I managed to catch up with Shivani Ahlowalia, who played under the Club Tent with her group ALO WALA on Tuesday night, to ask her a few questions about her musical influences, the powerful potential of music and plans for the future. We met up before her concert-the group's first in Switzerland!- and I enjoyed her lively and bright presence, which also showed on stage as she mesmerised the crowd, interacted with them and delivered one of the freshest and most satisfying concerts of the festival so far. Continue for the interview below. You were born in Chicago, of Indian origin, play with Danish musicians on a Portuguese label, collaborate with artists from all round the globe. Could you tell us a bit about how you got together? Haha exactly, welcome to my world! I used to live in Copenhagen, and I live again there now, because the music is going so well now with the band being based there. I've always had an interest in music, going out, clubbing basically. And I met one of the members of the band, Copyflex when he was deejaying at a club. He had a really unearthly vibe, and I was attracted to it right away. Like something beyond Scandinavian, from another planet, some really good vibes, you know. We remained friends, I went to work in South Africa, life went on, but eventually we hooked up to make music a few of years ago, like in 2011. Oh and just to follow up on that question, he has an existing band, called Copia Doble Sound Systema, so what happened was, we basically integrated the two. Well we started a new project, but with the back end of Copia Doble, so that was a massive help to the Alo Wala Project from the start. In a time where the political context in Europe witnesses the rise of nationalistic discourses and politics, your music clearly ignores all borders and values traditions and cultures, thematics that nationalists mobilise a lot,they talk about tradition, they talk about local culture etc., but you use these to bring people together, celebrate life and just have fun. That was so well put! That could be the answer to the question! There's also the work that you did in Guinea Bissau. What I'm aiming at basically is, could you tell us a bit about the political potential of music? Oh my gosh! I think music is stronger than politics to be honest, for that very reason. Because it has the power to completely eliminate the borders, and I think that as an artist , you have an absolute obligation to exercise that power. That's what I believe and every artist may take take it on in a different way, there's no one way of doing that. But it's something I recognise from the yet, you know, just being such a fan of music, and being of Indian origin, growing up in America, I really understood what it is to be rooted elsewhere, so it was really easy to find similarities in other cultures, and to be easily fascinated by them. I'm going off topic a bit but yeah, I think music definitely has the ability to erase borders. And that's the context I worked in in Guinea-Bissau. I supported a lot of up and coming artists, where there was no industry and there was a really crazy socio-economic situation. Basically, we used the music as a way to bring people together in hard times, and at times we were able to make projects that actually used this music as a mechanism to bring these artists into other countries, to make connections and start to build there lives in a different way. So music is an absolutely powerful tool. We're here, were human, we're on this planet, and if we work from there, the planet's going to be a better place Also, I think that when you talk about nationalism, nationalists forget that we're all human, and that is the foundation of my understanding, so when you start to work from there, instead of saying I'm Danish, I'm Indian, I'm American, it really changes the way you work, and I think the people I work with are like that. I just featured on a track with Dengue Dengue Dengue, hopefully fingers crossed it'll come out on their next album, and it's not about being groovy, and being Indian. Eventually it's something that's going to come out in the music, but that's not what we talk about when we get together. It's like we're here, were human, we're on this planet, and if we work from there, the planet's going to be a better place. Speaking more precisely about the music, you obviously have very broad influences. I noticed the name of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan crop up somewhere, for example. Oh, I love him, you know, I grew up very Indian in America, so really affected by the Hip-Hop era and 90s but grew up with Bollywood and Bhangra music, and Indian classical music, and Qawwali music like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in the house, juxtaposed at the same time with Michael Jackson. I really grew up in that era, and that has been the foundation. The first album I ever bought was Bob Marley, and I had Buffalo Soldier on repeat for about a year, so I'm heavily influenced by Reggae and Dancehall. Yet the whole project started in Europe, so it has a definite European Electronica, UK Bass, Dancehall feel, and then other influences from around the world. It's not that we approach a song and stay this is going to be African and Indian etc... It's just that since we're such a diverse bunch of producers, we've got varied backgrounds, we've lived in various countries around the world, that when we sit down to make music, all of that just comes out, it's not contrived at all. You brought out an EP last autumn, then another few songs in early 2015. What are your plans for the future, will you be touring, working on some new songs? We're working on it as we speak, and we've set aside some time in late summer early fall to really like hone in, but I have some ideas in mind, some beats on the laptop, but it's really about the time, its hard to create music when you're on tour. We've been touring since May, not like every day, we're based in Copenhagen so we've been touring on weekends. It's only now that Europe is on holiday, that we've been touring on a Tuesday, and a Monday, and a Wednesday. We're going back to Copenhagen next for three shows. But it's going well. This is the first summer we've really toured, and I gather there's a lot of different ways to tour, like touring for huge bulks of time then having a lot of time off, for example. Going back a bit, you talked about studying in Copenhagen. What is it that you did? I studied business and economic development, but I've always been into music, so I found a way to make the two work. So we started an NGO in Guinea Bissau that I'm associated to at this point, but I'm not there to work, this is my project now this, ALO WALA, but my colleagues are doing a great job and it basically works with music culture and development, supporting artists, supporting infrastructure of music in Guinea-Bissau, producing festivals, etc. It's as if I only got the courage to do my own music at a certain point in life, and before that always made a point to work with music, but then I switched gears and finally did it for my self. So you're just doing music now? Yeah, because I've seen that this is a way. That it can work, and I love it. As challenging as it is I mean, I've invested a lot of time and energy into this,and it's not something I plan on working away from. At the same time it would be great to have another job, but this is so consuming! So I just hope that if we keep with the same energy,eventually it's going to be a way to support me well. Yeah, I believe in it. Well thank you for your time! Thank you very much!

