2008

Syracuse, New York 20 July, 2008 We left Boston midday after a tremendous rain and lightening storm blew through the city. Watching it from high above the street out my hotel room window was amazing, at times it was so thick you couldn't see across the street. I think today will qualify as the latest we've arrived at a venue, barely had time to sit down before it was time to get changed and go on stage. The beautiful Landmark Theatre was opened in February of 1928 as the Lowe's State Theatre and was advertised as "the last word in theatrical ornateness and luxuriousness"...a mouthful but no exaggeration. The theatre holds 2,944 and was nearly a sell out, well played and well received. A runner after the show to the plane and our tour manager Tim had the most brilliant idea of ribs and wings which he bought bagfuls of from a fabulous place in Syracuse called Dinosaur BBQ. We absolutely inhaled every morsel of it requiring reams of napkins and wet wipes to get it all off our hands. A short flight put us down in N.Y.C. where we'll base for a few days. A day off tomorrow. So long, Richard Boston, Massachusetts 19 July, 2008 Weird day...woke up at 5:30 this morning, not ready to take on the world but clearly not going back to sleep either. Got some coffee, took care of a few e-mail duties and read the NY Times which sadly told me just how bad the American economy is and that one of my favourite singers Jo Stafford had died. Right, enough of that..down to the gym. It was a Sports Club/LA gym rivalling the facility at the Four Seasons in San Francisco and similarly a separately operated fitness centre that happens to be in a hotel. Massive and lavishly stocked with endless rows of treadmills and various cardio machines, weight machines, free weights, cycling rooms, a full basketball court and so on, a real chamber of torture. The usual 90 minutes measure of humiliation then back to the room. Sat down for a minute and immediately fell asleep for two hours, bringing the grand total for the day to five hours, more than enough. There's an executive lounge on the floor I'm staying which we have access to though I cannot imagine why, but the room card allows entry, had a sandwich and coffee for lunch and cautiously cast a second glance at the Times to be informed that Citigroup's CEO characterised this quarters $2.5 billion loss as a sign of progress. Also cheery news as yesterday's oil was selling at $128 a barrel, down from $147 last week. It's a mad, mad, mad, mad world. I'm not cut out for this stuff. Back to the room to practise a little before heading to the gig and something that makes sense. This is the third time returning to Bank of America Pavilion an outdoor amphitheatre on the harbour and a gig we look forward to. The seating area is covered with a sail and the sound can be a little tricky because of it, so we arrived early and ran through a couple of songs for Dave Dixon, our front of house sound engineer. We had many friends and guests tonight who came for the show including actress Glenn Close. Several of the wonderful friends we made from Boothbay, Maine drove down as well including Richard and Kristina Ford. All were in attendance at a very relaxed meet and greet that felt like a living room performance. Also my friends Kate and Mager Walker who live in Boston came by to say hello as well as Isaac Shabtay who has been to every single performance we've done in North America, driving great distances every day and posting a very interesting journal describing his travels and experiences for these five weeks. We took the stage at 8:30 and played for nearly 5,000 roaring folks, it was a real party atmosphere and this audience couldn't have been better. We tore through the set, a great show from our point of view, loads of energy and very well played. The audience response at the end of the show was deafening A runner back to the hotel with a police escort's flashing lights and siren all the way. The Boothbay bunch met us at the bar for a couple of rounds and very kindly brought a couple of pounds of fresh lobster mixed with mayo and hot dog rolls the three necessary ingredients for lobster rolls. We gathered up in Guy's room and devoured every morsel of it along with a few drinks and some great music courtesy of dj's Fletch and Crockford. It was dawn before we pulled the plug. Here's to Boston. So long, Richard Ottawa, Ontario 18 July, 2008 As today was our last time in Canada, my mission was to get a Harvey's burger. I'd been touting them up and John said he wanted to have one as well. We met down in the lobby at 1:30 only to find out that the Harvey's near the hotel had been closed and there wasn't another one in the vicinity. We decided to try to find some breakfast instead and wandered down the street to Flo's Diner for a great little omelette and coffee. Hard to believe, no Harvey's this trip, still I take consolation that we discovered White Spot hamburgers while in Vancouver. Back to the hotel after Flo's to get the bags packed and ready for pick-up, leaving me an hour to get a shower and be down in the lobby. Just as I was closing up the bags I got a call from Tim Hook our road manager saying there was a problem with our flight departure slot. It had been moved up earlier than originally planned and could I please be down in the lobby ready to go in 10 minutes. Sure thing....no shower. I slathered on a fresh layer of deodorant and off I went. Without a shower I've felt like I never got a proper start to the day...kind of fuzzy. Nevertheless, it was on to Ottawa and tonight's show. Tonight it was the National Arts Centre which we've played before. A wonderful theatre that has the most amazing collection of 8X10 glossy black and white publicity pictures of everyone who has played lining the walls, hundreds of them. Everyone from Pavarotti to Patti Page, Larry Adler to Count Basie, Woody Herman to Andre Kostelonetz. Magicians, country, folk and pop singers, stars of opera and musical theatre. I enjoyed looking at them all and remembered the venue from the last time because of the pictures. We were in serious trouble with the catering tonight and because last nights was so good it made the mediocre, high school cafeteria style food all the less appealing. They did have some cheese cake that I randomly qualified as a vegetable and ate that for supper. After dinner I found a dimly lit, quiet spot in the basement near the props department, took my guitar down there, warmed up a little and had a short nap which went a long way toward shaking that fuzzy feeling. The show itself was another joy for us all. 2,326 friendly Ottawa folks making us feel very welcome indeed. As we were taking our final bow Isaac Shabtay, who has seen every show we've done on the North American leg, nearly always from a front row seat, flashed what looked like a credit card in my direction. I stepped forward and took it and it turned out to be a gift cart to Harvey's! I had to laugh, what a great gift. Sadly, as I'd mentioned above I will not have a chance to use it this trip but will put it safely away for my next time in Canada. Thanks Isaac. After the show it was a runner to the plane and an hour flight in to Boston where we play tomorrow. So long, Richard Toronto, Ontario 17 July, 2008 Tonight's venue was the Molson Amphitheatre, an outdoor gig we always love to play. Of note this evening was the catering which was the best food we'd had at our North American gigs. Wonderfully fresh and well prepared salads, a brilliant pasta bar similar to an omelette bar in that you choose the ingredients from many options they offer and they whip it up for you. In addition was a full on Indian buffet. Apart from a cup of coffee and a sweet roll for breakfast, I hadn't had anything to eat all day and was really hungry when I got to the gig. Needless to say I took full advantage of the spread. It was a beautiful night with a hint of a cool breeze now and again, a seriously well played show and a fabulous Toronto audience cheering it all on. So long, Richard Kettering, Ohio 16 July, 2008 A mighty long day. Got home from the Ryman last night just past midnight, took the dog for a walk and realised I was very hungry. My son Nick and I ended up at a Waffle House around 1 in the morning. You see some strange folks in a Waffle House at that time and I'm sure they were thinking the same about us. I of course ordered a waffle, but the night cook was hopeless. The first waffle he brought looked like a larval waffle...wobbly, white and underdone. I sent it back asking for something a little more well done...more brown. I watched as he dumped another blob of batter onto the iron and closed it. Then I watched him plug a few quarters into the jukebox, go to the bathroom, tend to a few other orders and so on. When the second waffle came off the iron it was burnt. Now begins waffle #3. He's so upset about the first two that he's checking it every minute, opening and closing the jaws of the iron and asking me to give him the OK if it's done properly. A long ordeal. Finally got to bed, absolutely knackered around 2:30 this morning. About 7:30 this morning, the yard guys turned up and began blowing off the patio just outside our bedroom. So my day began. Coffee, e-mail, repacking the suitcases etc. The car came to pick me up and it was off to the airport and on my way to Kettering, Ohio for our gig at the Fraze Pavilion. We played here in 2005, a pleasant town and nice outdoor amphitheatre that seats 4,100. It was still broad daylight when we took the stage at 8:30 but the sun quickly set making for a warm night. I think we were all tired from the last few days, that combined with it being a small outdoor venue actually made for a wonderfully relaxed show that was so well played and received. A runner to Toronto where we arrived at 1:00, spend the night and play tomorrow. A long day indeed.... So long, Richard Nashville, Tennessee 15 July, 2008 The good thing about playing in the city you live is the chance to get home for a day and sleep in your own bed, go to your own gym and run a few errands just like a normal person. That combined with a little gardening and the day was gone, it was time to get to the The Ryman Auditorium for tonight's show. The Ryman first opened it's doors in 1892 as a religious