Travis & Fripp: Coventry Cathedral

Departing from Chez Lever at around 9.00ish and arriving at Bristol Temple Meads at around 10.15.

Arriving in Coventry via Birmingham some time after 1.00 p.m.



Prior to the performance at 4.00 pm, the afternoon light begins to play upon the stained glass,bringing the space to life.




This intensely colourful display presages the music produced by Theo and Robert.

Around 300 or so people gathered in this impressive space. The format was different to the previous shows with two sets each lasting around 40 minutes, joining the angels high up in the rafters of the cathedral.

The last piece of the tour was also the longest. Similar to the Threnody 'scapes of a few years ago, it grew from shrill, single notes into an enormous, complex cloud of shifting density and mood. Theo's looped flute created slowly undulating eddies of notes whilst the soprano added piercing shafts of light. This was new territory for the duo and the weight of it in this venue was profound and moving.

When it came a dead stop - ushered in by a three or four note guitar motif - the silence which followed its conclusion provided an uplifting, cathartic release. Then came the thunderous applause.

As that echoed around the place, Robert came off and we exchanged looks and comments along the lines of "Where did that come from?" Where indeed.

After saying goodbye to Theo and Trev, I met up with Bernard, Lesley and Debbie who'd driven down from Newcastle.


We left Coventry and drove over to Birmingham to swap one piece of post-war architecture for another...The Strathallan Hotel on the Hagley Road.

There was only enough time to book in, drop our bags and head out again...

...to our evening engagement with old chums Neil and Halina who had a glass of bubbly waiting for the very moment of our arrival.


Neil's claim to fame (at least as far as I'm concerned) is the a) having seen The Soft Machine circa 1968 and b) having once shared a hospital ward with the singer, Leapy Lee, who was wagging it there during a period of detention at Her Majesty's Pleasure.

A lovely evening to a remarkable day's music.