Last night I had the great pleasure to see Stephen Jenkinson and Gregory Hoskins (and the three other band members) in concert.
I first saw him with Gregory about a decade ago, and also in Totnes when the band was touring pre-pandemic.
I’m not going to give the whole game away as I know there will be a few people in my network/circle who have booked to see him but let’s just say it was very…very moving. Moving in the sense that I shifted in my seat, my mind was all a jangle, I laughed, cried, sang, whooped and was thrown off course more than once. If you can get to see him on the road then I highly recommend it but I suspect all the gigs are, by now, sold out.
One other thing. Given Stephen’s age and general health, I was struck by the fact that this may be the last time I ever see him.
It reminds me of that line in the song Invocation that starts “Welcome friends…”
And that’s how I’ll always think of him: a friend.