We are sailing, we are sailing...towards another Rod Stewart tribute night at Cove Burgh Hall.

The last time we had a similar event we had to send out for more booze. These dancing girls (and a sprinkling of their menfolk) can work up a fair old drouth.

This time around we have brought in more supplies and will hopefully be able to keep the inner Stewart groupie satisfied – at least on the bottled pleasures front.

This chap’s more pedestrian title, i.e. his real moniker, is James Frew, and we’ve been assured he’s the best in the business.

I know some folks diss these tribute nights (sometimes on the opinion section of this very same website), but the chances of getting the actual act to pop down to the village hall are pretty remote, unless one of us gets six numbers up on the lottery.

Mind you, we do have the wondrous Jack Docherty strutting his stuff with us in mid June, with his hit show from last summer’s Edinburgh Fringe – Parallel Lives, David Bowie And Me.

He’s touring it UK wide, so it’s a big thrill being able to welcome him to our neck of the woods.

Tix for both as usual at coveburghhall.org.uk.

The Rangers v Celtic match last weekend did not feature players writhing around in supposed agony. 

There were no yellow cards for perceived diving. Whilst the crowd was undeniably partisan, nobody felt obliged to throw coins or worse at the opposing team or their bench.

Then again, this  was a women’s Scottish cup semi final, not to be confused in any way, shape or form with what might have characterised a male Old Firm encounter.

I started watching female soccer in earnest when the England women’s team won the Euros and in both their squad and that of the Germans there was some terrific natural talent.

What has made a colossal difference to both women’s football, and rugby and cricket, and golf and pretty well every other sport is the fact that so much of it is now on the telly. 

As the sainted Judy Murray is fond of saying “if you can see it, you can be it.” Spot on.

All the major women’s sporting events now routinely have their moment in the TV sun or the airwaves.

And not only can we see so much women’s sport these days, but the broadcasters have come on to a much more even handed game too.  Now it’s commonplace to hear them say “the women’s cup semi final” rather than having the listeners assume it must be the blokes.  Again.

The rewards for taking part, and the accessibility of serious sponsorship, have still to catch up with the new world sporting order. But the impact on the crowds is plain to see – more of it on telly means bigger attendances and more firms willing to invest. Which, in turn means encouraging more participation.

A virtuous circle.

 

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