Days 2 & 3 (plus a bit of 4) of Trip 2

So I am here on US soil again and having a great time! I've chilled for the last 2 days, recovered from severe lack of sleep and enjoyed downtown Atlanta.

Before I go on, I do have to say one thing though....

JILL - BLOODY HURRY UP AND GET WELL SOON MY LOVELY!!!!

OK, now that's done, here's the update!

The 9 hour flight from London to Atlanta passed without too much excitement. It seemed to be the longest flight EVER but that was mainly cos when I changed my watch I got it wrong so when I thought I only had an hour left, I in fact, had 2!  I couldn't get comfy so sleep eluded me, which is odd as I am usually damned good at sleeping on flights  

The only thrill on the whole flight was IRON MAN! I got to watch the movie at last and OMG it's brilliant!!! And.... when the heck did Robert Downey Jr get so fit!?!?  Wow!!! Nice job growing older sir!

I would have watched another movie but alas, the cock-up with changing my watch made me think I didn't have time and it was only after I'd been to the loo and washed up that I realised that I had had enough time but now that I'd pfaffed about for so long I no longer had time!!!   

Anywho... arrived in Atlanta safely... well, touched down with a heck of a bump actually, but we made it  and ... it was raining!!!!  

I fly all the way across the pond to escape the wet and windy weather of Wales to land in Hotlanta in the pouring rain!!!!!!   

Darn!!!

Hours later I eventually escaped the confines of Atlanta airport and the bureaucracy of immigration and security checks (excuse me, but what is it about me that makes everyone want to give me a securtiy check!?!? ), into a taxi and to my hotel!

Something to eat, a nice hot shower and a good nights sleep were all very welcome and I have to say I've been very comfortable here. Would have loved to have slept past 7.30am but apparently the old body clock thinks that is totally unreasonable behaviour!    

Sooooo... yesterday, Day.... 3 I think (OK... I only arrived here on Day 2 cos I left home on Day 1 so I counted that as Day 1 not day 0 and it was such a good day and so very sociable and lovely it deserves to be counted! . Yesterday I wandered round downtown Atlanta, had a Starbucks chocolate Frappuccino and had a nice relaxing afternoon! In the evening Chrissy and I went out for a lovely dinner and I'm sorry to say I am probably well on my way to losing my voice again!  We didn't stop talking all night!  Thank you, sweetheart, for a wonderful evening!

Today's been pretty much the same and to be honest, I am not pushing it too much as tomorrow we're off to Greenville, South Carolina to see

   
OK... yes! I admit it! I am EXCITED!!!!

Who can blame me!?!

As to any other observations so far?!!? Just the one!

Atlanta has very tall buildings! I mean TALL!
Why oh why oh why did someone think it a good idea to stick the lifts (read elevators you american peeps) on the outside of the frickin' building?!!?
I mean... seriously!!! I don't want to watch the ground disappear from underneath me and neither do I want to see it draw very close very quickly!

I had my back plastered so tightly to the back of the lift (for that.... read front!  ) that when it eventually arrived at it's destination I almost landed flat on my back in the middle of the lobby!    

On that note, I'll finish off and go catch 40 winks before I re-pack my bags ready for leaving in the morning (another night out tonight may lead to another hangover tomorrow morning... just thinking ahead!  )

Have a fantastic weekend folks!
I promise to do the same!  
Mwah!
Kate
xoxo

ps - Oh it's goooood to be back!!!!  

15:15 - 4 Comments - 10 Kudos - Add Comment

Day 1 - why didn’t I plan for some sleep!?
Current mood: tired

 I'm so tired!!!

I forgot to plan for some sleep on Day 1!

Got up at 6.30am, got all sorted, fed the cat and Bob and I left for Bristol. Got there, had FAB haircut! Seriously! Really pleased with it and it's all streaky and gingery! No pictures as, to be fair, I look like shit with no sleep!

Had nice chat while having my haircut - he's cut it for 20 years so knows me pretty well!  Then we went to visit a former neighbour who lost her husband recently and were so glad we did! It was lovely seeing her and spending some quality time with her! Then it was a quick nap (about 5 minutes cos the phone rang! ) and then out to dinner with a very close friend and round to another lovely friends house at 10.30 cos I'd forgotten to tell him I was going away for a few (read 7) weeks!  Oops!

A quick shower and Bob dropped me off at the bus station (that's not fair, the poor bugger waited 30 minutes with me ) ready to catch the 00.55 bus to Gatwick.

