Secret Santa Night!

So this weekend my group of friends hosted our annual Secret Santa night, which is one of the best nights of the year. We get together with lots of food, swap our gifts and generally get in the festive spirit just before Christmas! We also like a good games night so we usually have a bit of a quiz, splitting into teams and getting competitive, and play other fun games.

Even though we're all really close, sometimes it's difficult knowing what to get your Secret Santa - especially when you have to stick within a price limit. But this year I was really impressed with my gift - it shows my friends know me so well! I was handed a small envelope which was wrapped really pretty with twine and a candy cane. But I thought, what could possibly be in here - surely someone didn't buy me a gift voucher?

My Secret Santa really thought about the perfect present which was, of course, a ticket to a dance performance. And it's not just any old dance company - one of my favourites, NDT2. So now I have something to look forward to for 2016 (not that I didn't have enough, I'm only getting MARRIED). But I've got a theatre night in my diary for April and know it's going to be an incredible night. I'll of course be reviewing it right here.

You can catch NDT2 at The Lowry on 19th and 20th April. The dancers will also be touring in Woking, Bradford, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Nottingham and London.

Finally I'd just like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy 2016.

Gig Review: Mumford and Sons, Manchester Arena

06/12/15

I've barely seen the arena as lively as it was last night for the return of folk rockers Mumford and Sons. Frontman Marcus even said it was the best gig they've done in ages...(do they say that to all the crowds though?!)

The talented musicians had a treasure trove of instruments filling the stage, and Marcus himself switched between most of them while singing the band's back catalogue of hits. Their new music has taken a slower, electronic pace recently but Mumford and Sons made sure they still treated the crowd to their foot stomping roots - everyone was on their feet for Little Lion Man, The Cave and I Will Wait.

Marcus has so much energy on the stage - and off it. During one track he decides to get down on the floor, run down the side of the arena and then pushes himself through the crowd of revellers all the way back to the stage. For the encore though they slow it down, taking to a small stage at the back of the arena and performing a short acoustic set.

Mumford and Sons certainly put on a good show - is it possible not to clap your hands and stomp your feet to most of their tunes?! A dreary Sunday evening was transformed into a thrilling hoe down... Catch the band if you can on their world tour.