La fête de la musique is a modern tradition that at midsummer celebrates music with free events all over the world.  As its name suggests its origins are French and in the little corner of France that is L'Institut Français d'Ecosse Friday night was music night.

Since I play in a wind band the visit of a rumbustious Belgian outfit who dress up in medical outfits and bust a gut with wild blowing and dancing was the main attraction.  My band is decorous to the point of anaemia in comparison.
 A band of a different stripe were my entertainment the following night.  I don't know how usual it is for a band to launch a new album with a play but that's how The Stantons placed Le Cirque de Muerta before the public.  Some of the band members are theatre friends, all the actors were known to me as were many in the audience and the author/director was a particular friend so it was a very chummy evening which continued into the early hours in licenced premises a stone's throw from the Scottish Parliament.

The play was built around the songs but fortunately it was entertaining on its own account since I find it quite difficult to pick out lyrics from most music other than very slow and quiet numbers.

Part of the story told of the disappearance of children who went off in a bus led by a circus clown and for me a masterstroke of the drama was the child at the end of the show. Thank goodness I'd stuck the programme in my pocket unread and didn't know Ian was in the cast.

Hear the music for yourself here. (And check the lyrics>)