/11/10, Drive-By Truckers, Shepherds Bush Empire. 15/11/10, John Hiatt and the Combo, Shepherds Bush Empire. 20/11/10, Bellowhead, Shepherds Bush Empire. 21/11/10, 14 Cousins, Grey Horse. 23/11/10, Steve Wynn, The Lexington. 26/11/10, Martin Simpson Trio, DHFC. 29/11/10, Sleepy Sun, The Borderline. 03/12/10, Chuck Prophet and Steph, Kelley Stoltz, The Borderline. 05/12/10, Alasdair Roberts, Olivia Chaney, Jim Moray, Snape Maltings. 06/12/10, Richard Thompson, Cadogan Hall. 07/12/10, Mark Olson, The Slaughtered Lamb. 08/12/10, Dean Wareham plays Galaxie 500, The Garage. 09/12/10, Philip Jeays, Battersea Barge. 10/12/10, Jackie Leven, Union Chapel. 11/12/10, June Tabor, Kings Place. 17/12/10, Hawkwind, Hoaxwind, Forum, Bull and Gate. 23/12/10, 14 Cousins, The Antelope, Surbiton.

I was hunting around for a great photo from one of these gigs, but I kept coming back to this picture of Dave Swarbrick and Martin Carthy. It’s a promo shot from the 60s and the woman is a Danish weightlifter… and she really was holding them up. Marvellous.

Compelling laidback country-flavoured rock with confessional lyrics. Crazy Horse-style head nodding. Crap sound got better quickly. Loved it.

Sassy young Nashville country singer. Funny and sweaty. Great voice and a fine young band. One to watch.

Sunday: oldies Martin Simpson and John Renbourn brilliant and touching. The Destroyers fantastic gothic klezmer fun. More beer.

Saturday: great start with Lisa Knapp and Alasdair Roberts. Walsh and Pound – foot-stomping banjo and harmonica. Donovan ridiculous.

Friday: Fyfe Dangerfield and his swooning piano and ornithological observations. Mad Max and his pharmaceuticals. Great Purity beer.

Rollicking show with Buddy Miller and Patty Griffin. More west coast sound than last album. Craggy rock god.

Open rehearsal for Arthur Jeffes and his orchestra of rhythmical English whimsy. Fun. Audience included Miranda ‘Queenie’ Richardson.

Relaxed observational songwriting, not to all of my compadres tastes, but he has a fine voice and manner.