That was when I was going to sleep!

But the damned thing was full and it was impossible, without leaning on the old guy next to me and I don't think his wife would have been best pleased!

So now I am at the airport, starbucksed up and waiting for my flight - terrified to lie down and take a nap lest someone wakes me sometime this afternoon with news that I've missed my flight!  

 Next stop... Atlanta!

Coffee anyone!?

Love & hugs
Kate
x

Currently listening : Narrow Stairs By Death Cab for Cutie Release date: 2008-05-13

06:32 - 2 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment

Trip 2 starts in 5 days! Yikes!

Holy moly I have butterflies just writing that and my fingers just went tingly!

I am not sure if I am on the brink of an epiphany or about to be committed to the looney bin!? What the heck am I doing!? Or is this just last minute panic cos I am still not quite organised?

It's been quite a good week.

Last Friday and went and had a final dose of The Crook Family before I head off across the pond.

They were fabulous. The stage was great, with black curtains covered in small white fairy lights. Good, that is, for effect and making them appear to be in the night sky. Bad, for videos when you're not quite able to steady you're hand and the viewing pleasure becomes more of a battle against sea-sickness.  (vids are on my page at the bottom on the left but seriously... don't watch them, just listen!

Though it does make me want to invest in a new camera... the sound isn't great and I know technology has improved immensely since I bought this one.... blimey charlie!!! 5 or 6 years ago now!!! WOW! Where's the time gone?!

OK... so you can look at these though - pics from Friday:

They were fantastic and played more new songs than old I think but all of my favourites. I do hate sitting down listening to music though. It's just so wrong. It also must be horrible for the artists just looking out on a sea of motionless bodies too.

Anyway! It was a lovely evening and I'm glad I got to hear them again before I leave and also that I got some vids so that at least I can listen to them while I am away and hopefully the new cd will be ready by the time I get back! (Oh Giselle!!!!! That's something else to wait for!!!! At this rate your parcel size is growing! I thought about the new HH cd 'First Rodeo' too!)
SO! At that point I still had little idea about the trip!
Well... other than the 'rough' plan I already had!

Then.... I knew! Don't ask me how but I just knew what I was doing and spent the best part of the start of this week booking flight, hotels, cars and sofa's

Now it's just the last 2 flights to book, the last car and hotels for Canada and I'm done. Well.... that and packing and sorting out iPods and playlists and laptops and stuff (like washing everything so that I CAN pack it! )

Ahhh!!! But there's my outstanding decision to be made!!!

One or two bags!??!?!!?

Seriously! That's about as difficult as it is now... but I'm still stuck on it!

I don't think I can be that good a packer to only take one - I mean - I'd have to leave most things at home! I packed my lovely new bag beautifully last time except it was too heavy. So I had to get another bag. Now, of course, 2nd bags are charged for!

So basically, if I want to be cheap (and, to be fair, easier and lighter to carry) I need to decide what 50lbs of luggage I am going to take for 7 weeks!

Or I just pack it all and lug it all round the country and pay for extra baggage!

I would love just to do the single bag thing, but if I do it will be 50lbs on the dot. That means that I cannot 'add' to that in anyway, as in purchases.... and I cannot see me NOT buying Cds and stuff, at the very least!

Oh well.... will wait and see what happens when I come to pack!

So here's the itinerary (I nearly called it a plan but it's more than that now!  )

Oct 7th - Bob drives me to ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Bristol and I get on a bus (hopefully after seeing 'Mirrors'!!! )
Oct 8th - Fly to Atlanta
Oct 9th - Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies
Oct 10th - Girls night out in Atlanta
Oct 11th - Greenville SC: ROCCO DELUCA & THE BURDEN!!!!!!
Oct 12th - Brian Wright if I missed him on the 9th or need another fix...
Oct 13th - Citizen Cope 
Oct 15th - leave Atlanta for Toronto
Oct 17th - Drive to Ottawa
Oct 18th - Drive to Montreal
Oct 20th - Drive round the bottom of Lake Ontario to Niagra Falls
Oct 21st - Toronto
Oct 23rd - Fly to Arizona for some sun!
Oct 27th - LA BABY!!!!!!
Hotel Cafe beware!!!!!
Oct 28th - Two Spot Gobi at the Roxy?
Oct 29th - maybe Matt Nathanson
Oct 30th - Death Cab for Cutie  and Neil Young
Nov 1st - Jason Mraz
Nov 3rd - to Chatnoir's
Nov 5th - To San Diego to see Newton Faulkner with Kim
then wander back to LA to loiter, hang and listen to music....
la
la
la
Nov 14th - Tyrone Wells
Nov 15th to Chicago 
Nov 18th - leave Chicago for NYC
Nov 21st fly to Atlanta, hire a car and drive to NC
Nov 23rd drive back to Atlanta  to Jills in time to drink some beers and watch

Nov 25th - Go shopping to purchase the 24 CD for quite a few of us! 
Nov 26th - Fly home!!!!!!!!!!!
Nov 27th - GET HOME!!!
Nov 28th - Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!!!!

