Clare Teal: From the Last Night to a late night with Gary Barlow

“I’D rather watch paint dry,” “I’m washing my hair” and “X Faxtor highlights are on the other side,” were some of the excuses proffered by our hero and his girlfriend when we asked if they’d like to watch The Last Night of the Proms with us.

It was an annual viewing must for both Muddy and myself growing up, a palatable bauble of culture burning bright amidst the quagmire of Ted Rodgers’s dusty bin or Larry Grayson’s Generation Game. It was also the one programme guaranteed to delay the nonsense that is Match of the Day. This year saw Edward Gardner wield his trusty baton in the general direction of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus – at 36 he’s the youngest person ever to conduct a Last Night. His guests included Cheshire- born, leading dramatic Soprano and all-round good sport Susan Bullock and amazing Chinese pianist, Lang Lang, who became the first artist to play at both The Royal Albert Hall and Hyde Park in the same evening.

The next day we made our way to Hyde Park to watch Radio 2’s Festival in a day. A wonderful line-up including Jools Holland, Beverley Knight, Imelda May, Will Young, Lenny Kravitz, James Blunt, and all to be headlined by the incredible Lionel Richie. However just a few days before, the big cheeses received a call from Lionel’s manager telling them the gutting news that Mr Richie would be unable to perform due to illness! With weeks and months of planning hanging in the balance Chris Evans rang Gary Barlow in America to see if he fancied stepping in. Gary said “yes” and literally stepped off a plane and into the soundcheck.

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I have to say he was incredible, by the end of the concert the general vibe emanating from the audience was “Gary for President and Lionel who?” Young Barlow gave us a cracking rendition of Lionel’s signature song Hello.

I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a late night with rather a lot of wine. We walked across the park the next morning in a bid to clear our blurry heads, by the time we walked back half the massive stage rig had been cleared. There’s nothing to beat live music – as a country we excel at enjoying it so let’s keep it up!

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