Once again, working at The Sage Gateshead has produced another exciting opportunity!
Last night, Joe McElderry came to sing on the Concourse of The Sage Gateshead, also in the building was my friend Jim's future girlfriend, Cheryl Cole. I couldn't believe how small they are...or maybe I was just far away.

Luckily, I was scheduled to be running a traditional rapper sword dance class down in the Music Education Centre and so the team was able to come into the building and watch the live performance; they were so excited!

Also yesterday, I had a trip out to the County Hall in Morpeth where I represented the Folkworks Hexham Gathering at a meeting of Northumberland Festivals. We were given a presentation on some research done at several festivals throughout the year as to what the economic impact is on local towns. The Hexham Gathering is a festival run by Folkworks and the Queens Hall Arts Centre in Hexham on the second bank holiday weekend of May. It is aimed at giving children and young people performance opportunites and a chance to meet other young musicians - a very worthwhile event!

Tomorrow I have the complicated task of collecting all of the artist riders for the 5th Birthday weekend (17th to 20th December) and putting together a shopping list to feed all artists and Technicians working that weekend - a massive task, wish me luck!