And that's it!
5 days and I am off!  57 days and I'm back!  OK... we'll just focus on the 5 days for now heh!?!? That made me nauseous again!  
Though I s'pose I could bring you all down with me and say if it's 57 days til I'm home, then it's about 85 days til Christmas!!!!  

OK... on that note I'll bid you all 'adieu' and go stick another loads in the washing machine!

Have a good day my lovelies!
Kate
xoxo

11:35 - 6 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment

Gig tix, flights and a rough plan

Excellent!

I'm getting back into the swing of things!

2 blogs in a week and I almost have a clue what I'm doing!

Of course, it's arse about tit as usual!  Last week I bought tickets for Citizen Cope, Neil Young/Death Cab for Cutie and Jason Mraz!

Today (drum roll please.....)

I BOUGHT MY PLANE TICKETS!!!!!!

Well, the transatlantic ones anyway. Not any of the internal flights but heh! Rome wasn't built in a day!

But I did feel the need to get a shake on seeing as today is Tuesday which means 3 weeks today I leave home to start my next adventure and 3 weeks tomorrow I fly across the pond!

So I have a plan. It is... rough, to say the least!  Which it is to say it has some 'gaps'. But that all adds to the adventure, doesn't it?!!?

So... the plan at the mo is:

Oct 7th - Bob drives me to Bristol, I have my hair cut  and get on a bus
Oct 8th - Fly to Atlanta
Oct 9th - Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies
Oct 10th - To Jills?
Oct 11th - Greenville SC: ROCCO DELUCA & THE BURDEN!!!!!!
Oct 12th - Brian Wright if I missed him on the 9th or need another fix...
Oct 13th - Citizen Cope 
Oct 14th or 15th leave Atlanta for... ummm..... somewhere
la
la
la
la
Oct 24th ish - LA BABY!!!!!!
Hotel Cafe beware!!!!!
Oct 28th - Two Spot Gobi at the Roxy?
Oct 29th - maybe Matt Nathanson
Oct 30th - Death Cab for Cutie  and Neil Young
Nov 1st - Jason Mraz
Nov 3rd or 4th - down to San Diego (when e'er it suits Fluffy )
Nov 5th - Newton Faulkner
then wander back to LA to loiter, hang and listen to music....
la
la
la
Nov 14th - either to Chicago or Tyrone Wells
Nov 15th to Chicago if went to see Tyrone Wells...  
Nov 18th ish leave Chicago for.... um.... somewhere
Nov 21st fly to Atlanta, hire a car and drive to NC
Nov 23rd drive back to Atlanta  to Jills in time to drink some beers and watch


Nov 25th - Go shopping to purchase the CD of

Nov 26th - Fly home!!!!!!!!!!!
Nov 27th - GET HOME!!!

= 52 days! ( I think I managed to cut it down by one! )

 Cool trip heh!!?!?

Of course I still have a lot to do
But I'm getting there!
Just not in the right order!

Will keep y'all posted on any staggering leaps forward in the planning of this latest adventure!

Otherwise assume it is coming along nice and smoothly (if not a little too slowly) and I'll update you when I have... ummm... less gaps!!!!  

Kate

xoxo

22:20 - 7 Comments - 12 Kudos - Add Comment

The ’Lost’ summer!

OMG How long has it been since I last blogged?!?!!?!?

Nooooo please don't answer that... it's too embarrassing!

It's been far too long, that's for sure. Of course I have many good reasons... well, reasons. I don't think any of them are very good and I can only hope you accept my sincere apologies for keeping you in the dark!

First there was simply nothing to report. (other than, of course, my smear test was fine and I don't have to have anything done for 6 months, which of course, is now only 3!  ).

I worked some, I sunbathed some and I didn't do a whole lot else!
That was June.