tabernacle built by Thomas Ryman a steamboat captain who found religion. It also served as a venue for speeches and some of the world's leading orchestras and entertainers in all fields from Paul Whiteman's Orchestra to W. C. Fields. In 1943 the popular radio barn dance program, The Grand Ole Opry began using the Ryman for performances on Saturday nights as their audiences had become so large that a bigger facility to accommodate them was needed. The Ryman became the most famous home of the Opry and the show remained there until it was moved to a more modern theatre built in Opryland. The Ryman fell into disuse due to poor repair and not being able to cope with the needs of a modern production. It was used primarily as a tourist attraction for people to walk through and have their photos taken on the stage where Roy Acuff, Eddy Arnold, Hank Williams and so many other famous country stars had stood. In the mid-1980's a comprehensive restoration took place to stabilise the balcony and modernise the facility which included building a new lobby, entrance and dressing rooms. It was a brilliant modernisation that still retained the sound, vibe and feel of the original. The Ryman is now a venue for everything from Coldplay to Eddie Izzard and blues to bluegrass. For a couple of months every year The Grand Ole Opry comes home to the Ryman for performances bringing it all full circle. It's an historic theatre, one we always look forward to playing and just a little bit humbling. I always get a little nervous when playing here. We all have loads of friends who turned out and it was a great show with a crowd of good folks who hung on every note. Just when I though the evening couldn't have been any better, we came off stage to find 7 orders of Buffalo wings from our favourite local brewpub Blackstone's. Within three minutes of us leaving the stage, we were up to our elbows in tabasco coated, juicy chicken, bleu cheese dip and freshly brewed beer. If you're in Nashville, go to Blackstone's and try their Red Spring Ale, it's my fave. A reception followed in the Ryman bar and it was great seeing so many friends and folks. A long day and a late night. Tomorrow we're off for a show in Kettering, Ohio. So long, Richard Chicago, Illinois 13 July, 2008 Walked around downtown and Lake Michigan for a couple of hours this afternoon, a beautifully clear, sunny, warm day, low humidity, 80 degrees...perfect. Chicago's a great city that makes me feel good to be in...all the best of N.Y. but less intense. It's also the town where I was born so I might be a little biased. Tonight's venue was The Chicago Theatre. It was called the "Wonder Theatre of the World" when it opened in 1921 and cost a whopping $4 million to build. The theatre is 7 stories high, a half city block wide and long, of French Baroque and one of the best sounding and gorgeous theatres we've played. A sold-out capacity crowd of 3,600 enthusiastic, energetic, open Chicagoans. A great gig, the perfect convergence of venue, show and audience and we can't wait to come back to Chicago, a terrific city we all love. We had a couple of guests come to town to see the show, our pal the great guitarist-singer Sonny Landreth as well as country singing star LeeAnn Womack and her husband Frank Liddell who is a successful music publisher and record producer in Nashville. After the gig, rather than meeting up at the hotel bar we decided to go round the corner to a tavern named Pippin's. Nothing fancy, just a good old neighbourhood vibe with good beer. It was great fun visiting with our friends there in Pippin's and a perfect way to wrap the night and our stay in the windy city. Tomorrow we leave for a day off in Nashville then our show at The Ryman. It's not a day off however for Glenn and I who will immediately go from the airport to RCA Studio B for a double session! I don't know, it sounded like a good idea when we said yes a few weeks ago. So long, Richard Minneapolis, Minnesota 12 July, 2008 Up early, gym, shower. Met up with Mark and Danny around 1 in the afternoon and took a cab to a wonderful drum studio owned by Steve Maxwell. He is a grand fellow, a historian, collector and seller of vintage drum kits. Both Danny and Mark know him and have bought kits from him, but this is the first time to meet him for me. I don't play drums, although strangely enough it was my first instrument before taking up the guitar, but I felt my credit card vibrating in my back pocket. The old 50's kits of Rogers and Gretsch's were gorgeous and sounded just like what a set of drums ought to sound like. It made me want to buy a set. Fortunately, we got out of there before anyone was able to do much damage to their bank accounts. It was an hour flight from Chicago to St. Paul airport and another 30 minute drive to the venue in Minneapolis. The Orpheum Theatre with a capacity of 2,600 was sold out. Another wonderful audience and good show. I wish we were staying here in Minneapolis, it's a grand city and one we all love particularly since having come here in 2004 to do Prairie Home Companion and seeing a little bit of the town, however this tour we are doing more base cities and flying in and out, so Chicago is our base for the mid-west and it was a runner to the plane after the show. Some old friends of Glenn Worf's very kindly brought a cooler of Leinenkugel Beer and the most fabulous summer sausage and cheese we'd ever had and that's what we ate on the plane ride back to Chicago. It turns out that Lyle Lovett and crew are in Chicago doing a gig tonight. Matt played many years and on all of Lyle's records and we all have mutual friends in the band including our old band mate Jim Cox who now tours with Lovett. A phone call was made and we went directly from the plane to the hotel where they are staying to meet up in the bar for drinks and a bit of catching up. It was great to see Jim again as well as Ray Herndon and Russ Kunckel. I used to do record dates with Russ in Los Angeles back in the '70's and it's been at least 15 years since I saw him last. About 2 in the morning the bar had closed and we bid our fellow musos goodnight and walked to our hotel on a very balmy, very early Sunday morning. So long, Richard Winnipeg, Manitoba 11 July, 2008 Yesterday was a day off in Chicago. I set a wake up call for 9:00 to have time for some coffee and a trip to the fab hotel gym. This doesn't beat the San Francisco Four Seasons, but it would be in a tight run-off for second place with the facility in Denver. A quick shower then down to the lobby to meet some of the boys for a trip to Wrigley Field and a 1 o'clock opening pitch with the Cincinnati Reds. A half dozen of us marched to the 'el' and made our way over to the Addison station just outside Wrigley. It was a warm day but overcast and a very active game fortified by hot dogs and beer with a final score, Cubs 7, Reds 12. There's no better way to spend a summer afternoon than at the ballpark. When the game ended the line to get back on the 'el' was staggering, but it moved along at an orderly and steady pace. Got back to the hotel station just in time for the skies to open up for the three block walk. I was thoroughly saturated when I got back to the room. Took off my clothes, put a bathrobe on and realised I wouldn't be joining the others for an evening meal that had been planned. I wasn't leaving the room for the rest of the night. Spent the night reading, watching a little TV and doing some computer work, bypassed dinner altogether. With today's early morning and only having had about three hours sleep, I finally put my head down and slept until 11:30 this morning!! By the time I finally got myself up and about it was noon. I'd already missed breakfast and decided I'd pass on coffee and food as it was a mid-afternoon flight and I'd get some caffeine and nourishment on the plane. When we boarded I got some coffee and a granola bar straight away, but the afternoon meal was bits of cheese and crackers with little strips of ham and pepperoni. Crap. Arrived in Winnipeg and drove to the venue, made a bee-line for catering as I was now violently famished. More crap N. American catering. There were several options that were probably just fine when they'd been cooked a couple of hours ago, but were little more that high school cafeteria fare after being steamed to death. I had a slice of pork tenderloin and an awful grocery store purchased sweet, then bailed. Tonight's show was at the Centennial Concert Hall to a capacity crowd of 2,205. We were all well rested and played what I would consider to be one of the very best shows of the entire tour. The audience was great, the theatre was great and so were the acoustics...or so it seemed to me. Another Canadian city that I'd never been to before and saw no more of than the ride from the airport to the venue. I'd like to come back again someday and get a better look. A runner back to Chicago and a serious re-routing to skirt a massive line of severe thunder storms across the mid-west. I've never had a flight like this. We witnessed one of the most awesome displays of electric mother nature I've ever seen from the sky or the ground. Lightening striking everywhere non-stop. We shut off the lights in the cabin to get a better look. What a light show. Staggering! Our ace pilots remained about 10 miles from the edge of the storms and we only learned afterward that 30 miles is what's suggested!!! We experienced a couple of very serious bits of turbulence, the kind that threw people who weren't buckled down. After all was said and done, we arrived safely in Chicago through a torrent of rain that fell on Midway Airport. The drivers met us on the tarmac and ushered us to the cars with umbrellas. I put my stuff in the trunk of the car and ducked out from under the umbrella for five or six feet to the passenger door and in that short of a distance was completely soaked through. It was THAT heavy. Next to no traffic at that hour so the ride to the hotel was quick putting us in at 2 a.m. I sat down at this computer, jotted down these notes and I'm now going to bed. So long, Richard Regina, Saskatchewan 9 July, 2008 Quiet day, played a little guitar and read the paper before packing up, leaving Edmonton and winging our way to Regina. Like Kelowna and Saskatoon, I will see no more of