On this day in 1993 and 1994

1993

A day dominated by preparations for the evening's concert. Quietish day again as cold continues to get worse. Lack of coordination - spilt my coke all other my morning muffin. Ethne later spilt her coffee all over the desk - it is obviously catching. Linda called - she wanted to go out with Wanita tonight and so had arranged her parents to call round. I will get Emma. But what if their car breaks down? - I will miss my show. I was not amused by this change of plan

But everything goes ok. I get away by 7:15 and drive down to Kentish Town. A bit of merchandising - I buy two posters with tour dates on which I will have framed for my study. Decide to stand near the front. No support band. At 8:20 there is a warning from a roadie that no smoking is allowed during the show else the band won't stay on - never heard that before at a rock concert! Band on just after 8:30' Lisa looks stunning as usual - still a pre-raphaelite style. But Brendan looks really older, v drawn facial features and a full beard. Odd assortment of other players. The first track is from the new album - disturbed by the sound of glasses being put away. Then a run of new songs, the same pattern as last time. Maybe half the songs were new, just two tracks from the new lp. 3 older tracks - none that you'd call greatest hits - "Cantara" and one of the very old yang tin tracks. One Lisa track with a keyboard cello backing was exceptional. Will there be a tape of the show in Camden market this weekend?

I am struck by how real this music is. And how unusual it remains to come out and play concerts with so little previously recorded material (a bit like King Crimson in 1973/74). Yet the interplay of songs is so good, an lp that just matched the live show would be exceptional. Can hardly wait to acquire a recording and live through it all again. Four encores, one of Lisa's was terrible! As always I'm left feeling sorry they didn't play one or two more of my favourites yet reflecting that this is also the reason I like them so much

Disappointed on getting home to find that Linda had only just got back in and that her parents were still round. I would have preferred to find a quiet house and would have liked to have stayed up listening to a few selected tracks. As it was, I avoided too much contact and went straight to bed.

The most satisfying evening of the year so far - and possibly since their last show!

Addendum 2010 - The band is, of course, Dead Can Dance, who I have seen over 40 times. The most sublime live band and whose music has been (indeed remains) a defining part of my life. Nothing more to say

1994

A CSFP day out quite near home today so I do';t need to be up too early. Also I can take Emma to school for the first time. She is very excited about this and gets up straight away. She wanted to show me round her classroom and is obviously very content - as were most of the other children arriving.

I got to Silverstone at 9:30, arriving in thick fog. I immediately met Les Winnister who I'd spent a lot of time with at the Soc Gen Rugby Options market day out at Paris last year. Our first event was cast in doubt by the fog, but this cleared and we were soon out in formula ford cars. The pace car for our group was brilliant and we were definitely the fastest group and lapped all the others. So now I've driven round Silverstone at a top speed of 125 mph. Second up was skid pan driving. Unfortunately I was on first which is always a disadvantage in these events, but I came 4th out of 12. Lunch was beef stew and accompanied by lots of negative comments about Damon Hill. Afterwards I repeatedly crash going too fast at reverse steer cart driving and only did ok at Cateram car driving. My team won the pits stop event and I received the prize for the worst cart driving

Home at 5:45, hours earlier than normal and convinced everyone to go to the woods with me and collect kindling. Emma was not keen but was eventually persuaded it would be like playing.

Addendum 2010 - the joys of bank day's out for Treasurers. Does Credit Suisse Financial Products still exist as an independent entity? Driving days were always my favourite day out. This occurs the year after we have moved to Oxfordshire, so Emma is at the local primary school.