Shepherds Bush done got two turntables and a microphone

Beck was brilliant. His support act, a guy with a laptop and a shellsuit, was a prick, but it just made Beck look all the better. The lights went down and came up to a small stage right in the middle of the stage, full of puppets, all playing along to recording of Loser - the crowd cheered like crazy, and then after a verse, the real band came on and took over from where the recording left off. For the rest of the show (which would have been fabulous on its own) the puppets mimicked the real performers unnervingly closely, and the huge video wall at the back of the stage showed puppet footage. Beck and his band rattled through a number of new ones, and some more familiar songs to me, 'Tropicalia', 'Devil's Haircut', 'Where it's at', and the singles from Guero. Beck did treat us to a little solo stuff, while his band sat down to a meal. Halfway through the meal they all began playing the table as percussion (which the puppets did too)! All in all, an energetic, imaginative and highly entertaining evening. With excellent company too, if they're reading.

Congratulations, Mr & Mrs Everitt!

On Bank Holiday Friday, two very good friends of mine were wed, at the Sculpture Gallery, Woburn Abbey. I could sing their praises here extensively, but that would be sickening, so I'll just say that I'm very happy for them both, and if they're as happy when married as they always seemed to be beforehand, then they'll have the blissful marriage they both deserve. Sycophantic rant over.

The wedding. Emma arrived to a string trio playing Nothing Else Matters (Orchestral - Hetfield/Ulrich, Op. 35), looking as beautiful as you'd expect a bride to look onher wedding day (I know, I said I'd stopped the sycophancy). She joined her groom at the front of the hall, who was looking rather fetching himself. The service started with a reading from The Velvetine Rabbit, and then the standard vows, as well as some the couple had written themselves. There was a poem Ben wrote, read by Uncle Byron, and then the couple left, covered in rose petals to The 'Arrival of The Queen of Sheba' (Instrumental, Lennon/McCartney). The gathered folks then stood outside for a few drinks and a general chat, while the photographer did her business. Dinner was a grand affair, three delicious courses and some well-chosen wines. Notes on each table introduced everyone to everyone else - they read 'Can you guess who...' followed by an allusion to an entertaining event about each person. Preemptive revenge for the best man's speech.

The speeches. I don't really remember much of the detail by this point - the wine was very good, but I won't forget the bride's brief address. She kept the speech short, but ended by leading everyone outside to the car she had bought her husband as a wedding present! Jaws dropped across the room...

More drinks and a rock disco and that about wraps it up (reminders of details welcomed in the comments). I think I can say without fear of contradiction that an excellent time was had by all. And there's a lot of couples who know Ben and Emma who have a big act to follow!

Completely not updating my blog for more than a month

Sorry. More follows. It's been a good month, with Fruitstock, lots of evenings out, a couple of dodgy gigs, and an excellent wedding - more on that later. And I watched a lot of V and Reading coverage, so I've got the 'going to see bands' bug again. Off to see Beck tomorrow in fact! Woo! And the esteemed Jim Edmonds and I are recording a few tunes tomorrow, beforehand. Assuming that Jim enjoys it as much as I know I'm going to, anyone who hasn't completely lost interest in this blog should leave song suggestions below.

A few changes at work - my colleague and friend Adrienne left work yesterday, which is sad, but I'm sure we'll see her again. I'm now sat with the finance people, not the marketing people. The marketing department has been torn down and rebuilt in the last couple of weeks actually. (These are just notes for myself, sorry to bore you with it).

More on the wedding shortly. More on Beck, and the rest of the weekend's antics first thing on Monday.