Regina other than the ride from the airport to the venue. However, what I did see I liked very much, a clean city of around 200,000 Regina is the capital of Saskatchewan and like Saskatoon is rich in pot ash, oil, natural gas, wheat and barley. We rode through a wonderful neighbourhood with beautiful homes and park with a man-made lake before arriving at Conexus Centre of the Arts, a great sounding theatre that seats 1,944. A full house and although seated, concert audiences can sometimes behave accordingly, the folks here in Regina really let loose. They were warm, generous and loud! A runner and 2:30 arrival at our hotel in Chicago where we will base for the next several days beginning with a day off tomorrow. So long, Richard Saskatoon, Alberta 8 July, 2008 Down to the very well equipped hotel gym this morning for the usual on some very unusual machines. The resistance is regulated not by adding or subtracting weights, but by air compression. Every machine is hooked up to a main compressor and with the use of a button or foot pedal you control the amount of air that is fed into the thing, the more air the higher the resistance and vice versa. It's a little tricky to control very precisely but got the job done all the same. Saskatoon, another Canadian city that I'd never been to before and sadly will see nothing more of it than the ride from the airport to the venue. A city of a quarter million people and looks flat and wide with the big sky beaming overhead. I kept recalling a song titled Girl In Saskatoon but couldn't remember who it was by. I asked all round the band and no-one had heard of it. I got thinking maybe I'd made the whole thing up. As soon as I got to the venue I took out my laptop and Googled it. Turns out it was on a Johnny Cash album in 1961, written by him and Johnny Horton. Cash sang it live in a concert given here in Saskatoon in 1961 to the local beauty queen who was murdered about six months later. To this day the murder is still unsolved and being re-opened for the third time. Tonight's show was held in the Sid Buckwold Theatre to a capacity crowd of 1,900. We played a really good show last night I thought and the audience was VERY warm and responsive. A runner back to Edmonton with some tasty Thai food on the plane. A couple of night-caps with Guy and Dan then off to bed. So long, Richard Edmonton, Alberta 7 July 2008 A day off yesterday in Vancouver. Glenn, Mark, Guy and I rented bikes and cycled through the gorgeous Stanley Park along the sea wall of Coal Harbour and the Burrard Inlet. A perfect day, warm but not too and the sun breaking through the clouds. After the 10K ride we ended up at White Spot which I'd been touting up, for their "Famous" with cheese, beer, wine and it was a winner all round. Back in the hotel I put Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music on and marvelled at the scope of what used to be recorded in the 1920's by the major record labels before the depression put an end to a lot of it. An astounding variety of all sorts of native and ethnic music from string bands to hellfire and brimstone preachers. Brilliant. Later in the evening we went to a wonderful Italian fusion restaurant named Cin-Cin. Excellent...great food, wine, atmosphere and company. After dinner Glenn and I drifted off to O' Doul's, a bar/restaurant down the street that had jazz. It was a quiet Sunday night, not many patrons and a young lady playing solo piano who was very good, great tunes, imagination and drive. It takes a lot of moxie to play solo like that to an empty house. We had a drink and called it a night. The only problem with having a civilised early night is waking up at 4 a.m....wide awake and ready to begin the day, but not really. I puttered around taking care of the morning's computer work, did some reading, got dressed went up the street for coffee and a croissant and was back at the hotel by 7:30. Picked the book back up and read for a while then started to feel tired enough to go back to bed and seized the opportunity for a few hours. Woke up to begin the day again at 11:30. A little practising then time to pack the bags and bid adieu to the great city of Vancouver. We've had a wonderful few days stay here and look forward to returning. It was an hour and a half flight to Edmonton plus we lost an hour so we didn't arrive at the Northern Albert Jubilee Theatre until 6. The theatre is located on the campus of the University of Edmonton and has recently been remodelled to commemorate it's 50th anniversary. Tonight's audience of 2,330 were there to listen and by the end of the show they were on their feet. I'm looking forward to having a wander round town tomorrow as I have never been in Edmonton before. I just don't want to do it at 4 in the morning. So long, Richard Calgary, Alberta, Canada 5 July, 2008 Up early and thought I'd try out the coffee maker in my room. The pre-packaged coffee and filter read "finest Italian". It was neither fine nor Italian but complete rubbish made in America that was little more than hot, coloured water. Undrinkable. I tramped down to Tim Horton's and then back to the absolutely useless hotel gym. Four people already in there struggling to find a place for themselves and the treadmill taken by some clown scraping his trainers on the belt making a loud, squealing sound every four or five steps. I looked over thinking he must have headphones on and can't hear it, but he didn't. Staggeringly inconsiderate. I managed to started pushing some weights and as soon as Bozo got off the mill, I jumped on it. Things began looking up after that. I got out of the hotel for a bit of shopping and a stop at White Spot for a hamburger. I was tipped off to them by Isaac Shabtay, knowing my fondness for Harvery's he suggested I try these babies. White Spot is a chain of restaurants in British Columbia and Alberta famous for their hamburgers for 75 years. Started in June of 1928 by Nat Bailey, it boasts a brilliant burger and delivers. I ordered the "Famous" a single with cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, mayo and their special triple O sauce. I couldn't put my finger on exactly what was in the sauce except it complimented the burger beautifully. I opted out of the fries and slaw in lieu of a Caesar salad, deluding myself that I was having a healthy lunch, washing it all down with a pint of Nat Bailey's Pale Ale on draft. The namesake beer is brewed locally by the Granville Brewing Company, a mild beer served ice cold and a good afternoon brew as there doesn't seem to be much alcohol about it. You could have a couple over lunch and get back to the office without feeling the need for a nap. I haven't renounced my allegiance to Harvey's but simply added White Spot to my list of Canada faves. Don't get the impression that I make a diet of burgers, I don't, seldom order one anywhere, but for some reason must make the pilgrimage to Harvery's and now White Spot whenever I'm in Canada. A mid-afternoon flight to Calgary where the yearly Stampede began yesterday. Loads of folks walking round in boots, jeans and cowboy hats. I don't remember playing here since working with Neil Diamond but have fond memories of the town. Tonight's show was in the Jack Singer Concert Hall, home to the Calgary Symphony Orchestra. A small 1,600 seater that sounded great...another loud and very appreciative audience. The usual runner back to Vancouver, where we cannot resist falling into the wonderfully dark and inviting bar here at the hotel. Pop star George Michael and entourage have been staying here as well, George having a show in town last night. Our own Danny Cummings and George go back 25 years, Dan playing percussion on the Wham records as well as George's solo outings. Danny toured all last year with George, so it was old home week for them. We were a couple of drinks down when George came to the bar and sat down at our table for a round. Seems like a good guy, still, I remain more impressed having had a uke lesson from Joe Brown at Albert Hall. So long, Richard Kelowna, B.C. 4 July, 2008 Lazy day. Walked out of the hotel, turned left and fell in at the Caffe Artigiano for a spectacular, extra large latte with an extra dose of espresso. Beautiful coffee perfectly prepared by a lady who somehow managed to created the image of a leaf with the foam. An oatmeal-blueberry muffin completed the package and that was plenty until catering at the gig. Came back to the room and got tied into e-mail, practising and general laziness before it was time to get ready to fly to Kelowna. Kelowna is located in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia on Okanagan Lake. A big tourist destination in the summer months, it's name is derived from the native term for female grizzly bear. We arrived late, 6:30, no sound check and just time for a quick bit of food in catering, a little practising in a quiet room I found with a sign on the door that read "show disconnect". I have no idea, there were just a couple of push brooms and a chair in what was no larger a space than a walk in closet. Before long it was time for us to hit the boards. Prospera Place is a small arena and we played to nearly 4,000 tonight. The sound was a bit of a struggle, it seemed very loud but we turned in what we felt was a very good show and the audience seemed to agree. What little we saw of Kelowna looks to be a beautiful city and I'm sorry we didn't have a little more time to explore it. A runner back to the Legacy and Vancouver for a quick drink before turning in. So long, Richard Vancouver, British Columbia 3 July, 2008 I made a beeline to Tim Horton's this morning and drank about a gallon of their piping hot coffee to clear the cobwebs. It's not the fashionable espresso, dark roast brew that most places serve now, just a regular cup of joe, big, smooth and not a trace of bitterness, the kind of coffee you drink black and it tastes great. Old time stuff. Came back to the hotel and spent nearly three hours on this computer mopping up e-mail. That's too much time spent in front of a screen, especially with my attention span of about 10 minutes. Completely bleary eyed when I finished and shocked by the clock...2 in the afternoon! Straight down to the gym which I think might be a winner in the loser's category for worst hotel fitness