Dr Freedland's Retirement Lunch, Truckfest Day Two and Sunday lunch by the River

I suspect (no, am certain) I was the only person at Truckfest who had a retirement lunch at an Oxford College to squeeze into the weekend. My old law professor was retiring at the age of 67 and I returned to St John's for his retirement lunch - champagne reception in Canterbury Quad followed by 3-course lunch in Hall. All very civilised, and great to catch up with some of my old friends from years gone by, many of whom I hadn't seen in 25 years. Pretty prestigious guest list. I counted one knight of the realm, one MP, one CBE, one CGM and 3 QCs.

Given the invite said "Smart Summer Wear", it was fitting that we got the first day of summer. So I strolled along the Oxord streets in my "Death in Venice" outfit, fought my way past the tourist hordes in Carfax and made my way into college, bumping into a couple of students from my year on the way (one of them a QC).

Lunch was very agreeable and then we went onto the speeches of which there was one more than I had bargained for. Long lists of anecdotes as one would expect at these affairs, with standing ovations and all quite emotional in a Goodbye Mr Chips sort of way. Best anecdote/joke was the tutor who said he never minded his students looking at their watches during tutorials; he only objected when they started to shake them to check they hadn't stopped.

Then back, rather later than I had expected, to Truck. Back to the reviews I am afraid.

65Daysofstatic

Great name. According to the programme, industrial math rock (whatever that is). Liked them, until I realised that the bombastic intro was actually all there was. Their music never gets anywhere. So we did, and wandered off to the second stage.

 Lucy Rose

Nice enough girl, but another sweet singer songwriter strumming her acoustic guitar. Almost a clone of Nina Nesbitt who was on the Paul Simon bill last Sunday. Enough said.

The Low Anthem
So this lot were the third from top on the main stage. An American band. I did like them a lot. Nice lead singer with a strong voice, the music was slowish but with a slightly repressed power to it.

And quirky they certainly were. How often do you see a guy playing a saw. Acoustic, not electric.

 And here, the lead singer is "playing" two mobile phones. Actually whistling into one, which has rung the other, to get a sort of echo back.

British Sea Power

Now onto a name act. An old school guitar rock band. Lots of noise. Limited vocal range, a bit samey maybe, but overall a good experience to my ears.

The Temper Trap

The night was topped off by the Temper Trap. As this was the second time I had seen them in 10 days, you may deduce I love this outfit. Not sure I can say more about them than I did when seeing them at Somerset House, other than blissfully this was a proper summer evening and not dodging showers, umbrellas and hypothermia.

Great set, soaring vocals and this time I was right at the front. I suppose the thing I would say for anyone who has only heard them on disc or radio is they are much more like a rock band live, not middle of the road at all, an impression their records might give. Anyway, a great finish.

 And then on Sunday, a glorious sunny Sunday morning, we all went out for a walk down the Thames to Iffley lock, and had a pub lunch. Can't really imagine a more agreeable way to have Sunday lunch. Couple of pints of real cider, a ploughman's, lovely company, conversation flowing easily, and two really adorable kids who never really complain about anything, even how long the food took to arrive although they were clearly hungry.

 And there can be no more perfect English scene than this, down by the river, geese, ducks and swans, a pretty lock-keeper's cottage, a rowing eight on the water. Probably as good a description of what one would like to think England is all about. And SUN!