Grace Bar, Gt. Windmill Street, Piccadilly

It is some time since I visited the West End of an evening; it was extremely muggy as I arrived to meet up with Charlie Milligan outside Grace Bar. We were visiting at this venue as guests of Vanessa Champion who was arranging an evening of live music and comedy for one of her friends Paul Gregory. Charlie who had managed to put his back out, had found a couple of comfortable seats just outside and was already sitting relaxed in one – I joined him, grateful to get a chance to cool down having travelled from East Finchley using the Northern Line Sauna!

We chatted for a while before taking a gentle stroll up towards Lexington Street. Charlie had spotted the incongruity of a school here in Soho, and I was able to let him know that Diane, my soon to be ex-wife had once taught in the Adult Institute that adjoined – I used to drive into town to pick her up to avoid her having to hang around there for too long. We soon entered the club, and were ushered downstairs where the gathering was already underway. I soon spotted Vanessa, and we acknowledged each other, but I waited till a lull before going over to chat.

Charlie meanwhile bought our drinks, and for a while we stayed on some cube seats near the front, but after a spell in discomfort, Charlie moved to the back where fortunately he found a more comfortable seat to ease his back.

I anticipated that the lighting levels would be sufficiently low as to mean I would be doing unavailable light photography, but I needed 5,000 ISO to give myself even half a chance of stopping some of the movement of the performers. I had brought along a 24 - 105mm f/4 and an 85mm f/1.8 and began shooting with the zoom, but soon swapped it for the fixed lens, and that remained on for the rest of the night.

Most of the comedy was somewhat lacklustre, but Kerry livened proceedings with her observational humour, and much later in the evening an Italian man was definitely the most amusing of the male contingent. I enjoyed the music far more from both the music and the singing – the diminuitive blonde was certainly a ‘belter’, in particular in their last session which ended the evening’s entertainment. I also liked the lone guitarist and some of his gritty songs.

Charlie had to leave before the end as he had an assignment which meant he had a six o’clock start, but I stayed on the end, then having said my goodbyes, I took a few shots out in Piccadilly Circus, grateful for the cool of the night despite some desultory drizzle. The tuq-tuqs were in abundance, but many were finding trade hard to come by and were parked up and chatting amongst themselves. Despite the abundant roadworks, there was no shortage of people out for a good time; many shops and restaurants were open and filled and the steps beneath the statue of Eros provided seating for small groups, and couples with a bongo group providing a rhythm to the drown the sounds of congested traffic.

I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to capture some of the colour and light both in the recesses of the Grace Club and out in the streets of London. I hope I have done it justice.