centre. A tiny room, one treadmill and a couple other aerobic machines, a crap selection of free weights and one of those very dangerous 'universal' type weight machines, the kind that incorporates several different machines into one that doesn't do anything very well. These machines are seldom very stable and lack proper back or leg support. I try to avoid them at all costs. Over the course of my workout, Tim and Pete our tour managers arrived as did Mark. It's a closet of a space to begin with, so it was a full house of pain with the four of us in there. Following that, there was nothing left to do but wander back to Horton's for another coffee and egg salad sandwich. Time to shower and get ready to go to the gig. As Matt appropriately said, today was a day off with a gig...meaning, we were already in town and didn't even drive to the venue as it was just a couple of blocks away, we all ambled down one at a time from the hotel to the theatre on foot. The Orpheum Theatre was built in 1927 as a vaudeville house and at that time was the largest theatre on the Pacific coast with a capacity of just under 3,000. The city of Vancouver purchased the Orpheum in 1974 and began a three year restoration project that returned the theatre to it's former opulence. The Orpheum is home to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra as well as hosting music concerts and speakers. I suppose this is getting tiring to read every day about the show being well played and the audiences tremendous, but the theatre sounded fantastic, the stage felt warm and friendly, the audience couldn't have been better and it all added up to us having a helluva great time and show. Thank you Vancouver. Another 'walker' back to the hotel, two in one week! Matt and I hoofed our way back and were stopped often by folks who'd been to the show and told how much they loved it. Back to the very inviting bar for another couple of burnt martinis and call it a day. So long, Richard Woodinville, Washington 2 July 2008 Went to a fantastic place for breakfast this morning, The Original Pancake House. Started in Portland in 1953 they have now expanded to 100 restaurants across the U.S. The one I ate at was the very first one, the original, Original Pancake House. Griddle cakes of every description and nationality, unbelievably good. One more reason to love Portland, seems like everyone in the band wants to move here...it's a great town. John went to a guitar shop close to the hotel where he spotted and purchased a beautiful Martin baritone ukulele from the 1940's, all mahogany, deep, rich and resonant. As much as we'd like to hang around a little longer it is time to move on. A short flight to Seattle then a bit of a drive to Woodinville, Washington home of the Chateau Ste. Michelle winery. The gig is on the grounds of the estate, we played here in 2005 and loved it. Another one of those 'picnic gigs'...outdoors, food, drink and good vibes all round. These shows are so much fun for us and the audience alike, everyone completely relaxed and taking the event in. The audience might have a slight advantage as they've been drinking...in this case the wine that was produced just a couple of hundred yards away from where they're sitting. The skies opened up for a quick bit of rain then things cleared and we took the stage. It was a mild evening and light through most of the show until the last couple of tunes, great people watching. A runner back to the Seattle airport and another short flight to Vancouver where we will base for the next few days and play tomorrow night. We arrived at the hotel and couldn't resist falling in to their very inviting bar. The bartender made one of the best martinis we've ever had, Hendricks Gin (distilled in Scotland) and instead of vermouth he used a few drops of J&B scotch to dry things up, a slice of cucumber topped it off.....voila...a burnt martini! So long, Richard Portland, Oregon 1 July, 2008 It was a day off yesterday in San Francisco that began early with a massive attack of Peet's coffee and a cherry danish. One of my missions was to find a place that will repair my finger nails, sounds awfully vain but it's really a necessity. I use my fingers to play as much, if not more than a guitar pick and my nails have always been thin and splintery. About 10 years ago I discovered the acrylics and they've been a miracle, that is until one breaks or comes off which is what happened before the show last night in Jacksonville. At that point it was a race against the start of the show with a bottle of Krazy Glue building up layers in hope of getting through the gig. I made it, but a new set of acrylics was in order. Found a little walk in nail salon and my index, middle and ring were soon good as new. Bored yet? I am. Next. Wandered round the city and fell into a soup and salad place for lunch then made my way to the San Francisco Museum Of Modern Art which is currently hosting a staggeringly great exhibit of Frida Kahlo. Roomfuls of her most important paintings gathered from all over the world and several more rooms of personal photographs from a collection of over 400 that she gave to a physician friend. She and her husband Diego Rivera spent a good deal of time here in San Francisco while he was commissioned to paint a mural. I won't go into her story here, but her work is tremendously moving. The exhibit runs through September 2008 and I can't recommend it enough. I spent the evening with my dear first cousin Neal Winchell who has lived in the city and its suburbs for decades. While we've stayed in touch via e-mail and the occasional backstage visit, we hadn't sat down to a meal together in over 30 years. That was remedied last night when we met here at the hotel for a couple of martinis before heading off to John's Grill, an old San Francisco bar and grill dating back to 1908 and hangout of writer Dashiell Hammett. Perfectly grilled steaks, seafood, fresh vegetables and baked potatoes with loads of sour cream. It was good sitting down and catching up with you Neal. As for martinis, the late San Francisco journalist/humourist Herb Caen had this to say, "Martinis are like breasts. One is not enough and three's too many." Agreed. We each had two. Up early today, wandered round the corner to Mel's Diner for breakfast, a little too hard core neo-retro for me, but the food was great and how can you argue with a place that has Shopping For Clothes by The Coasters on the juke box? Back to the hotel, packed up and bid adieu to San Francisco for a quick flight to Portland. Tonight's show was at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, a small, wonderful theatre seating 2,800. We've played here several time before and always look forward to returning. No muss or fuss just a well played gig and a grand audience that became a deafening audience by the end of the show! Portland is a beautiful city, one that takes great pride in itself and rightly so. We love Portland. Rather than our usual runner after the show, we were booked in to the old Heathman Hotel right next door to the theatre, so we took a few secret passageways after the gig and somehow ended up in the kitchen of the Heathman then up the service lift to our floors. I think this might be the first "walker" we've done. The Heathman bar was kept open for us and there I spent a great couple hours with my dad's cousin and his wife, Itz and Maureen Horenstein and their daughter Lori...the Portland side of my family who I'd not seen in at least 25 years. We each had two! So long, Richard Jacksonville, Oregon 29 June, 2008 There are benefits to waking up early, such as leisurely sauntering through the day before having to get ready for the gig. And so it was this Sunday morning beginning with some coffee, toast and a NY Times sent up to the room, followed by a visit to the all-time best gym that just happens to be on the 4th floor of our hotel...no competition when it comes to gym of the tour award. A staggering area the size of a square city block of aerobic machines, free weights, machines to work every body part, spinning rooms, pilates rooms and yoga rooms, an emporium of every imaginable device of torture. Another great feature is the ceiling to floor windows that look out onto Market Street. Across these windows dozens of aerobic machines are lined up. No sooner had I revved up my treadmill when I heard the rev of motorcycle engines coming from outside. I looked out to see the beginning of the gay pride parade! Hundreds of cycles bearing rainbow flags and driven by guys and girls in various states of outrageous and normal dress and undress, followed by what seemed like thousands of people walking, carrying banners in celebration of same-sex marriage or drumming up the vote for sympathetic political candidates. Folks dressed in full-body balloon suits and people riding on floats in penis costumes, San Francisco Police Department cops in uniform walking down the street hand-in-hand with their partners followed by a brace of SFPD cars, fire fighters and military veterans all represented....and on it went for a full three hours. Great stuff, it was good watching the raucous and colourful pageant, certainly made a nice distraction checking things out now and again. With the workout behind me I was desperate for a good cup of coffee and some food and both were just round the corner from the hotel. Peet's Coffee is just about the best thing going, a small American chain that started as a single shoppe in Berkeley, California in 1966. The guys who started Starbuck's used Peet's coffee shop as a model and it was Peet's that supplied and roasted Starbuck's coffee in the very early set-up stages of that franchise. Starbuck's of course expanded and took over the world and began employing cheaper methods and beans while Peet's expanded very slowly and only to the point where they could keep the quality intact. Sadly, we don't have Peet's Coffee in the south although they do sell their beans on-line. One block away, much to my pleasure was a Peet's Coffee Shop. I made straight for it and a large latte with an extra shot of espresso. A beautifully warm and sunny day, I took my coffee and sat at at table outside enjoying everything including the people-watching as the parade had just broken up and folks were wandering away. So