Hi all! I ended up bringing my laptop with me across the pond, and am currently sitting in my hotel room enjoying a cup of cranberry-raspberry herbal tea, a flavor I didn’t even know existed. Tea is just one of many things I’ve enjoyed over the last two days here in London. I love it here, just love it. The atmosphere, the reliable transportation, the great food, and of course, the musical history. Tomorrow is when I head down to Brighton for Steve Rothery’s masterclass camp, which begins Thursday morning, but with this country being home to so many of my favorite bands and musical landmarks, I had to make sure to see some of them with my own eyes. For starters, I booked a hotel just across the way from famous Battersea Power Station. Floyd fans, you’ll know this one:
The exterior is unmistakable, with it only missing a flying pig hovering between two of the building’s chimneys. I was amused to find that the interior has been made into a shopping mall, though I didn’t spend much time exploring it. I didn’t come all the way to London just to go to the same old stores I can find back home. Still, I’m glad the original building is still standing.
Today, I had another prog landmark to visit on my itinerary: the Royal Albert Hall. This was not to see a show, however, but it was still a must-see, since so many of my favorites have performed there. Instead, I took the official tour of the building, where we did a complete walk around the building, stopping in to explore the box seats, the standing room area at the very top floor, and even the special entrance and rooms designated for members of the royal family.
The venue is in the midst of their annual BBC Proms festival, an event that stretches from July to mid September, where each night, different orchestras and conductors perform orchestral and classical renditions of different musical artists and styles. I looked at the event calendar before I flew out here, and they actually had a night devoted to Prog Rock, just over a month before this trip. It was surreal walking into the main room and seeing the stage and the famous “ceiling mushrooms,” which we learned are actually sound discs that help regulate the sounds coming from the performers so that, no matter where you are in the venue, you get a great sound experience. I hope to see a show here someday.
The last prog-related encounter happened this evening, completely by chance. After dinner, I was walking down the street just outside Leadenhall Market, when I stumbled across the, regrettably, closed building that housed the immersive experience of Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of the War of the Worlds. It was truly dismal seeing this place closed. I was aware that it had closed its doors before coming here, after reading an Instagram post, and was so sorry to hear it. I absolutely would have gone to this had it still been available. Still, I snapped a few photos of the exterior, since the signs are still up.
Well, that’s it for now! There’s plenty more content coming your way in the coming days and weeks!
The Girl in the Scarf 
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