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 Big Mac in Cwmbran Saturday 7th December 2019

I was in a bit of a dither as to what to wear for the Big Mac gig at Our Lady of the Angels Church Hall in Cwmbran yesterday, or possibly the day before by the time I finish this piece, so best to turn the kettle off. Normally I just bling myself up and hesitate, if at all, only as to which belt to wear: the sparkly blue rhinestone rivet one with matching buckle or the sparkly red rhinestone rivet one with matching buckle. 'What if', I said to Val, ‘the place is full of nuns and priests at prayer?' 'Oh', she replied, 'then you'd better wear the red belt.' But then I thought: It might be some kind of Hot Gospel revivalist meeting, with the Big Mac band as new converts. So I wore the blue belt.

In fact the place, when we eventually tracked it down, was a very large roaringly noisy crowded hall with no cassocks or habits to be seen, and with no religious icons looking down on us, or not until Big Mac and the band came on; and any prayers must have been for us all to have a great time, for that is what we did.

Speaking of which, if I can just thank the group whose table we were at for making us welcome and being so friendly and hospitable. I didn't get their names, but when they left early, generously leaving us a bottle of wine, it was because one of them, at least, had to be up at six this morning to do some work on behalf of homeless people. That should be enough of a clue if they read these words.

And then the evening wore on and wore itself out, with only the memories of it still up and dancing. But memories have to be remembered lest one forget, and forget that one has, and there is much that I recall. My first dance comes to mind, and it was with myself and on an empty floor, the first always being the best; and then there were the kind people who included us in their party at the table; and Mike with his customary funny story about Pete; and the man who admired my outfit and said I looked psychedelic; and people laughing and letting go; and the rolling thunder of the drums.

Not, then, a particularly prayerful occasion, but there was a communion, if not of souls then of a shared escape from self and the rejoicing in that release. For the most part it is only on a dance floor that we dance, but this is much more repressive than it may seem; for away from the floor, or for many of us even on it, our self-permitted bodily movements are very strictly choreographed. In an office or shop, or for much of the time at home or even in the middle of a field, we cannot, for instance, stretch our arms up high, and just because we want to, let alone its being spontaneous, and for the simple sensuous freedom of movement it gives as a gift. Imagine jigging around as if on a dance floor but while waiting for a bus. Well, perhaps not all that difficult, but now try to picture yourself doing it without embarrassment.

Luckily we have Big Mac, and on Saturday, this paragraph now being on Monday, they shook us and rattled our chains until we overpowered the guards and ran for the hills, which were alive with the sound of music. Perhaps, then, Mike and the band have something of the evangelical about them, and we the congregation whirl and spin and chant and sing and rejoice in joyfulness itself and the glory of the moment and of being alive. Long may Bic Mac lead us to the promised land of a great night out and the chance to dance. Laurence

8Mike McNamara and 7 others

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• Theresa McNamara

  Lawrence, you are always so complimentary about the band. Thank you so much for the enthusiastic write-ups you post. It's wonderful that you always have a truly good time. 

  

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  • Laurence Peddle

    Author

    Hi Theresa. Thanks for your kind words. I do have a good time but so does everyone else. I'd have an even better time, really, if the others were miserable party poopers and just sat there counting their woes or swapping attempted suicide stories; because then I'd have the dance floor to myself.

    Still, mustn't be selfish, but I do blame Mike and the band for getting us all going like whirling dervishes. The floor was so crowded at one point that when I leapt into the air, there being no room to go sideways, the space I'd momentarily vacated was already occupied by the time I came down.

    My apologies to whoever it was I landed on. Anyway,I'm glad you like the write-ups and long may we all continue.Oops, how did that satellite dish get there?

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• Margaret Brown

  https://www.goodreads.com/.../2084136-our-purpose-in-life...

  

  GOODREADS.COM

  A quote from Inspiration

  A quote from Inspiration

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  • Laurence Peddle

    Author

    Hi Margaret. Thanks for the link. Wayne W. Dyer from your goodreads said it doesn't matter where you are when the music stops. I'm usually in bed, in fact, because it takes ages for my ears to stop ringing.after the dance.Thanks again

    

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• Gwyneth Sanders

  Glad you had such a great time. You really should get out so much more. You've plenty of life in you !!!!So funny !

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  • Laurence Peddle

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    Hi Gwyneth. Thanks for your nice comments. I do try to get out more, but they always catch me.

    If you live in West Wales you travelled even further than we did, so I don't know if you got caught in that torrential rain on the way back. On the A470 ther… 

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  • Gwyneth Sanders

    Laurence Peddle

     Thanks! I didnt go that night but.will be up for the Potters gig whilst on family Christmas duties !! Aquaplaining is best experienced when you least expect it !!! Living in West Wales all life ends and closes up for the winter once October half term is over. The hibernation continues until March or even April when we are woken from our slumbers by the Easter visitors waking us up !. I only avoid complete winter weakness and joint seizure by undertaking the couch-5k running programme which is managed by restarting the programme several times when a demand is made for the ultimate 30 minute run three times a week. Nooooo. !