much for coffee, now food. Just up the street from Peet's was a California Pizza Kitchen, a west-coast chain of exotic and traditional wood-fired pizzas in a great atmosphere. Wandered in, sat at the counter and had a brilliant thin-crust, crushed tomato, mozzella and fresh basil pizza and a majestically delicious Anchor Steam beer on draught, all the while the Germany vs. Spain football match was on the big screen. This is the stuff Sundays are made of, at least in San Francisco they are. A perfect afternoon. Time to head to the Oakland airport for our flight to Medford, Oregon. We flew over the fires that are currently smoldering in Northern California and the sky was choked with brown haze and smoke. Also flew over Mount Shasta before landing. A short 15 minute drive through the most quaint town and neighbourhoods delivered us to the Britt Pavillion, a small outdoor theatre with a capacity of roughly 2,200. No seats, just lawn seating, blankets on the ground and picnics are the order of the day. It was a very hot and dry day and the crew had a difficult one as this gig is not easy to load in, but as always we never heard a word about it and they were all smiles when we arrived. We love these very intimate outdoor shows, it's almost like playing at a summer camp. Audience and band very relaxed and enjoying the evening together. Because of the small venue and stage the lights and production were cut down and everything was left to a minimum, Simon our lighting director using the venues stage lights as opposed to rigging up all of our usual concert stuff. It all made for a wonderfully casual evening and a grand time for all. A runner back to San Francisco, a few drinks with Dan, Guy, John and Pete then off to bed and a day off tomorrow. So long, Richard Berkeley, California 28 June, 2008 I keep waking up at 6 in the morning unable to get back to sleep so it was downstairs today for an early breakfast accompanied by the LA Times and a beach view. Spent the remainder of the morning mopping up e-mails, practising, finishing the newspaper. Before I knew it, it was time to check out of the hotel and make our way northward. It was a short hop from the Van Nuys to the Oakland airport and being Saturday, the traffic wasn't bad to Berkeley. Over the last several days we've become accustomed to the hot, dry summer temperatures of the south-west and forgot how chilly the bay area can be this time of year. We arrived at the venue in t-shirts and shorts and immediately began rummaging through the wardrobe trunks for anything with a bit of warmth to wear. The William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre was built in 1903 and financed by the American newspaper titan for the University of California. Now simply known as The Greek Theatre, it was constructed on a site already in use as an amphitheatre since 1894 known as Ben Weed's Amphitheatre. Over the last century it's stage has been graced by American presidents, movie, theatre, rock and jazz stars. It's a gorgeous setting, a bowl surrounded by towering ancient eucalyptus trees, it's become one of our favourite venues since first playing here in 2005. The staff is warm and helpful, the catering is good and...only in Berkeley...they have a vitamin bar along side the coffee urns in the catering area. Rows of bottled vitamins, minerals, food supplements and antioxidants of every stripe, just in case you forgot your daily dose! Brilliant. We took the stage looking like we'd been caught up in a tornado at a thrift shoppe. As if our usual stage attire isn't motley enough, on top of it was piled anything warm we could get our hands on...from a golf game wind breaker to a shark skin sport jacket and everything in between. No matter, this band's not exactly known for it's fashion sensibilities. Off we trundled to play a show for 8,000 great fans, more than a few of them smoking pot...great wafts of it floating up on stage throughout the night. Because of the chill we didn't crack a sweat last night even though we played hard and heavy and left the stage after the last encore to ear splitting response. Thanks again Berkeley. Into the cars and over the Bay Bridge, we arrived at our hotel in San Francisco by 11:30. We'll base from this great city for the next couple of days. So long, Richard Los Angeles, California 27 June, 2008 Up early and out for breakfast with my friend Jim Silvers who I've known since 1969. He was the first guy who wandered through the door at the music store I worked in when I first moved to Los Angeles. He wanted some guitar lessons and we've been friends since. Over the years I produced two of his record albums. After breakfast I stopped in to see another old pal of mine, Dennis St. John. Dennis was the drummer and band leader for many years with Neil Diamond and he's the reason I got that job. Great seeing them both again. Mid-afternoon we fought the L.A. freeway, Friday style, up to the Greek Theatre in Griffith Park. I won't bore you with all the memories that Hollywood and this particular venue hold for me. These days Hollywood is unrecognisable to me, but the Greek is still very much the same as when I first played there in 1971 with Neil Diamond. It was the following year that the Hot August Night album was recorded there and I was on board for that as well. Wait a minute, I'm probably boring you. Anyway, it is a wonderful venue surrounded by giant old trees and always feels good to play there. Plus, our very own John McCusker made a spectacular return to the band tonight just minutes before we took the stage. His visa was granted and he tumbled off the plane after a 12 hour journey, ready to play the hell out of the show....and so he did and so did we all. Welcome back Johnny boy. We've consistently found audiences that were previously 'polite' to be very enthusiastic this tour and L.A. was no exception. A great Friday night crowd, ready for a good time. It was a wonderful show and standing on the stage of that theatre looking out at the folks and the trees beyond made, me glad to be alive. A couple of us stayed after the show to greet friends who came and it was good seeing every one of them. I always feel like I've come home when we play the Greek. Finally made it back to the hotel around 12:30 too tired for a night-cap, straight to bed. THAT'S boring. So long, Richard Las Vegas, Nevada 26 June 2008 Maybe I'm still on Euro time, after nearly two weeks I'm still waking up very early. So, it was downstairs to breakfast where I found Glenn and road manager Pete McKay already seated at a table overlooking the Santa Monica Pier, beach and ocean. A couple of cups of strong coffee and a plate of pancakes were demolished, then off the gym to either get my heart started or finish it off once and for all. Happily it was the former. A short mid-afternoon flight brought us to Las Vegas and the strip. I never know what to say about Vegas, you either love or hate it and I'm afraid I fall into the negative category. I have absolutely no interest in the gaming aspect and it has been turned into a Disney-like caricature of....what? I don't know. Models of other cities, a miniature Eiffel Tower, a smaller Sphinx, a seriously abbreviated version of Manhattan complete with Chrysler and Empire State buildings. Nothing about the place has any draw for me, except the desert surrounding the city and the blast furnace of heat that greeted us as we stepped off the plane. It was our usual venue here, The Hard Rock Hotel's rock club, The Joint. It's appropriately named, just a big bar with a patron capacity of 1,510 and an opportunity for the very well heeled to see their fave rock bands or singers in a "club" atmosphere. It too is as contrived as the town. Just for the hell of it, I went out in the casino and changed a 20 into singles to throw away in the slots. These are now electronic things that you go through the motion of pulling the lever but can't really get any spin going, it does it for you electronically. The tumblers turn and a digital led read-out tells you if you've won any credits for further pulls. If you like you can hit the "cash out" button and a thermal piece of paper with a bar code is issued from the slot machine which enables you to use that in any other slot or take it to the cashier and actually cash out. The whole thing is completely absurd. After a half hour of winning, losing, winning, losing....I was so bloody bored that I couldn't take any more and left with 5 of my original 20 buck still in my pocket. Ridiculous. Still I have several friends, intelligent, talented, perfectly reasonable people who think Vegas is the cat's ass. Like I said, you love it or hate it. The gig was good, people drinking and waitresses carrying trays but the whole thing was so surreal that you kind of get into how strange it all is. A couple of drunk guys right on the front row reliving their youths to the point of being escorted out. The only thing missing was a fist fight. A runner back to LA and everyone to a man was off to their rooms for an early night. THAT'S rock and roll. So long, Richard Salt Lake City, Utah 25 June, 2008 Denver to Salt Lake City this afternoon. Stepped off the plane into at least high 90s temperature, hot and dry. Another city basin surrounded by mountains....I love the west. It was a short drive to Abravenel Hall, tonight's venue. We've played here before, a proper concert theatre that feels a little "proper" and while past audiences have been very good, we were not prepared for the reception and response to tonight's show. Thunderous! The acoustics were great and the little 6 piece group came to play. A memorable night in Salt Lake City for those of us at Abravenel Hall. A runner to the US version of the Legacy and a quick flight to LA where we will base for the next several days. So long, Richard Denver, Colorado 24 June, 2008 It was good to be home this past week. The seven days seemed to fly by catching up on 10 weeks of mail, phone calls and errands. We had a couple of bbq's, some dinners out, some dinners in, a little gardening and an evening at The Ryman Auditorium with Eddie Izzard who was brilliant. We also saw our daughter and her boyfriend off to Memphis where he will be attending pharmacy college for the next few years. It was bittersweet watching their moving