Keep On Walking

After our successful dance-out at the Robin Hood, Drayton in May, those hard dancin', hard drinkin' girls from Aelfgythe had invited us to their day of dance. Alvechurch is their home, an ancient village only about half an hour away, and fairly close to the Worcester and Birmingham canal. But more of that later. We took the dogs, "we need to get them more acclimatised to dancing, and you can hold them while you're drumming (?!!!) said my wife. So we packed them in the car, Darcy the Labrador and Nutmeg the Cocker Spaniel, along with all the dance gear and three drums, and off we went, bright and early. Having got lost only twice on the way, we arrived in well under an hour, and parked, on advice, in the car park of the Red Lion, in the middle of the village.

It was around 10am, and we were due to start at 1030. I got out. My wife sat in the car. "Are we not going then?" I asked. "Let's wait for the others." "But they might not even park here" "Do you know where we are supposed to be?" "No, do you?" "Yes, the Crown" "Where's that then?""I don't know"
Such was the quick-fire repartee. We agreed to do the unthinkable and ask someone. After about ten minutes a local looking woman walked past and pointed us along a road, up a hill. "Just keep on walking along there, it's near the canal. Just keep walking." We did. For about twenty minutes, my wife with the two excited dogs, me buried under a mountain of drums, until we finally crossed the canal and found ourselves in amongst a gathering of morris dancers. It was just 1030. Just about time for a cup of tea then. There was a huge queue at the bar, and two young barmaids were running frantically around trying to serve dozens of coffees (no tea) from a broken espresso machine. I kid you not. In the corner of the bar sat two bemused men in blue work shirts. I don't know whether they were delivery men or gas fitters or whatever, but they were sat there at 1030am with a pint of bitter each. "Good lads!" said I. They grinned.

Having got my coffees I went back outside to find that Aelfgythe had done a dance and we were all dispersing to our first slots. We were back down in the village. My wife started walking back down the hill with her friend and the dogs. I threw my drums in the back of our guitarist's station wagon and jumped in. Our first spot was outside the lovely Joshua Tree shop in the village centre. We were dancing with Black Adder. We danced turn and turn about in front of an small audience. Variously there were: two women, a man and his dog, a young woman from a shop over the road, who stood on the opposite corner throughout the whole hour, two women with two young kids, the woman from the Joshua Tree. Throughout the whole hour a few people rushed past and I'm sure one man actually crossed the road to the other side and then crossed back again at a safe distance. On the whole though, I think it's fairly safe to say that nothing much happens in Alvechurch on a Saturday morning. The woman from the Joshua Tree was lovely though, and didn't mind at all us setting up in front of her shop.

After a happy session with Black Adder, we realised that it was 1145 and we had to be back near the canal, at another pub called the Weighbridge. We started walking....... We arrived at about ten past twelve, and were thrown straight into a dance. I had to sing John Barleycorn and they wouldn't even wait for me to go and get one in! Life is so unfair sometimes. The dance over, I strode purposefully up to the bar, tankard in hand. What a choice! Enville's best, a few guests and a very tempting Tardebigge cider! Discretion was the better part of valour, and I had an excellent pint of Chainmaker Mild, only 3.6%. Which generally means you can have more. I had a couple there, whilst we danced through a nice set with Alvechurch, Black Adder again, and Step On Board Appalachian dancers. A nice mix. We finished with a shared Jane's Dance with Black Adder. We now had an hour for lunch! My wife wanted a ham and cheese roll, I fancied a pork pie, but there was a huge queue at the bar by now, so we walked back down to the village where we'd seen a fish and chip shop. The Tudor Rose fish and chip shop, set in a great little Tudor building, do great chips and a mean chicken tandoori pie! Of course, I needed something to wash it down, and whilst we were getting ready outside the Joshua Tree again, I nipped down to the  Swan to refill my tankard.

Oh, I nearly forgot! We did a belly dance! Yes, again. With the most excellent Bellyfusion, who have swapped their piratey stuff for a really entertaining and amusing circus style show. Catch them somewhere soon! The afternoon outside the Joshua Tree was slightly better audience wise, and we had a pleasant hour there with our hosts Aelfgythe. They put loads of energy in and are really great fun! Last session of the day was a sort of free for all at the Red Lion, where, if you remember, we had parked at the start of the day. A relatively short and flat walk then, to the said pub, where I was delighted to find they were serving Banks Original. Since moving to the West Midlands I've been quite taken with the lighter style of mild, of which Banks Original is a good example. I had one, and another one to make sure. Besides, Alvechurch Morris Men were there again, and they don't hold back the drinking! I was chatting to our foreman, who is not over fond of us drinking whilst performing.
Foreman: "I thought Alvechurch were on before us"
Me: "Well, they should be, but you can't really rely on them can you?"
Foreman: "Not really, no."
Me: "They are worse than me, aren't they?"
Foreman: "Yes, and that's saying something!"

They enjoy themselves though, and I suppose we none of us would do it if that weren't the case. The dancing gradually came to an end and it only remained for the Aelfgythe Squire to thank us all for coming. All in all, a great day, but a lot of exercise walking up and down those hills.
Lesson learned: I really MUST get a trolley for my drums.