Set for the Kate Rusby Christmas Concert

Travelled down to Brighton this afternoon for the annual Kate Rusby Christmas Concert and to spend the weekend in this vibrant and busy city. We've been to most of her Christmas Concerts in recent years and they always put you in the mood for Christmas.

She sings a range of traditional carols and songs she's created herself, supported by superb musicians and a brass band. The words to the carols you will know and possibly the tune but it won't be the traditional tune you were expecting. For example, we sang "While Shepherds Watched" three times to three different tunes including one version sung to the tune of "On Ilkley Moor Baht 'at". Try it, it works.

Pubs in her part of Yorkshire, near Barnsley, have a tradition of singing carols going back to Victorian times when the joyful carols were, apparently, slung out of church for being, well, too joyful. She listened to them as a child and now sings them across the country on a Christmas tour. Go and listen if you can.

We were accompanied by friends Chris and Wendy, all of us staying at the Premiere Inn on North Road, right in the city centre. A great location and a very good, quite hotel given its position. Looking forward to an interesting day tomorrow.