truck roll out the driveway as we waved good-bye, but they have a great apartment in a very cool part of Memphis to begin the next chapter of their lives. It has always been one of my favourite cities, good food, museums, record stores and now an excuse to pop over now and again for a weekend as it's only 200 miles west from our door to theirs. The last couple of days I succumbed to a head and chest cold that I'd held at arms length all week, one of those that leaves you feeling very spaced out. In preparation for yesterday's flight to Denver I began loading up on decongestant which did the trick, no problem with the ears on the plane and woke this morning feeling like I might just live after all. I was raised in the west, Phoenix, Arizona as a youngster then nearly two decades in Los Angeles before moving to Nashville. There's something about the western states that makes everything line up for me; a drier atmosphere, the high jagged mountains surrounding the city basin, the pioneer spirit of the people is still present...open minded like the open skies. It was great stepping off the plane last night and feeling the geographic pull again. After an early breakfast and a couple of hours in what will be a finalist for the best hotel gym, I bumped into our tour manager Tim. He asked if I'd heard the news about John McCusker our fab new member of the band. No, I hadn't, what the hell happened to John? Well....John was denied his visa for America and more than likely will sit out the remainder of the tour in Edinburgh!! Something to do with a previous misdemeanour and there is nothing anyone can do about it, it's in the hands of the embassy and that is that. I suppose this kind of thing happens frequently. Just last week Martha Stewart was denied entry to the U.K. It's a tremendous comfort knowing our governments are protecting us from terrorism, feather dusters and penny whistles. So, for the moment or perhaps the duration, we're a six-piece again. We arrived at Red Rocks far earlier this afternoon than usual to do a little re-arranging of the songs, everybody picking up various bits of slack due to John's absence. This is where real professionalism saves the day. Many lesser or inexperienced groups would have been in disarray faced with the same problem, but we calmly went about the task in fairly short order and not a feather ruffled. The venue is about 25 miles outside Denver, a gorgeous natural amphitheatre surrounded by the most awe inspiring red coloured boulders. I first played here in 1972 with Neil Diamond and always look forward to coming back. It was a hot, clear day, then later in the afternoon the clouds came in and the wind whipped up, cooling things down nicely. We took the stage for our first show of the North American tour minus a key member and having not played in over a week. The band was unflappable and I am very proud of us all, cool as cucumbers and delivered one of the best shows ever, a man in every corner at the top of their game, not only filling the gap that John's left but adding a couple of new songs to the set as well! The audience of 8,700+ was loud, enthusiastic and brilliant. A fantastic launch to the final third of the tour. A runner back to Denver and a quick gathering in MK's room for a glass of wine, quick being the operative word. The Brit boys are jet lagged and exhausted and the Yanks were not far behind. The end of a well saved day. Onward and westward-ho tomorrow. So long, Richard Athens, Greece 15 June, 2008 It is actually the 17th of June as I type this sitting at my kitchen table, back in Nashville and after the fact. The show in Athens was our last of the European leg of the tour. We've completed 63 shows in 79 days, an amazing feat for any group. The morning of the 15th began as we've become accustomed for the last week in Istanbul; throwing open the drapes to gaze upon the Bosphorus and across to Asia, with the call to prayer wafting over the waters and the sunshine pouring in, then downstairs to the most lavish of breakfasts. Today we leave Istanbul, so it was back to the room to pack the bags for our flight to Athens. As I was about to leave the room I turned back and stepped out on the balcony for one last eyeful and a farewell to Istanbul, this ancient metropolis that we all hope to return to again. It has been several days of good-byes as we've come to the close of this part of the tour. At the Istanbul airport it was a very fond farewell to the last team of our drivers, Bernie, Dominika and Fabian. Bernie and Dom are planning a visit with us in the States and we hope they stick to their plans. After we touched down in Athens, it was adieu to Christian our pilot of the Legacy and Linda who headed the attendant crew over the last 10 weeks....then on to the venue for the show. It was a long and winding ride through the city and up to the Lycabettus Theatre, high on a hilltop with a 360 degree view of Athens. The theatre is open air, audience standing with a small grand stand behind and accommodating 6,000....a beautiful spot for a gig. There was a meet and greet tonight followed by a traditional Greek buffet dinner then more good-byes, this time to our equipment truck drivers/follow spot boys who will not be coming to America. Thanks for all the miles and never missing a cue with those bright lights. We said our farewells to each other when we came off stage after Telegraph Road. With the exception of Glenn and I, the band took a runner to the Legacy and a late night flight to Luton, the Brits heading home and Matt going to Heathrow for his flight to L.A. the following day. Glenn and I had a runner to the Athens Sofitel airport hotel arriving just before midnight and convening down at the bar for a night cap. Unlike the Heathrow airport hotel, the Sofitel is spacious, very clean and as well appointed as many of hotels we've stayed on this tour. We sat at an outdoor table on this beautifully clear and balmy night and talked about the last ten weeks and the five to come. The trip home was long, twelve hours from Athens to Atlanta with a three hour layover before the commuter flight to Nashville, but as we were flying with the sun all the way it didn't seem quite so difficult. We have one week off before teaming up again in Denver to kick off the final third of this wonderful tour. I'll be re-packing my suitcases with summertime clothes and leaving the heavy jackets at home, having a few BBQ's, errands and generally trying to catch up as much as I can, not to mention re-adjusting to the North American time zone. I'll pick these notes up again with our first show next week in Colorado. Until then.......... So long, Richard Istanbul, Turkey June 13, 2008 It was the most normal start to the day I've had since being here in Turkey, got up at 10:30 and quickly got myself together to go down to breakfast before they pulled the plug at 11. The breakfast buffet in this hotel is absolutey the most amazing and extensive I've ever seen. A yoghurt station, sushi, bakery items, fresh fruit tables, smoothies, eggs, olives, cold cuts, cheeses, cereals and the list goes on. In the end, or in this case the beginning, all I really want is a couple of strong cups of coffee and that's served as well. After breakfast I killed a couple of hours in the room with computer stuff and practising then finally got down to the pool around 1:30 to find Dan and Guy camped out. I ended up spending a couple of hours pool-side then realised I was on the verge of being cooked to well done. Made it out of the sun in the nick of time, no serious damage done. Time for a shower and meet down in the lobby to go to the show. The venue was an open air called the Kurucesme Arena on the shores of the Bosphorus. There was magic in the air, Friday night in Istanbul and a live concert by Mark Knopfler who's never played here before. It was a stand up gig and there were a minimum of 10,000 people crowded in the place. We were all feeling rested from the day before and really ready to do this gig. We took the stage to thunderous applause and the whole night felt like a special event. It was difficult concentrating, I kept getting side-tracked looking at the people and the Bosphorus with it's colour changing bridge, palaces, yachts, lights and fireworks. It was one hell of a buzz. A runner back to our hotel on the water and the party tonight was in my room as my new digs are large and party friendly. Guy and I co-DJ'd and it was a fitting close to the day we played in Istanbul. It's another day off tomorrow!!!! So long, Richard Istanbul, Turkey 12 June, 2008 An excursion was planned for 10:30 this morning, a van and guides would meet us in the lobby and take us to the old city for a few hours. When I first heard about it the night before, my initial reaction was to give it a pass, I was completely knackered and all I wanted to do with the day off was sleep or lay out at the pool. After a little thought, I realised what a wasted opportunity it would be not to take advantage of, after all it is Istanbul and all I'd have to do is turn up at the appointed time, who knows when or if I'll be back here again. I'd left a wake up call for 9 before going to sleep last night at 2, an early evening these days. The problem was, I couldn't get to sleep and the last time I looked at the clock it was 5 in the morning, a half hour after the first call to prayer echoed through the city. The wake-up came on time and my first thought was to go back to sleep and leave the excursion for another trip, but I peeled myself out of bed, went down for some breakfast and coffee and was in the lobby at 10:30. Our group was: Paul and Ellen Crockford, Pete and Tina McKay, Shelly Cummings, Paloma Rollings and myself joined by the driver and two lovely girls who would be our guides. We ended up spending our couple of hours at the old Spice Bazaar and Grand Market. These are both indoor malls of the ancient kind, built in the 1500's and still attracting thousands of buyers, sellers, traders, hawkers and tourists every day. The sights and smells that greeted us were probably no different than those of 500 years ago...anise, coffee, saffron, peppers, chillies, paprika, cardamom, salami, cheeses and cooking meats. The crush of people was endless as were the merchants calling out to you to come look