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Today's Lockdown Listen is a fairly recent "Community Keyboards" extract from March last year when we sent our microphones down to the Troxy in the Limehouse district of London for a special concert featuring American supremo Walt Strony. It was a bit of a gamble this one! I had been unable to pre-arrange a meeting with the artist, was completely unfamiliar with the venue or organ (apart from recordings in its previous home at the Troc E&C). I had arrived way too early (Sunday trains from Manchester to Euston, then tube and DLR uncertainty) so decided to grab a bit to eat at the "local" McDonalds. It's surprising how close these things look on an iPhone map screen! I walked and walked...and walked for about a couple of miles, little realising that I was passing through some very dubious areas, where earlier that week there had been shootings and stabbings, got to McD's and realised that there was about 40 mins to curtain up! Needless to say, I opted for the take out burger and fries! Luckily a bus stop was right outside just as a bus was approaching. I jumped on, hastily devoured the food and alighted outside the Troxy. As I entered the beautiful Art Deco foyer, a familiar "Who's Who" of organists were assembled. I walked into the auditorium, having stopped for a word or two of "hello's" and just happened to turn around to (literally) bump into Walt, dressed in raincoat and carrying a music bag. We both said "excuse me" at the same time. I decided to "grab the bull by the horns", quickly introduced myself and was staggered when he graciously invited me backstage to record the interview before the start of the concert. This is usually a definite "no-no", particularly with about 20 mins to showtime but the deal was that we would stand up/sit down whilst Walt got dressed into concert gear! A very memorable day for many different reasons.
By Ian WolstenholmeToday's Lockdown Listen is a fairly recent "Community Keyboards" extract from March last year when we sent our microphones down to the Troxy in the Limehouse district of London for a special concert featuring American supremo Walt Strony. It was a bit of a gamble this one! I had been unable to pre-arrange a meeting with the artist, was completely unfamiliar with the venue or organ (apart from recordings in its previous home at the Troc E&C). I had arrived way too early (Sunday trains from Manchester to Euston, then tube and DLR uncertainty) so decided to grab a bit to eat at the "local" McDonalds. It's surprising how close these things look on an iPhone map screen! I walked and walked...and walked for about a couple of miles, little realising that I was passing through some very dubious areas, where earlier that week there had been shootings and stabbings, got to McD's and realised that there was about 40 mins to curtain up! Needless to say, I opted for the take out burger and fries! Luckily a bus stop was right outside just as a bus was approaching. I jumped on, hastily devoured the food and alighted outside the Troxy. As I entered the beautiful Art Deco foyer, a familiar "Who's Who" of organists were assembled. I walked into the auditorium, having stopped for a word or two of "hello's" and just happened to turn around to (literally) bump into Walt, dressed in raincoat and carrying a music bag. We both said "excuse me" at the same time. I decided to "grab the bull by the horns", quickly introduced myself and was staggered when he graciously invited me backstage to record the interview before the start of the concert. This is usually a definite "no-no", particularly with about 20 mins to showtime but the deal was that we would stand up/sit down whilst Walt got dressed into concert gear! A very memorable day for many different reasons.