Salut! Live

This neglected site - neglected because of the need to do paid work but also, to an extent, beacuse the tiny number of visitors, even when it is highly active, is frankly demoralising - faces a further short period of silence as I head off, snow permitting, on holiday to Sri Lanka.

On my return, I resolve to post overdue reviews of albums by Lau, Realta, Bellowhead (all excellent by the way) and others.

Apologies to the named artists, and the "others", who have sent albums and sat patiently waiting for the career break that is a mention at Salut! Live.

If this is of any consolation, there will also be a dearth of activity at Salut! and less than normal at Salut! Sunderland, where the usual coverage of matches should still be found if things go to plan. In each cases, there is a rich archive to explore.

Great news, on two counts, from Bob Fox, singer of the highest quality, Sunderland supporter and general all-round good bloke.

Bob has landed the role of Songman in the West End production of War Horse. He starts with the new cast on Nov 16.

For those hardy souls who pass by these parts, the word is that Salut! Live is off on its holidays and will be back from about the second week of February.

If you wish to know more about this absence, and are not bothered that it has nothing to do with music, you will find it

* here at Salut!

* or here at Salut! Sunderland

* The photo is from the Flickr pages of "Maurice".

We don't yet run to a staff photographer, but this is Kevin Dooley's third outing this week at Salut! sites.

The traffic towards Salut! Live has been thin of late, as have been the postings, but I wish all readers, present and past (and, indeed, still to come) a happy Christmas and great new year.

I will return soonish with more thoughts on Liam Clancy's death - and life - and my own list of best albums for 2009 ... à bientôt.