In a converted warehouse somewhere in the back streets of Carlisle, more than fifty people crowded into the city’s most bohemian venue, The Source Cafe, to experience (or should that be “endure”?) a once-in-a-lifetime musical moment – a double-headed acoustic gig featuring Upstart’s Tom Mansfield and University of Cumbria performing arts course leader John Topping.

The evening’s highlights included John’s rendition of “Cocaine Blues” (my favourite lyric – “Here comes Sally, here comes Sue, there ain’t no difference between the two…That said, I know a couple of Sallys and a number of Sues and I should probably say here that there are many differences between them yet
they are all very lovely people). And 50 performing arts students, graduates and lecturers joining in to the chorus of Red Tanja’s “Dance Nazi”…quite an experience.

Best of all, the evening raised £104.20 (not sure where that 20p comes from, but hey, we’ll take it) towards our 22nd July Project appeal. Thanks everyone!