Then in July, Denise, Jill & Wes, Esra and then Jose all came to Wales to visit and then I had NO TIME to blog!  

That was proof!

Then we all went to see The Crook Family play...

Got very drunk and Lizzie and I walked home. In the rain. At 5am. Except we never made it home and the wonderful Jill came and picked us up

This is what she found....

Aaawwww! Memories!!!! Sweet memories!

The following week we all met up in London to see Jason Mraz which was absolutely fantastic...

OOPS! Wrong picture!!!

Oh well... never mind!!!  

The week after that (I think) I went to see Death Cab for Cutie TWICE!!!
Once with Lizzie in London and once with Den in Birmingham.
Utterly fantastic music again... seriously good!

And then I struggle to remember much more.

I know I haven't done the 'visit' or the gigs justice but I really should have blogged sooner. Trouble is, cos I took time off from work for those, I had to make it up by working more when everyone had gone. So, being completely knackered from having everyone here and all the gigs, I then was utterly shagged with all the work and hence that's my excuse for not keeping everyone (and myself included) up-to-date.  
That was July.

August I have even less idea about!

We had NO sun
We had several friends to stay but could only offer them grey wet days on the beach
I saw NO sunsets!
I worked pretty hard - seriously... how busy can a pub get?!!?
I only went in the sea twice
I didn't have to water the garden ONCE!
I don't think I even sat in the garden either!

I feel so sorry for the holiday makers as they really had crap weather, but I feel sorry for the locals(and me) too.... that's the 2nd summer in a row it's been shite!
So that was August... apparently!

Now it is September and I've wakened up again
I've still managed to procrastinate for about 10 days but at last my fingers are tickling the keyboard and it feels good to be blogging again!

We went to see The Crook Family this week and they were unbelievable good!
I was going to post the vid I did but cannot work out how to do it - go check my myspace page and it's there at the top on the left and pics are in the 'summer 08' album! I kick myself for not having recorded more.

Especially when I found out the new album won't be out til Christmas!!!
Alls not lost though, I get to see them on the 26th Sept so may be able to grab some vid then. They have such great new songs out!
I'd started hoping halfway through the concert on Tuesday that it would be ready for me to upload on to the iPod before I set off on my next travels but sadly that shan't be!

Which brings me to my next travels...

Mr Rocco DeLuca has done it again!!!

I knew I was going in October but as usual had NO idea when.
The email comes out from RDB - Rocco DeLuca and the Burden in Greenville SC on 11th October!

I looked in my diary and saw on the 7th October I was having my hair done in Bristol (I ain't going anywhere before that! ) which basically means I'm half way to Heathrow airport so that's my date!   

I've booked gig tickets but no flights yet!  

I have tickets for:
Citizen Cope
Death Cab for Cutie (and Neil Young)
Jason Mraz

I don't have tix for RDB cos I think it's a free concert!
I don't have tix for Brian Wright yet cos I have no idea where he's playing

I have a bit of an itinerary.... but not much!

But don't worry, I am working on it!

Oh.... and the only thing I promised Bob after last time was that it'd only be 6 weeks, not 7 cos 7 nearly killed me

But that was based on my going in the middle of October!
I mean... I can't come back before 24 'Redemption' has aired can I!?!?!?

So it's currently looking like just over 7 weeks  
or 53 days!

Sorry Bob!

So there you have it!

I'm alive!
I'm well!
I'm happy!
and I'm heading off over the pond again!

Will work on my itinerary and post it asap.... though be warned - there's still lots of gaps!!!

Hugs and Kisses to you all and hope you have a lovely weekend!
Will be in touch soon, I promise!
Kate
xoxo

21:30 - 10 Comments - 20 Kudos - Add Comment

The Crook Family

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=63lx6Na8IKc

13:58 - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

No Biopsy, a promotion and sore feet!

So firstly I s'pose I should update you on my cervix!
It all went pretty well!  I didn't have to have a biopsy this time which is just brilliant and now I just have another 2 weeks to wait until I get the results of the pap smear.

The job is going brilliantly!
I really love it... maybe a little too much as I did 43 hours this week which is WAY more than I ever intended.
AND.... I'm now bar manager 

But my feet hurt!

OMG it's been over 15 years since I had a 'physical' job and oh boy, everyone already knows I am ever so unfit!

I shan't be much longer though... beer barrels need changing, gas cylinders need moving, glasses need putting away and of course pints need to be pulled!