Readers may have seen purple flags that have sprung up on lamp posts along the lake road, and around the town. These flags are promoting the 2010/11 UEFA European Women’s Under-17 Football Championship. The competition begins on the 28th July and ends with the final on the 31st and will be held at Colovray in Nyon. The four qualified teams in the final are France, Germany, Iceland and Spain. It promises to be an exciting final as the continent's most talented young female players descend on Nyon! This year the ambassador of the final tournament is former Swiss national team player Patrick Müller . His former clubs include Servette FC Genève, Grasshoppers Club, Olympique Lyonnais and AS Monaco. He will be present at the final on Sunday. For more info see the UEFA site here  The match schedule for the final round is as follows:   Thursday 28 July Semi-final 1: Iceland v Spain (at 14.00)   Semi-final 2: Germany v France (at 18.00) Sunday 31 July  Third- place play-off (at 14.00)  Final (at 18.00)  Eurosport 2 will broadcast the two semi-finals and the final live.

Have you recently arrived in Switzerland as an expat?   Here is a short article written by Melina Hiralal on how to cope with this exciting and challenging time.  Melina is a cross cultural consultant and lives near Nyon. She works with companies, families and individuals offering training and assistance during both the expatriation and the repatriation process.  She will be writing a series of articles for this site on expatriate issues and says that sometimes, "living in an unfamiliar culture is like watching a foreign film without sub-titles". If  you would like advice from Melina you can contact her at hiralal.wolf@bluewin.ch The Swiss Honeymoon is over … now what? If you arrived at some point in Switzerland during the summer, you were probably basking in the knowledge that you made a good call when you or your family decided to become expats for a while.  The country had all its finery on show, you may have spent lovely afternoons down at a lake, or been on beautiful walks up in the mountains or even participated in some of the many festivals that were going on during the summer break. Beautiful, clean, well-organised and safe, these things come to mind when we speak about Switzerland and they are the reasons that may have encouraged you to take the plunge. A few weeks down the line and real life has taken over . The children are possibly settling down in their new schools, the spouse is investing a lot of time and energy in the new job which brings its own challenges … and the accompanying spouse is left trying to build a life that feels “right” for everybody. The way we go about tackling the challenges of every-day life in a new location will influence our experience of living abroad. It can be nerve-wracking to drive the car on the “wrong” side of the road and everyday tasks take so much longer and can be a source of much frustration when you don’t speak the language. What might have seemed quirky and fun, now feels strange and decidedly “un-fun” as we try to get a handle on creating a new life in a new location. Frustration, confusion, tension and embarrassment are all normal reactions to our cross-cultural encounters. We let ourselves be fooled into a false sense of security by the fact that the population around us looks and lives in a way similar to the one we left behind without realising that it is in fact very different. The choices we make at this point will influence our expat experience. Is it helpful to withdraw from our host country’s society, criticising and rationalising what we see? Was it part of our plan to end up seeking comfort in the more familiar expatriate community? Probably not - so what can we do in order to avoid the downward spiral of loss of confidence and comfort and turn frustration into hope and resentment into trust along the way. Observe : just for a moment, imagine you have moved to Outer Mongolia, or another culture very different from your own. How would you go about learning about this culture and the best way to fit in? Be curious : try the new food, participate in the new customs and experience new ways of doing things. Inquire : ask a local why they do things differently, ask a local to explain what the tradition and customs you are observing means. Listen : Listen to the explanations you are given, they are the key to the code to understanding your environment. Living in an unfamiliar culture is like watching a foreign film without sub-titles. These simple tools can hopefully increase your understanding of what is happening around you and help you to feel more connected to the place you have chosen as your temporary home. Melina Hiralal - Cross-cultural consultant

