"Another sensitive song about boats" (Richard Strange, introducing 'The Good Ship Venus')

Went to Rogue's Gallery - Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys (the concert of the CD, which was Johnny Depp's post-Pirates idea) at the Barbican last night, in the splendid company of zoo_music_girl and childeric. The concert started pretty much on time at 7.30 and they were still going when I rushed off for the last train at 11pm, though I think it was the last song.

Excellent value! Eliza Carthy with her mum and dad, Robyn Hitchcock!!, Gavin Friday, Suzanne Vega!!!, Shane McGowan, Tim Robbins, Richard Strange, and lots of other people. (Pete Doherty was scheduled to appear but apparently wouldn't get out of the car.) Musical saw!! Fiddles! Perhaps slightly too many mournful ballads, but on the whole an absorbing evening.

There were some small children in front of us and some larger children behind us. The ones in front were well-behaved. The ones behind ('lads', I b'lieve is the technical term) shouldn't have been allowed out without parental supervision. Talking loudly through a rock gig is one thing, talking loudly through the aforementioned mournful ballads (and making rude comments about the singers) is bad manners.