So much bending, stretching and lifting, not to mention being on one's feet for 7 hours at a time.... its a hard job but I'm glad I have the chance to do it!

Not sure I'd do it anywhere else though... this really is the nicest and best pub round here, or anywhere for that matter, and it's really the only place I'd want to work right now.

However.... move the pub to California and...... wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Life would be perfect!

So to be honest, there's nothing much else to report on!
I eat, work, sleep, bathe feet, eat, work and sleep!

I'd forgotten how satisfying it was to come home after a good days work.
Have no idea what this does to my hole 'Finding Kate'/mid-life-crisis thingy though.... don't think it's over by a long shot!

It can't be!
Surely not!
This can't be 'it'

Nah.... don't panic.... there's more to come! All my wages and tips are going in a pot for my next trip back across the pond to hear some good music and catch up with all my friends!

So you haven't seen the last of me yet!

Anyway.... have a wonderful weekend my lovelies  and I'll catch up with you soon!  
Hugs from Wales
Kate
xoxo

ps - and crikey moses this job is ruining my alcohol consumption... I don't get to drink as much and last night I got home early, had too glasses of wine and was pissed as a fart!  How shocking is THAT!?

10:40 - 12 Comments - 18 Kudos - Add Comment

Work & a fiddle!

Greetings!  I have been silent for 2 weeks!  Not sure why other than I've been busy!

I have a job!

Shocking heh?!?! But I love it! I hadn't planned on it and it's not one that ties me down or requires any great commitment from me so I can still go to gigs and travel, but for now I am pulling pints in the nicest pub in West Wales and having a wail of a time!

This is the place:

And..... who'd have guessed it, but it turns out I was born to be a barmaid!  Years of experience in front of the bar have paid off as I am bloody brilliant behind it!  I can be sociable, funny and just me!  and I get paid for doing it!

The other plus, of course, is it's getting me out of the house and also earning me some cash for my next trip.... what more could I ask?

Weather has been gorgeous here too, so I've got a head start on this summer's sun tan and yesterday I drove up to Bristol, got a haircut (OMG it's short! ) saw Bob and..... drum roll please.... bought myself a violin!

It's something I've been thinking about for a good long while now. I am sure it's come out of the whole 'journey' thing and where all the new music is taking me. I played as a child from about 7 to 17 but it fell by the wayside as I got interested firstly in boys, then my career (OK, the boys started a bit earlier than 17... ok a lot earlier, but they eventually won! )

Anyway, it seems the most comfortable and natural thing in the world to be holding a violin under my chin again and I cannot wait to get good at it again!

Here is my new prized possession:

*sigh*

I seriously am really very happy right now!

New job
New violin
Sun is shining
I'm having a ball!

I have the potential of some house guests this summer which is hugely exciting too, though I am trying to behave and not get too excited or put too much pressure on them. That said.... they'd better come!!!!

Only little blip on the horizon is I am taking my cervix to the hospital next Monday for its 6 monthly check-up! (as if I could go without it!   ) It'd be nice if they didn't find anything this time, so please keep your fingers crossed for me (and it! )!

Other than that, the world is perfect!

I hope yours is too!

Have a wonderful week and weekend and I shall write again soon.
Hugs to all my friends
With love from you fiddle-playing friend

Kate
xoxo

17:30 - 13 Comments - 26 Kudos - Add Comment

Hotel Cafe Tour and Tyrone Wells

OMG!!!

What a music fest I've just had!

Yowza!

On Monday I drove up (hood down... and it only rained once!  ) to Bristol, met my lovely husband and whisked him off to The Thekla ( a boat) for the music extravaganza which was the Hotel Cafe Tour! If anyone hasn't seen it and still has the chance... grab it quick! It's brilliant!

The draw for me was Greg Laswell, who I actually saw at the Hotel Cafe and who's CDs I love listening to ever since I found them on Amazon! But the whole night was just amazing.

Tom McRae was the key guy. A brit (I think) who obviously has close ties with HC and brings over a crowd of regulars each year for a 'tour'. They've been on the road about 2 months - first the US, then the UK and in a few days (oops... tomorrow) are off to mainland Europe.

They have an interesting way of doing things. I didn't think I was going to like it but they did it really well. They each play 2 songs before swapping over but once they've all been on, they start again with another 2 songs from each artist.

So Tom did 2, then introduced Greg who came on and played beautifully. Jaw droppingly poignant, with an explanation of each song he played. I wasn't in the front row, but just behind it. The place was full but not choc-a-block. I think I put him off at one time cos I was stood not far from him quietly singing along!  I don't think he expected that in Bristol!