Cesar's Grill  - Dario Aguirre  screening today at the Capitole cinema 2 at 20:00   Buy tickets on line here The director of the film Cesar's Grill - Dario Aguirre is living happily in Germany until his father asks him to return to Ecuador. His restaurant and grill is close to bankruptcy. Aguirre, who has meanwhile become a vegetarian, gets involved with the ailing family business. What happens next is the main premise of the film and it's a fascinating and very personal story. We see Aguirre go  through a whole gamut of emotions, sadness, laughter, and frustration at being back in his home country and we the audience are taken along with him. He  suggests to his father that if he opened the business at an earlier time of day he may attract more customers, he creates an Excel spread sheet for accounting purposes, he even suggests that his father should buy food from a wholesale market not a retail one, all to no avail. His father is stuck in his ways of doing business and nothing will change his mind despite mounting debts. A snapshot of life in Ecuador From the opening humorous shot in this film of a customer in a barber chair's in Ecuador, this film sets the tone of what's to come,  it is beautifully filmed and engaging from the start. Occasionally interspersed with Aguirre's own music, (he plays the guitar), he sings out some of his frustrations to camera, these add an interesting touch to the film.  We also get to see a snapshot of life in Ecuador - Aguirre and his family sweeping up layers of ash after a nearby volcano has erupted,  the celebrations for New Year near to the family home, the customers in the restaurant. Aguirre conducts a bit of market research with them and asks them what improvements they would like to see in the business " Faster service would help" says one,  "More space in the dining area" says another. Aguirre talks to his father about knocking a wall down in the dining area to create more space, when they then  speak to a workman about it and Aguirre  asks, "but is it safe to knock down this wall?,  the workman replies "I don't know, we will just have to see what happens", this got a big laugh from the Swiss audience watching the film, an audience presumably used to perfect construction techniques with nothing left to chance.   When Aguirre travels to the countryside with his father to learn more about his  father's childhood to get to know him more, they travel through beautiful scenery,  giving another fascinating glimpse into the country. Cesar's Grill is a lovely film, well worth watching.  It gives off a warm glow long after the flames have died down.  This film is entered into the "Etat  D'Esprit" category of this film festival. A film that does indeed lift your "spirit".

Thankyou to all readers who have registered for the fondue event. This event is now full, however a waiting list has been established in the case of any cancellations. Due to the popularity of such an event we will endeavour to organise another such event in the not too distant future so keep checking this site for news.  Coming up on the site later, other events happening around the area. Photo in banner and below, scenes from the "Three Kings" evening on the 6th January in Nyon.

Webster University over in Bellevue near Geneva is seeking a temporary administrative assistant to start  in February 2010. Details here. Photo in banner "Joyeux Noel" bread in bakery in Nyon.  Photos below: Rive Christmas market in Nyon Sunday 5th December.