at their wares. Everything from wedding costumes and clothes to musical instruments, gold jewelry and shovels were available to buy. The market is a series of hundreds of stalls and shoppes all beckoning for your attention and Turkish liras. Through the sprawl, with the vigilant herding of our guides, we managed to stay together as a group, nobody separated or lost. Wonderfully overwhelming, an assault on the senses and very difficult to convey in words. I'm very glad I got myself out of bed and went. Back to the hotel mid-afternoon, I went down to the gym to find MK, Glenn and Matt already working away. I found an empty treadmill and joined them for my usual 90 minutes of humiliation. A shower, then back out of the hotel. For the last several days I'd been noticing an instrument shoppe several blocks away and I took myself off to see what it was about. A tiny store with about 60 sazes and ouds, traditional Turkish string instruments, hanging inside. The idea of purchasing a saz while in Turkey is very appealing. I walked in to the tiny space and nodded at the man and woman who I assumed were the owners. I quickly realised that communication was out of the question, neither of us could speak the other's language. I did manage to get a general price range, but began thinking about how I would get it home if I did purchase one. My equipment trunk that contains all my guitars for the show is completely full. I might be able to squeeze something small in, but certainly not a saz which has a very long neck and a large bowl shaped back. With one more nod, I left the shoppe empty handed and headed back to the hotel to get ready for tonight's planned excursion. The promoter of the show in Istanbul arranged a dinner cruise down the Bosphorus Straits toward the Black Sea. We met at the pool bar for a drink then all boarded a beautiful wooden yacht for a most memorable evening. The sun was beginning to lower in the sky but the air was still warm, the wine flowed as we slowly headed out admiring the great homes along the shore of the Bosphorus. In about an hour we anchored in a cove and a miraculous spread of food was laid out buffet style. The tables laid with white linen cloths and a brilliant dinner was underway as the sun set. Several times through the evening I took myself off to a quiet part of the deck and stared out at the water, shoreline and sunset, thinking how fortunate I am. After dinner and dessert, Turkish coffee was served, the anchor hoisted and we slowly made our way back up the straits, admiring the lights of the city and bridges over the Bosphorus, returning to the hotel jetty around 10. What a day off! So long, Richard Sofia, Bulgaria 11 June, 2008 Today, again, began with much activity though happily not quite as early as yesterday. The room had been muggy all night even though the air conditioner read-out/thermostat said the temp was set to 16 C and the fan was blowing like a hurricane. I called the desk to ask that maintenance come have a look at it. They arrived shortly and I went out in the hall to send some e-mails as the internet signal in my room was too weak, another problem altogether. A few minutes later he came to where I was sitting with my laptop and handed me his cell phone. On the other end was a very nice lady's voice who informed me my AC was in-op. Yeah, I'm hip. She told me they were changing my room. Wellllll......wait just a minute there. I like the room I'm in, even though it may be a little close and internet is crap. It's got a balcony that overlooks the Olympic size pool, palm trees and beyond that, the Bosphorus. She assured me I would be moving into a 'deluxe' room with balcony and view. It's 11 in the morning and I've had no coffee of breakfast but now find myself packing my bags to change rooms. About ten minutes later a bellman came round to collect my stuff and show me to the new digs. A large deluxe room indeed with foyer, sitting room, bed and bathrooms and large balcony with a view for days. Right. Unpack...again. At last I made it to the grand pool where Danny and Guy had already taken up residence, staked out my claim on a lounge chair with thoughts of finally ordering a pool-side coffee, took off my shirt and shoes, shut my eyes and laid back. No sooner than I did, I remembered I'd left a shirt on the balcony of the room I'd just vacated. Shit. Shirt and shoes on, back to reception to explain that I needed to get back in my old room. "Certainly, sir. My colleague will take you right up." The same fellow who moved me out escorted me back upstairs and we retrieved the shirt. At this point it was so close to the time to leave I simply got in the shower and made it to the lobby with seconds to spare. A long drive to the Istanbul airport, aggravated by the usual traffic congestion. In a city of 15 million, you can imagine what the traffic's like. Made it to the airport at 3:30 and had to clear passport control, then wait. We finally got on the plane around 4. I hadn't had anything to eat since the night before, not even a coffee today. Alex our hostess had wonderfully hot and creamy cafe lattes waiting, deep crimson strawberries and the ever present basket of candy were also on hand. Dive in. Once we took off she had arranged some typical Turkish bits and bobs, little spinach and cheese filled pastry triangles, stuffed peppers, vegetables and yoghurt dip that was monstrously delicious and madly devoured. We arrived in Sofia and were driven to the National Palace of Culture. The place felt like a serious hold over from the eastern bloc. Large, concrete and loads of chrome, glass chandeliers and orange, velvet-like arm chairs that were so tired and grimy that one didn't want to sit down. More problems with the equipment trucks arriving late and the stage was barely set up when we'd arrived. The rigging of the lights was still going on and it was getting very late indeed. We did a meet and greet for Minister of Culture and various people who seemed to appreciate what we were up to. A decision was made to hold the show until nearly 9 due to the lateness of the crew and the audience coming in slowly. The NPoC is a theatre with proper seating and several balcony tiers. It was filled to capacity of 3,800 when we took the stage. A wonderful audience and good show then a runner back to Istanbul. Tonight's show was the sixth in a row, very common for us, and as we wind down the last few days of the European leg, we're VERY tired. I can't imagine how our wonderful crew must feel. It was another series of good-bye's and tonight we bid farewell to our wonderful Legacy air hostess Alex who anticipated every wish and served up fab food. Also, fond adieu to three more of our drivers and pals, Manfred, Thomas and Bob. We hope to see you all again in a couple of years. Tomorrow is a day off and it can't come soon enough. So long, Richard Belgrade, Serbia 10 June, 2008 Wide awake at 8 this morning after only 3 hours sleep. Tried to get my head back down for another hour but could not. Room service arrived 10 minutes later and the fellow who was rolling a very large cart containing little more than toast and coffee, hit the edge of the bed and it all came tumbling to the ground. He was very apologetic but it ended with maid and vacuum in my room and a scuttle for more breakfast. All I really wanted was a cup of coffee and now at 9-something I had a bit of a scene in and out of the room. The mess was finally cleared and a new tray of coffee sent. Down to the gym for the usual, then out to the fabulous pool that looks out on the shores of the Bosphorus and the ancient city of Istanbul. A magnificent view. A few minutes later Guy came down and we decided to ring Danny and drag him in as well. The sun shone brilliantly and I had the feeling of being on a large cruise ship, laying at the pool with the ocean just the other side of the rail. The smell of seasoned, grilled meat kept wafting over from the outdoor restaurant and we decided it was time for lunch...pool side. Platters of food arrived, club sandwiches, hamburgers, cokes, fizzy bottled water, orange juice, coffee and freshly sliced watermelon with mint foam! All dispatched in minutes and every morsel magically delicious. We hung round for another hour, then it was time to get ready for our flight to Belgrade. On board the Legacy for an hour and forty minute flight, still full from lunch and armed with only 3 hours sleep, I skipped the meal served and napped for most of the flight. It was a short drive from the airport to the Arena. We arrived very late today, 7 p.m. The latest arrival for a gig ever was in part due to an accident with one of the equipment trucks. Early this morning, about an hour and a half out of Belgrade, one of the trucks ran off the road. Fortunately the driver was all right and the truck stayed upright. Still, another vehicle and driver had to be dispatched, the old truck unloaded to the new and then on to Belgrade. This of course set things back as far as the load in. When we arrived you would have never known anything had happened, everything ready to go for a 9 o'clock show. After yesterday's less than ideal venue, the Belgrade Arena seemed like heaven, modern and the dressing rooms clean with plenty of places to sit or stretch out. We did a quick meet and greet and then that smell of raw sewage began seeping in and got worse over the next half hour. Oh well. As for the gig, it might have even topped the previous night, absolutely storming. The audience was one of the very best of the tour so far and it was an unbeatable gig with 9,000 thunderous fans on their feet for the encores. Hats off to Belgrade. Back on the Legacy, our hostess Alex had dishes of perfectly prepared lamb kebabs with roasted veg and the most delicious flat cheese bread I've ever tasted. One short martini (too tired these days for much more than that) and we landed back in Istanbul tired and ready for bed. So long, Richard Zagreb, Croatia 9 June, 2008 It was ciao con amore to Italy this afternoon as we left for our show in Zagreb. I came down a few minutes early for a final hit of espresso prior to departing for the airport and got it at the cafe/bar next to the hotel. What a hit, two double espressos like rocket fuel. Now we're ready. Not only was it farewell to old Italia, but a fond