Tom McRae:

Greg Laswell:

Then it was Catherine Seeney. Nice voice, the only female in the show and at one time she reminded me a little of Suzanne Vega. I feel really bad for saying that cos I hate it when artists are 'likened' to someone else (though admittedly some deserve it... most don't! ). Then it was.... oh fuck a duck I cannot remember the order!  I knew I should have written it down! They've even made up a pneumonic so that they remember it... and I cannot remember that either  other than Carey Brothers 'C' was 'circumcision'!

Catherine Seeney:

So, roughly... it was then Jim Bianco - he was fabulous! Hugely entertaining and reminded me a little of my friend Foster Tims, another Hotel Cafe-ite! Not in music so much, but in stature, entertainment, comfort on stage and confidence.

Jim Bianco (really hard to get a pic... never kept still long enough! ):

Then Brian Wright rocked the flipping boat!!!
Head banger extraordinaire and very weirdly... kept reminding me of Kiefer!!!  

I have no idea why  other than, if Kiefer was a head-banging rock star, this would be him!

Brian Wright:

He was incredible. Loved him! Carey Brothers was on next. He is just one guy!  I was expecting 2 brothers  He was pretty good too but didn't really rattle my boat the first time. But this is where I realised the whole 'replay' of the line-up was a really good thing. The 2nd time you see them, if you were not sure before, helps you make up your mind!

Carey Brothers:

After he'd been on LittleLost David (the guy in the jeans with the drummer from last week) came on. Sadly he didn't do the songs that gave the drummer much to do, which was a shame as the drummer, last week, was the star of the show! (maybe that's why! ). But he did a much better job this week and does have a good singing voice (which in fairness, I did say to Alison last week! ).

Once he was done Tom McRae started the 2nd session and we went through them all again (except LittleLostDavid).

Inbetween sets there was always good banter. Tom McRae introduced everyone and the theme of the joking was generally nautical due to the venue being a boat. Carey Brothers joked we'd been sailing for half an hour now and were in fact on our way to Norway! I nearly cheered thinking we could go pick up Chris!!!

They used the same drummer, bass player throughout plus this other chap whose name escapes me who played everything! Piano, accordion, trumpet, guitar... whatever was required! He even sang.

Plus they all, at some point, came on to accompany someone else and several times they were all on stage at once.

Great camaraderie and team-manship! Just like the real Hotel Cafe!

And after it was all done and the last song sung, I managed to get a few more pics for the collection and future (and current) avatars!

with Greg Laswell:

with Jim Bianco:

and with the cute, rocking Brian Wright!

Check out the album on myspace for all the pics... this will be the biggest blog EVER if I don't stop now!

So that night I stayed with Bob then, drove off up to London on Tuesday to see Tyrone Wells! (after a visit to the violin shop which I am VERY excited about but will tell you more about that another day!  )

It was wet and raining the whole way so a pretty crappy drive.
It took me much longer than anticipated due to
(a) I left SO late!
(b) the weather
(c) I got lost!  which of course is par of the course for me in London!

Of course, it was my fault that I got lost to start with!

If I'd taken the route suggested by google I would have been smack! straight into the congestion zone (£8 to drive round central London.. that's $16).

So I didn't!

I went a different way! A way, that in fact, didn't take me to the venue, but took me straight past it, by a few miles at which point I nearly went smack! into the bloody congestion charge again!

So I drove around for yonks, trying to find my way back west whilst avoiding the congestion charge and eventually I did it!!!

Only to find out that to drive down the road where the venue was (at the other end, of course) I had to enter the bloody congestion charge zone!
DOH!

Anywho, got parked, into the club, a diet coke in hand sat on a comfy leather sofa (ooh posh!) and no-one was there! Eventually there ended up 4 of us in this place (which was a fab venue, BTW) at 9pm which was when the music was about to start.

2 Other guys walked in, sat on the opposite side of the room to me, next to an older bloke, and asked what time the music was due. The old guy didn't know so I piped up '9pm' and we all got chatting. They were american. One asked if we were there to see Dan Wilson. I missed the old chaps reply but I piped up that I was there to see Tyrone Wells!  

Can you imagine me falling off my comfy sofa when the american replied
'I'm Tyrone Wells'

OMG! What an intro, heh?!?!  
(well.... in my defense... he had a hat on! )

I asked if anyone knew what time it'd finish cos I had a long drive home!  Not the best question but I was beginning to worry! I was driving all the way back to West Wales (5 hours drive) and was about to die if it didn't finish til 2am!

