Monday 14 July 2008

Aftermath

It's been a long, long time since I was heading into work feeling as spaced out and sleep-deprived, and downright vulnerable as I did this morning. Almost a reminder of the bad old days.

Still, it was a worthwhile price to pay for a wonderful few days in which I made some new friends, renewed some old acquaintances and strengthened some existing ones: all within a framework of hard - and sometimes fraught - work, not to mention a bewildering array of fantastic music.

I took this photograph at 1.30 am this morning, an hour after closedown. It was a last tour of all the different parts of the site just to check if anything else needed attending to. I wandered into this space and, for a few short moments, allowed myself to be enveloped by such a powerful sense of stillness and silence. It was simultaneously eerie and soothing.

I'm often not sure whether one loses or finds oneself at such times...perhaps a bit of both.

Quite a stark (but lovely) contrast to the frequently astonishing musical mayhem of the last 60 or so hours. Not to mention volume - often so dense as to be a physical barrier. The absence of such in the space in the photograph, was almost shocking.

Now, this evening at home, there's silence and solitude: it's much-needed, but somehow I've gotten very quickly used to the intensity of hundreds and hundreds of people milling around, and also of working within what very quickly became a very close-knit team of good people.

It was a blast.

8 comments:

Merkin said...

'Not to mention volume - often so dense as to be a physical barrier...'

'If it's too loud....'

Sounds interesting, though.
Hopefully, I get a chance to hear you before I make my next journey into the unknown.

Caroline said...

Another post that is full of spark.
So glad that you're finding yourself.

x

Anonymous said...

Thing is, merk, it was often as compelling as it was loud - difficult to tear oneself away from such an intense experience. Those bands which didn't do so much for me - that's when the volume seemed to become an issue and I would beat a retreat as a result.

Thanks caroline - I've really said little about the weekend itself, other than it's effect on me: so it's nice to know you find it full of spark. But there was so much to take in (and some of it which I've yet to fully take in) that I wouldn't really know where to start.

Fire Byrd said...

UUMM, I don't pick up on the spark, more a sense of exhausted contentment and a rediscovery of space and peace.
xx

zola a social thing said...

There " in sin city life is hard "
But no trouble matey-boy - I will give you some government relief.

Reading the Signs said...

It sounds good, Trousers. I like the photo.

I'm often not sure whether one loses or finds oneself at such times...perhaps a bit of both.

One or the other or both, yes, when something gets you totally.

DJ Kirkby said...

Sounds as if you had a great time, a memeory that will linger forever, type of time. That photo is superb.

trousers said...

Thanks all for the comments, sorry for being so general, but see the new post.