Next in the occasional *series of interviews with local expatriates, is an interview with Helen von Dedelszen. Helen, originally from Hawke's Bay in North Island, New Zealand, now lives in Crassier, a small village with a population of just over 1,000 located on the outskirts of Nyon and very near the French border town of Divonne. Photo above - Helen in her garden in Crassier. Helen is wearing a Pounamu necklace from New Zealand. Over to Helen. "People often ask me if I miss New Zealand. My answer is usually “not really”. Of course I miss my family and friends but after thirteen years in Europe with almost ten of that in this corner of Switzerland, this has become “home”. I now live in Crassier with my Italian husband and our two boys. In many ways Switzerland and New Zealand are alike. They’re both clean, safe, wealthy and stable countries. They both have prominent mountain ranges, crystal-clear waterways and vineyards. Photo above - C. Nelson-Pollard  - Vineyard on the Route du Vignoble in Vaud In other ways they are worlds apart. New Zealand considers itself multicultural with a mix of indigenous Maori, and people who’ve mostly arrived from England over the past 150 years, with a smattering of residents originally from the Pacific islands and Asia. But compared to Switzerland – or really anywhere in Europe – it’s a fairly homogenous place. Growing up, I spoke only English. In Vaud, my young children happily switch between three languages without any effort at all. Photo above - New Zealand Tourism. Black Bridge Vineyard, looking through to Te Mata Peak, Hawkes Bay New Zealand’s location, essentially at the bottom of the world, also means that meaningful interactions with other cultures are limited – unless you’re willing to take a 27 hour flight to Europe on a regular basis! Switzerland’s location in the middle of Europe means I now experience a more colourful and stimulating life, with exposure to a multitude of languages and cultures daily. I do miss the casual, friendly, “no worries” attitude of New Zealanders – we call ourselves “Kiwis”. I miss “popping in” to visit friends and never needing to think ahead whether I have all the vocabulary I need for a new situation. I sometimes wonder how my children will identify themselves. Swiss almost definitely. However, I make an effort to expose them to Kiwi language (“jandals” instead of “flip flops”, “togs” instead of “swimming costume”) and they have regular contact in person and over Skype with Kiwi relations. And thanks to the New Zealand rugby culture, my boys can already challenge anyone with a pretty heartfelt haka. As a family we love being able to walk out of our front door to wander between the beautiful orchards, fields and vineyards. I will never get bored of the views of the breath-taking Mount Blanc and sparkling Lac Léman. We’re also always discovering new gems in the area – the various beaches on the lake which are great for the whole family and the small forests and river walks which provide “adventures” for the little ones. Photo above - C.Nelson-Pollard - Swimming in the lake with Mont Blanc in the distance Photo above - New Zealand Tourism - Cruising on Lake Taupo in North Island - North Island If you’re new to the area I strongly suggest that you join a club or group, providing you with opportunities to meet people and improve your French (if necessary). The other tip I have is get to know your neighbours. Most people I’ve met here are very open and willing to help newcomers. The variety and different perspectives that you will encounter will only enrich your life and experience. And you never know, like me, you may make some great friends and start calling here home!" *Other interviews include: Living in Le Vaud with Christine Carey , Living in Rolle with Sandra Wilmer , Living in Bursinel with Debbie Croft  Living in Divonne with Celia Marsh

Some concert goers make a real effort to dress up for Paléo, from goth, to punk, to rasta, hippie, you name it, it's all there (see photos on side bar). However, some readers have emailed asking what to wear for the grounds from a practical point of view. Is it cold at night, is it muddy? Well, on Thursday night some parts of the ground were getting just a little bit muddy but nothing intolerable and it usually has dried out by the following day. Those that came in high heels were just struggling, the concerts and grounds are spread over lots of acres and on a few small hills so there's a lot of walking up and down to do. Some came in rubber boots/wellies/ Hunters etc, but on the whole jeans and trainers/ Havaianas / flip flops are the way most people go. Those that came straight from the office in suits and smart shoes just looked and probably felt uncomfortable (and very out of place...) Sabina (her second Paléo already!) dressed for a night of rocking in Paléo T Shirt, jeans and cool red boots travelling up to the grounds with her mum. If you intend staying to the wee hours then a sweater is useful but over the last few nights it has stayed warm until late. Down in the mosh pit of course or dancing in a crowd it gets very hot so T- shirts, short sleeved tops, jeans or, shorts are best. If rain is forecast then obviously an umbrella or rain gear is good to have, but past experience at rainy concerts is that if you put an umbrella up someone will ask you to take it down as you are blocking their view. A few years ago, the heavens opened and there was torrential rain when Texas were singing and on that night very few people put their umbrellas up. They just got wet, very wet, yours truly included. A memorable but fun evening. The fact that Texas were singing "Here comes the winter rain" from the song "Summer's son" at the time made it even more memorable...... Reviews coming up soon of last night's music. Another excellent night.

