Once again, I attended a fantastic concert by the folk singer Eddi Reader at my favourite music venue, The Stables in Milton Keynes. This time, it was their annual Music In The Garden event, which is held in founder Dame Cleo Lane's garden behind the theatre. Having never been to this outdoor event before, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I had a great time.
The venue is very accessible, and there are always friendly staff around to help if anyone has any problems. The weather wasn't warm, but this didn't spoil the concert for me. There were many stalls to look round too, including book and jewellery ones.
Before the concert, I also had the honour of meeting Dame Cleo Lane, as one of the staff introduced me to her. I enjoyed talking to her, and found out before anyone else that she was going to perform a couple of songs with singer songwriter Eddi Reader at the concert.
The afternoon began with a performance from the Buckinghamshire Quartet, which I enjoyed listening to. After a short break, Eddi Reader came on stage and performed a wide variety of songs. Several guest musicians joined her too, including an accordion player who had flown over from Ireland. This helped to make the concert extra special.
Eddi Reader is a great entertainer, and told some amusing stories between songs which I enjoyed. Then, Dame Cleo Lane joined Eddi at the end, and sang a couple of songs with her, which was a perfect end to a lovely afternoon. Unfortunately, the rain didn't hold off, and there was a heavy downpour towards the end!
I would highly recommend the Music In The Garden event next year to anyone, because it was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Find out more about free time.