Days of speed, three. God save the village green!

I Bless the light that shines on you, believe me.

After the football experience, we went to the magical Symphony Hall. Birmingham's hall is fantastic, check the photo and "it has a very low level of background noise, so any noise made by the audience, such as coughing or rusting of sweet papers, is very noticeable. It is said that since Symphony Hall opened, audiences in Birmingham have become quieter!" (...) There was a true silence for Ray Davies, one of the greatest songwriter ever, a true genious according to... me.

And when you're on the fourth row,, you hear everyhting, you can see everything... Checked the audience before, many grey hairs of course and many mods details, haircuts, Union Jack jacket (Saville row's taylor?), Fred Perry, of course... It's really been a privilege to be in such a venue, can't imagine a better place to meet the dreamy universe of Master Ray...

And then he came on stage, elegant and fragile, as his songs actually. He's a great storyteller and it's not only a gig, it's an emotions experience. Ray Knows we're not in 1964 anymore, he doesn't play "You really got me" without a very tongue in cheek distance. He plays Kinks' song and he's also the guy who plays Ray Davies. He's actually very funny, it was funny and a bit solemn, like a man who does know that time passes and the deadline's could be not so far. I think it was maybe a bit personal but I feel a strange mix of sadness, nostalgia, pleasure, pride, like a man who is really proud of what he did and wrote. He had very friendly words for his brother Dave... Kinks legend is full of brothers' fights but be sure he loves Dave maybe with a touch of guilt for taking him in the Kinks adventure. Dave was only 16 when the Kinks had their first hit... And according to different sources, his health is not good...

He started the show with another musician, a guitar player, a brilliant one, excellent, no note for nothing, exactly my bag concerning guitar playing... He spoke a lot and joked with us... He's really excellent to find the good connection with the audience... and what a music... It's almost imposisble to write on it, to comment it. What Can I add actually? What can you say more about such classics? Is there even anything to add? 'd better close my eyes and listen the songs. I've been really touched by him, and, no kiddin, very often not so far from emotion tears... Also remembered my youth, discovering the Kinks by David Watts, of course, and the day I've bought a Kinks Classics compilation on Pye Label, called "Plaisir double" (double pleasure!), listening it hours and hours in my teenager's room, learning my history. Everything came from Weller, I swear, I've been driven to so many musicians by The Jam and Weller. Weller and Ray, two nights, couldn't be better...

Then he goes from solo performance to a bands one with Kinks' Ian Gibbons on keys! Damon Wilson on Drums and Dick on Bass, Bill still on guitar. Was a bit more rock'n'roll! But a kindakinks rock'n'roll, of course, elegant and noble. He sent us a postcard from London...

Then came the Choir. Honest I didn't listen that much the choir's lp, hadn't time enough and was a bit cautious about it. Sometimes, it's a very big piece of cake with tons of cream and I don't like it at all. Don't like, usually, when rock or pop go classical... But believe me, it's been done a so intelligent way, it perfectly works. And it even adds a massive emotion and solemnity in that classics we all know by heart. Maybe a new and fresh way to listen the Kinks. It's the best Kinks and Ray's selling since 1966 (Face to Face)! The Village green medley was the acme of the show for me. Look at that Waterloo Sunset's version:

After the encore, with a massively enthusiastic crowd standing up, I had the luck to have a brief shake hand with Ray... Delicate and long fingers, hand completely dry... A dandy's one, was above the cloud and over the moon...

Then the show was finished and it was so brash to get back to the cold Birmingham's night with Simon.... We had a short sleep(less night) and I had to go back to Dover. We woke up at 5 and believe me, as true Who's fans, we gave our magnetic passes back at 5.15 (true). Took my car at Simon's place, saw a fox on the road and began to dream about the English Weekend I had... Time to thanx:

Thank you for the days,
Those endless days, those sacred days, you gave me,
I'm thinking of the days,
I won't forget a single day, believe me.