There are three interesting events coming up in the Nyon area this week, from a film set in Finland showing tonight, to a Jazz and Carol concert on Saturday to the Nyon Christmas Market on Sunday. Firstly tonight, Monday night 5th at the Capitole Cinema in Nyon there will be a screening at 20.15 of the film "Steam of Life"  This film won the prize of the Interreligious Jury at the Visions du Réel Documentary festival 2010. Steam of Life by Joonas Berghåll and Mika Hotakainen Synopsis provided by Visions du Reel: "Naked Finnish men in saunas speak straight from the heart around the warmth of old stoves and cleanse themselves both physically and mentally towards the film's deeply emotional and unforgettable finale. The film travels through Finland joining men of all walks of life in many different saunas to let us hear their touching stories about love, death, birth and friendship; about life. In all its simplicity the camera records the raw and rare beauty of landscapes, saunas and men in almost magical pictures. The presence of the characters and the depth of their emotion reaches a limit where it is almost intolerable for the viewer to watch. Steam of Life reveals the men's naked souls in an exceptionally intimate and poetic way". Smooth Jazz and Christmas Carols This Jazz and Carols evening is an alternative and relaxed Christmas event and take place this Saturday 10 December from 18:30 to 19:45 in the Temple de Nyon (rue du Temple). The evening is free, but please register by clicking on the link here    Don’t delay – tickets are going fast!  This concert is being hosted by La Côte Anglican Church , which has just celebrated its Silver Jubilee.  Twenty-five years ago the first service in English was held in the village of Trélex and thereafter in the larger church at Gingins, to meet the needs of the growing English-speaking population in the Nyon area.   The church community has grown dramatically from the few families who formed the initial congregation 25 years ago, but it retains its informal and welcoming atmosphere and serves both the expatriate and local communities in many different ways. As well as services in English every Sunday at 16.00 in Gingins village church and twice a month in Divonne, there’s a Sunday Club (for children and teens), crèche, home groups, pastoral care, social action, regular get-togethers for newcomers to the area, and fund-raising events such as the popular Quiz Night, Spring Fair and Christmas Market (Sat. 3 Dec. 11.00-15.00 at the Divonne Eglise Réformée parish centre).  If you’d like to join their mailing list to find out more information – especially at this time of year to find out more about our Christmas services Pplease  contact the Chaplain, Carolyn Cooke, at carolyn.cooke@lacotechurch.ch  Tel: 022-364- 0030, or Assistant Chaplain, Julia Chambeyron, at julia.chambeyron@orange.fr   Tel. 0033- 450.20.1937.  You can also find more information on their website: Nyon Christmas Market It's the Christmas market in Nyon on Sunday 11th December down by the Rive from 08:00: 18:30. Lots of artisanal  stalls and gifts for Christmas, Living in Nyon will be there with a stall selling the "Living along Lac Léman" book.  Why not come along and say "Hello"!

If you want to work for yourself here in Switzerland, how do you go about it? There are various rules and regulations that you need to comply with and so to help you understand a bit more about it all below is a short summary of  the process. This is followed by an alternative solution for entrepreneurs written for Living in Nyon by Gina Empson, Director  of  Swiss Labour Contractors.   "Setting up and operating as an “independent” in Switzerland can be a complicated affair. In countries such as England or France, labour leasing is well known and straight forward, but in Switzerland you can have only one work status. You are either an employee or an independent -  there is nothing in between. To get that “independent” status you firstly have to go to the social security office and show that you have at least three clients and that you are carrying the economic risk yourself. This can mean that if the work goes badly you are responsible, unlike an employee where the employer takes the economic risk. You also need to register with the tax authorities and the “Registre du Commerce”. An alternative way of effectively operating as an independent while being technically an employee could be to go through a company such as Swiss Labour Contractors. This arrangement allows people the flexibility of an independent working when they want, while having the administration burden and hassle taken care of. At the same time they are fully legal and can maintain pension and unemployment benefits. An example of this could be if someone has recently arrived in the region having left a job to follow a partner. They want to work but not necessarily full time or all year. They have experience and can find international mandates or local companies who could benefit from their skills, but the individual knows nothing of local legislation, work permits, social security requirements and income tax. In this situation Swiss Labour Contractors can act as their employer and accept the mandate. This is a three way relationship, the individual finds the work, Swiss Labour Contractors invoice the company or person on the individual's behalf and pay them a salary less social deductions and an administration fee. They also offer tax planning and pension advice. This kind of service benefits anyone; IT consultants, marketing, teachers, part-time secretaries, communications, trainers etc. This can help particularly for individuals who want to validate the market or their business plan before spending money on company formation. It also benefits secondary income jobs, ex-UN and NGO staff working for commercial enterprises, and people taking early retirement. It should also be noted how important it is to maintain employee status in the years before retirement in order to continue pension plan (LPP) and social security (AVS) contributions. Swiss Labour Contractors   is a subsidiary of International Corporate Services S.A., a fiduciary accounting company created ten years ago by Gina Empson. The company has authorisations for labour leasing both at Cantonal and Federal Level. For further information see Swiss Labour Contractors or telephone  022 908 02 45

