Sarah McQuaid: Tour Diary

Just a hop, skip and jump today from Bridgend to Cardiff, where we were spending a very welcome day and night off with the wonderful Bill and Rachel Taylor-Beales. Long before I met Rachel, I’d written rave reviews of her first two albums, Brilliant Blue and Red Tree. When her third album Dust and Gold came out, I was no longer reviewing -- which was just as well, as by that time we’d met and become fast friends! Do have a look at her website if you haven’t come across her music before -- it’s gorgeous stuff.

Martin took himself off to the bed for the afternoon to nurse his cold with a cup of tea and a selection of films to watch on his iPad, while I sat at Rachel’s desk trying desperately to empty my email inbox. When evening arrived, Bill prepared a fine feast (see photo below of him hard at work in the kitchen), while Martin was delighted by Rachel’s assertion that Guinness was good for a cold. He lost no time in pouring himself a pint of same ....