Spotlight April

Notes by Norman Hadley

This is what happens when your daughter is revising for exams and PC World want to charge you a fortune for a second PC. So Spotlight was a fortnight ago and I’ve only just found time to write up some notes. And, boy, are they going to be brief – not even a blow-by-blow account but just a showcase for the video highlights.

There was a classy field – it was just a shame the audience numbers were so thin. If you wanted to make it along but couldn’t, the next Spotlight will be Friday May 21st.

Lynette McKone, admitting to a bout of nerves but delivering a warm, engaging story.

Peter Donaldson – personal, direct and added to the ‘One to Watch’ list.

Steve Brown, electrifying the room with an all-too-short semi-acoustic set. Another real find.

Jim Donaghy, who’d travelled all the way from Ted Hughes’ back yard, with a voice warmer than Ian McMillan’s tea-cosy.

Carol Coates, delivering imperious quality leavened with dry-as-a-Beaune wit.

Bernard Alvarez, in between saxophony and other jazz-freakery, leaving the audience doing frantic mathematics. 16? In 1962? No way!

Paddy Garrigan, channeling a gloriously hangdog Jesus.

Anyway, you might disagree with my pick, but there’s a wodge of videos in the usual place. OK, kid, you can have the ‘puter now.