That was Tyrone's turn to fall off his chair!

Anyway! It was an ultra-amazing night!

I gave Tyler (Tyrone's manager) a tenner (twenty to those across the pond) and my address for the 'Hold On' CD as they'd forgotten to bring any with them!  and.... it's already in the post and on its way to me! Howzat for service!

Weirdly... OK.... has anyone noticed how often I use that word!??!!  Bob has!  I need to find a new one... ... OK.....

Astonishingly.... no wait... it wasn't THAT astonishing!  oh rats... I'll try and find a new one by next time....

Weirdly, it was a similar set-up to the night before! Having never seen artists do 2 short sessions in 2 halves, rather than all one session, they did the same again!  except it was 3 songs each, not 2, but then there were only 4 of them, not 6!

The evening started with Tyrone Wells.
Oh good god! Carpe Diem and Lostin24 are SOOOOOO right!
He is amazing! Great! Fantastic!
Well worth the horrible drive up to London!
The congestion charge!
Even the 5 hour drive home!

Utterly brilliant!

Then came a band whose name I forget.... which is fine!  Then a new band who were pretty good, called Glass Pear

And then Dan Wilson who used to be in Semisonic. He was brilliant too and Tyrone was really excited about seeing him play and was whooping a lot!

After a short break, which I spent chatting to Tyrones manager. Did you know Tyrone recorded a song with Rocco playing on it (unreleased so far....)?!?!!? Or that he co-wrote a song with one of the Pawnshop Kings?!?! EEK!  They're in London writing songs with some pretty awesome people too, and will be back in June to record and hopefully have a new CD out in July/Aug!

Then Tyrone was back on stage to blow me away again!

The band I can't remember (but have looked up) called The Sanderson Pitch were next but this time they changed the order and Dan Wilson went before Glass Pear.

Dan Wilson was wonderful again and Tyrone came and sat next to me with his glass of red wine ( I cannot believe he's a fellow red wine drinker! .... not that I was... I was driving remember, and still on te diet cokes! )

Dan's final song was one where he wanted audience participation (I am sure there were not more than 50 there...) in singing the chorus, also asking for harmonies if anyone was up to it. ( I didn't, don't worry! )

But I did sing. Sat next to Tyrone Wells.... I sang, he sang!
How fucking cool is that?!?!?!?!!

At the end of which, he patted me on the knee and said I had a great voice!

YOWZA!!!!!

I nearly left after that... I mean... in all honesty! Where can an evening go after all of that?!?!

But I thought, in for a penny, in for a pound and hung out to see the last band, and OMG! How pleased am I that I did?!?!!?

I knew James Morrison was there... but next minute Tyler leans over and says 'it's not over...there's a surprise'

And up on the stage gets James Morrison, Dan Wilson's guitar in hand and plays just one song! Incredible!!!!

Tyrone was beside himself, as was everyone else!

And there endeth the evening.... ha! Not quite!

I grabbed a pic with Tyrone before driving the 5 hours back home!

As I drove away from the club I waved to Tyrone and Tyler but felt awful that I couldn't offer them a life cos it was bloody tipping down again but how on earth would I get them and the guitar case in my mini?!!??

So I had to leave them on the rain-drenched streets of London and wind my way homeward.
Of course I got lost. Londoners don't seem to believe in road signs!

Once on the motorway I only made one detour (of 10 miles!!!! ) when I came off at a junction to get fuel from the supermarket rather than the motorway services because they're so much more expensive and found the slip road back on to the motorway was closed so I had to go back 5 miles towards London to continue my westward bound drive!

And.... whilst talking about fuel.... we call it 'petrol', a lot of you call it 'gas' (despite it being a liquid...  ) so I thought I'd go with 'fuel'

£54 to fill up my mini!!!!!
That's $108.
To fill up a little mini!

Oy Vey!

So! I got home at 4.30am this morning!

I didn't know whether to have a glass of merlot or a cup of coffee.... was it early or late?!?

What I did know was I wasn't going to sleep just yet....
Hmmmm... I wonder why?!?!?!

Let's just say it wasn't just 'fuel' that got me home!

Todays Matchbox 20 thing never happened cos the guy never called, which is absolutely fine cos after 2 incredible nights like that... I really am quite replete!

