With hundred mile winds in Scotland and more hail and snow on the way, I think we've fully crash landed into winter once more.   Summer seems like a long time ago now, and it seems like the UK has officially shoved live music back indoors, well, apart from The Salvation Army band that is.  So its seems like a strange time to start a blog about festivals, but what the heck I'll give it a go.  I'll try keep it interesting, share a few festival stories, hopefully get some good interviews and I'll even squeeze in a few album reviews in if I can.  Get involved, tell me your festival stories the weirder the better.  Also, I'd love to post some photos of the highlights of summer 2011 so if you have any good ones please share. 

If your lucky enough to be inhabiting the southern hemisphere I'm sure you'll be enjoying the musical festivities, unfortunately my slim earnings don't quite stretch as far as flight to Australia to catch Pendulum and Scissor Sisters at SummaDayze Festival, or welcome in the new year at Rhythm and Vines festival in New Zealand, it pains me to say it but its time to embrace the indoors.  Tonight I'm heading to the launch of London based singer/songwriter Shane Beales', micro album, Tel Aviv.  Six tracks in just fifteen minutes its succinct, but crammed full of beautiful imagery and delicate melodies.   Next week I'll bring you a review of his performance and details of my chat with him about his new album, best gig venues in London and what he'd be doing if he wasn't a musician.

One more thing before I go, could someone please tell me how the Germans cope without their markets over Christmas, are the streets of Hamburg and Berlin empty, or do they have visiting traditional English markets?   Whatever, I'm sick of them, I don't need any more Christmas trinkets less festive, more festival please.  Bring on the summer!