Response to the "Swiss Politics for Dummies" talk in English taking place on the 28th, has been incredible, so much so, a waiting list for the event has now been established. If you would still like to come, send an email to cnp at bluewin.ch and I will put you on the list and let you know if there are any cancellations nearer the time. The venue of the talk is at La Ferme du Manor in Place du Château 2, Nyon.  This is the council chamber building. The building is in the photo below. The principal entry is in the second photo. The council chamber is on the 1st floor. You will see that this building is near to the château, so there are various places you could park nearby. Either in the main "place Perdtemps" car park in the centre of Nyon and then it will be a five minute walk through the town heading towards the château. Alternatively, you could park in  La Duche underground car park on the lake road and then take the glass lift/ elevator up to the higher elevation. This brings you to a path near the chateau. Here is a list of all the public and private parking areas in Nyon. If you are coming by train then it is a short walk through the town to the château. If you head for the castle you cannot go wrong! Here is a map link and a link to CFF to check train times. "Introduction to Wine Tasting" ( in English) Did you know that above Nyon in Changins there is the Ecole D'ingénieurs de Changins? Set in beautiful grounds this is in an important and prestigious "Haute Ecole", a centre of education (and university education), research and development for students and professionals involved in viticulture, oenology and arbiculture. News for 2010 is that their wine school will be running a course an "Introduction to Wine Tasting" in English. The course begins in April and also in November and runs over 16 hours. For further details see programme

Caribana's reputation for it's fine weather was once again confirmed for part of the evening, as the festival opened its gates under the shining sun. The evening started with Swiss band Carrousel , made of Franco-Swiss couple Leonard Gogniat and Sophie Burande who met while busking in France. Their enthusiasm and great tunes, engaging lyrics rapidly gathered a fair amount of people enjoying a ride on their musical "merry-go-round" (Carrousel, in French!)  under the sun. It's always quite impressive, specially for the first concert of the evening, to see the change from the few people sitting in front of the stage before it begins to the crowd that gathers after the first couple of minutes. The magic of music and festivals! Switching from the accordion to guitar, toy piano and even a music box , Carrousel gave a really nice concert, where you could see the band were enjoying themselves as much as the crowd, even under the high temperatures! Next up on the main stage, Selah Sue enchanted everyone with her powerful voice. Her own mix of soul, funk and R'n'B got people moving to the rhythm, as she went from more energetic songs to mellower soulful tunes, swapping her backing band for an acoustic guitar. The 26 year old Belgian showed she didn't need four other musicians to hold her own on the main stage, and her solo moments were really good. The advantage of Caribana is that you're never far from anything on the grounds, and you can sit down anywhere, have a bit to eat without missing out on the concerts. Traditional festival food stalls offer anything from Curries to Burgers, via Pizzas, Crèpes and Baked Potatoes. Whether you sip a beer at a table in front of the smaller stage, or enjoy a refreshing cocktail from "Miss Caipi's" bar with you feet in the (enjoyably cool) lake, the festival's setting allows you to relax and enjoy the great weather in a beautiful spot. It wasn't all sun and fun, and as Swedish cult band the Cardigans walked onto the main stage, the sky gradually got more and more menacing. Commenting on what looked like an impending storm, forecast for around 22:00 (quite accurately, too!), they joked they would try and up the tempo and play all their songs slightly faster to finish before the bad weather hit. The crowd was quite diverse, with quite a few people who had come with their children. The most enthusiastic hand wavers were all over 40, and probably fans of the band when they first started playing. The lead singer engaged with crowd, reminiscing of her 18 years of age when she first sang a particular song, for example. Playing to the setting sun, with a background of perilous clouds, the atmosphere was pretty great. An amused festival-goer pointed out to his friends, regarding the colours in the sky, that they seemed to have the best light effects technician in the world- indeed, Nature is hard to beat! Sadly, they lost against the weather, and as the wind gradually got stronger, and the first drops of rain started falling, some of the crowd wandered off towards the reassuring protection of the bars. Others, more intrepid, maybe hardcore fans or storm enthusiasts simply fished out the raincoats kindly handed out at the festival entrance, and continued, impervious to the (by now) massive amounts of water falling down on them. As the rain didn't look like it was going to stop, and actually got stronger and stronger, quite a few people started leaving the grounds to head back to their car or the bus and dryer spots.