That said, I only managed 3 hours sleep, so am now absolutely knackered!

Be safe and well my friends, and go listen to some great music!
Love & hugs from Wales
Kate
xoxo

PS - bloody hell! Congestion charge is £10, not £8 cos it was yesterday!
I didn't frickin' get home til today!  Bastards!

05:15 - 6 Comments - 10 Kudos - Add Comment

London.... the rest

Well a life lesson should be not to wait too long to re-count my tales....  cos I can't remember them!!!

Another life lesson should be don't leave your walk in the park, or amble round London to the last day of your trip.... cos you're stuffed if it's raining

Which I was!

Ho hum!

So my last night in London consisted of tubing it up to Camden Town to go to Dingwalls, a really nice venue right beside Camden Lock which sold Magners cider (YAY Shari! ) which you could sit and drink beside the canal in the evening sunshine. Which I did cos thank gawd it had stopped raining by then!

I went inside in time for the music, found a bar stool and sat and remembered the last time I had seen this guy sing - Yoav - in Portland with the lovely Fluffy Poodle, aka Kim!

I chuckled to myself as I remembered the first guy on the stage that night! We had never heard anything more awful in our lives!  I mean, he really was the pits!

And yes.... of course.... I'd laughed too soon!

Davey was this guys name.... someone needed to shoot him to put the rest of us out of our misery!  I think he was even worse than Portland man... sooooo bad I went back outside for a while... it was either that or cut my ears off and poke my eyes out!  

Being outside turned out to be fruitful though... well I hope so, I am still yet to hear! Got chatting to the guy working for Yoav's promoter (who couldn't stand being in there listening to 'Davey' either) who, after a long chat offered to put me on the guest list for Matchbox Twenty in Cardiff next Weds if I could help him out on the day!

I've realised I'll do anything for a good gig so was delighted to accept his offer. But now just gotta wait to see if he phones... he might have forgotten... but no matter.... at least it kept me out of the venue until Davey buggered off the stage!

Yoav came on and was great. I mean he sung and played brilliantly.

However he said very little and didn't really.... put himself out there with the audience. He made a few comments about London being one of his 'homes' but little else and for those who knew nothing about him they didn't really get it.

He played some great songs but had a few weird ones in there too, a bit dark and .... weird!

But he finished the set with 'Beautiful Lie' which is simply orgasmic...
So I forgave him everything!
It was worth the extra nights stay and the extended trip just for that.
A beautiful beautiful song. *sigh*

He didn't come out at all after the set and I can't even remember anyone selling CDs or anything. Really don't think his heart was in it. Most odd. A real shame too, cos it was a great venue and packed with an eager audience.

Sometimes I think people just don't want to make money....

Anywho! 4 pints of Magners later, and several trips to the loo  I set off to Camden Town tube station and back towards Bayswater. No silly photos or funny things at all, boring really (they might have happened, but after 4 pints, if they did, they went right over my head )

A good nights sleep in my little loft appt and I was back at Paddington and on the train heading for Westest Wales.

Sadly that was uneventful too and I finished my trip off with a resounding adventure on a Pembrokeshire bus!

I say adventure.... the buses to my village run every 2 hours and are about 50 years old!

So having left the hotel at 10am, I got through my front door at 6pm! Without having had a single funny thing happen!  Most odd!

Now seeing as it has taken me 4 days to tell you that (which is basically.... nothing!  ), it is only 1 day til I go off on another trip!

Tomorrow I am off up to Bristol to see Greg Laswell, Tom McRae and the Hotel Cafe Tour . Oh gordon bennet! That means I shall be seeing LostlittleDavid from the Brandi Carlile gig too! . Oh well, let's hope he has his drummer with him and his hipster jeans on again.... and there is LOADS of Magners in the bar!

This time I am driving. Taking Jack the mini with me, which will be a bit more fun, especially if the weathers nice.

Then on Tuesday I am being slightly insane and driving back up to London to see Tyrone Wells!

After that I still have no idea.

I shall either maintain the insanity and drive ALL the way home (250 miles/5 hours) orrrrr...... if man from Yoav's propmoters calls, I shall just drive back to Bristol, gate crash on Bob and then on to Cardiff the next day to see Headway and Matchbox 20.

Either way, I am looking forward to it!

Had a totally lazy weekend so am ready for it too!

Have a great week all!
Love & hugs from Wales
Kate
xoxo

08:55 - 6 Comments - 10 Kudos - Add Comment