Our 4thannual visit to Green Man. Beautiful Brecon Beacons. Always enjoyable. Fresh Welsh air offering sunshine and showers. An opportunity to exercise the trusty old Fujica. 35mm film loaded. Click.
We arrive. Good company. Family and friends, old and not so old, warm the mood. Tent. Ropes, pegs, etc. Wellies. A Gazebo. A beer. Vibrant green grass and hazy blue sky.
There is a big wheel, spinning lights. Carnival hues. Flags, mindful of heraldic patterns, stream and wave in the evening breeze. A pathway slopes up to a hilltop bar, lively and welcoming.
The weather moves the days along. Thursday’s sunkissed ambience making way for Friday’s downpour. Rain on canvas. Saturday comes in fast, fresh and bright, making colours sing. Everyone is happy. Contented.
Music draws us near. So many artists. Some highlights: Richard Thompson. 70 years old. Song/stories from the heart and remembering Sandy Denny. We are awestruck by his timeless virtuosity. ACertain Ratio: Powerful. Funky. Those bass lines… Newer bands; Western Australia’s Stella Donnelly. Songs of modern life. Political but beautiful. The Big Moon from London. All melody and swagger. An onstage marriage proposal. She said yes! Not a dry eye in the house.
A big stage at the foot of a mountain. The sun going down. The audience, mellow, appreciative. The big wheel still turns. Banners ever a-flutter. Like my heart. I’ll be back.
The Steven Aspinall Archive 