farewell to three of our pals and drivers, Eike, Gunther and Alex, great guys every one of them. Sadly the quality of transportation and driving skill drops dramatically when we go to North America and we will sorely miss our German driving buddies. A short hop to Zagreb and a drive through the city to the venue, Dom Sportova. The route we took was a little bleak, old style Russian grey and utilitarian buildings while the modern ones differed only slightly in that they were covered in grey mirrored glass. As for the Dom Sportova, it was downright horrible, hands down the winner of the worst venue. The backstage area reeked of raw sewage but at least it was warm and airless. As for the audience seating, it consisted of those moulded, white plastic chairs you see on the decks of summer rental cottages and are sold in every grocery, drug and discount shoppe. Very odd. Apparently a squad of bomb sniffing dogs had gone through the place as well. If there had been any explosives in the joint the dogs would never get a whiff of them above the putrid air. Horribly rank. We sat backstage and reminisced about all the shit gigs we've played in our day. Seems we'd come full circle. That is, until......... We hit the stage at something past nine and all was forgiven. A full house of nearly 7,000 brilliant fans gave as much to us as we did to them. From the worst venue emerged one of the best gigs all the way around. Mark was playing his brains out, the band never sounded better and the overall sound was brilliant. A runner to the Legacy, and in an hour and forty-five minute, plus an hour jump in time, we landed in Istanbul where we will base over the next few days. 5 a.m. before head hit the pillow So long, Richard Codroipo, Italy 8 June, 2008 Another late morning. Dragged myself out of bed at noon, threw myself in the shower and ventured outside. I didn't get far as I ran in to Eike Jorne, one of our trusted drivers, and we decided to have a coffee in the restaurant facing the Piazza Del Popolo, just next to the hotel. Several coffees and a bowl of pasta later, it was time to get ready to leave for our gig in Codroipo. Codroipo is about 300 miles north of Rome located in the north eastern part of the country. The show tonight was held on the vast and beautiful grounds of Villa Manin. Once the residence of Ludovica Manin, the last doge of the Venetian Republic and dating back to the 1700's. It is currently in use as an art museum. A wonderful setting for an outdoor show and while it has been raining quite steadily for three weeks, today the clouds parted and it was dry. 6,300 people filled the lawn and it was a comfortably cool evening show, getting underway at 9:30. There were a few sprinkles throughout the night but not enough to dampen everyone's enthusiasm. A splendid audience and a well played show. A 40 minute drive to the Legacy after the show and an hour flight put us back in Roma around 1 in the morning. Not much of a party mood, everyone too tired, so it was a relatively early night. So long, Richard Pesaro, Italy 7 June, 2008 A late sleep-in then coffee and gym. Spent an hour or so with a guitar in hand before departing Rome for Pesaro. Tonight's show was held at the Adriatic Arena. As with all the Italian and Spanish dates, the shows begin at least an hour later than elsewhere and tonight's was postponed beyond that, not taking the stage until 9:30 or later. With no Meet and Greet tonight, that meant loads of time hanging around a dingy, warm, airless dressing room that only added to the general sense of exhaustion and band members stretched out on couches either sleeping or playing guitars. Still, come show time we were up and ready to play for a great audience of nearly 8,000 and the consistency of the shows never fails to amaze me. A runner back to Rome arriving at 1:30. One of those nights that we couldn't muster the energy to drink a cup of tea. Everyone called it a night. So long, Richard Rome, Italy 6 June, 2008 A quiet day spent in and alone. As the European leg of the tour enters the homestretch we're all feeling the effects of the many shows, miles and very late nights. The later than usual lobby call was well appreciated today as we don't have to fly and the gig didn't start until 9:00. Tonight we returned to PalaLottomatica arena to a crowd of very enthusiastic Roman fans, 6,874 of them to be exact. We've been looking forward to the Italian audiences and shows as they're passionate and loud and we were not disappointed. It is great being back in Italy. Thanks Roma for a great gig. After the show I met with my good friends Marco Caviglia and Letizia and Valerio Barbantini. I met them several years ago when they organised the Pensa Day Music Festival and kindly invited me to come and play. They were very good to my wife and I and we remain in touch as friends. It was with the Barbantini's and Caviglia's that I first went to Ristorante Lagana and have had the pleasure of dining there with them several times. And so it was again tonight, the door was kept open late and a table set for the four of us. Another spectacular spread, although smaller than last nights...a little pasta e pomodorro with crayfish and shrimp, prosciutto, focaccia, marinated fish...all of it remarkable. Followed up by fresh mixed berries and ice creme. How lucky can one guy be? Here's to Roma, friends and Lagana. So long, Richard Richard and I thought that today's diary entry should be a combined effort since it's inevitable our entries would be similar for our day off in Rome. Rome, Italy 5 June, 2008 SPECIAL EDITION, Return to Lagana by Richard Bennett and Guy Fletcher RB A day off in Rome. I was awake at the unholy hour of 7:30 unable to get back to sleep, a half hour later a full pot of espresso ensured I wouldn't. Down to the gym for the usual 90 minutes of agony. Back to the room for a bit of guitar practising then tumbled out in the street. In this wonderful city full of attractions, I had none in mind and simply put one foot in front of the other. Just outside our hotel, the filming of a new Tom Hanks movie had streets blocked and motorists fuming. I walked for a couple miles past the Spanish steps through a crush of humanity and an endless string of designer clothes, handbags and sunglasses shoppes...all seriously over priced. Turned down a side street and stopped at a cafe with tables and umbrellas on the curb for a pizza and ice cold Italian beer. Every tour has it's memories, an event or place that is recalled often and talked about with reverence and great affection. Tonight, after three years, we returned to Lagana for a dinner that will only further its legendary status with us. Our host Mimmo made certain we wanted for nothing. Platters of the most brilliant food arrived, one after the other, for a couple of hours along with many bottles of soft, red chianti. Focaccia bread, prosciutto, cantaloupe, white bean salad, fried octopus, balls of buffalo mozzerella , tomatoes with string beans, marinated endive, a stunning potato pancake the size of a large pizza, strips of seared steak, heavenly fish, veal meat balls in gravy and more. Fresh, tiny, wild strawberries with ice creme and a sublime Italian cake followed. Every dish was a miracle of freshness, preparation and taste. The atmosphere, food and company could not have been better. Ristorante Lagana, Via del' Orso, 44 is not to be missed. GF A day off in Rome. I crawled out of bed at the ungodly hour of midday and realized immediately that I'd missed breakfast, so on went the kettle as usual and tea was soon reviving me in the way only 'builders' tea can. The lateness of my waking caused by the fact that we rarely go to bed before 4 am these days because of late shows and travel etc. Unlike Richard, I chose to stay in the hotel as my room has a delightful balcony and the sun was threatening to come out! After an hour or so attending the website duties, I called DC and asked if he fancied a room service lunch. We ordered Caprese and Nicoise salads and loads of coffee and San Pellegrino. We listened to the three Sergio Mendes album that I have in the collection, with volume. Brasiliero, Timeless and Best of Sergio Mendes and Brasil '65. Before we knew it it was nearing the time that we'd arranged to depart the hotel for our return to what has become our favourite restaurant. Lagana. There was quite an entourage as we left the hotel in our fleet of cars as no-one wanted to miss out. This outing is 3 years in waiting since even though Richard has been back, my one and only visit was on the 2005 tour, and that was on a show day so we didn't have wine or a main course.. it still left quite an impression. As Richard mentions, Lagana is owned by Mimmo who was extremely accommodating and managed to seat us all in what is a very busy family restaurant. Without a menu in sight the food came, and came and kept coming. My particlar favourite was the very simple rocket and pomadoro salad with seared steak, balsamic and parmagiano since I've been serving that up at home for years. As the evening wore on, I noticed that even though I seemed to have eaten more food than on the rest of the tour combined, I felt in no way full! The wine was a delicious chianti classico, once again, simple and perfect. Still to come were fresh wild strawberries with ice cream, limoncello and perfect coffee. Luxembourg 4 June, 2008 Left Brussels for a very short flight to Luxembourg, the first time I've been to the country. Our gig was at the Rockhal and it was built midst an ancient steel refinery that is no longer in service and is being demolished. In the middle of nowhere, it looks like a scene from an apocalypse movie after the earth had been scorched and people no longer lived on the planet. What a music venue is doing in the middle of this is beyond me. The very strange thing about this venue is it's nothing more than a large square concrete and steel space, BUT the walls inside are acoustically treated so this huge space is nearly echo free! Completely dead. Weird. 6,200 folks crammed in shoulder to shoulder so tight you couldn't slip an envelope between them and once again it was a memorable gig and audience. Thanks Luxembourg. So long, Richard Brussels, Belgium 3 June, 2008 A quick correction to the Cologne notes. The venue we played was the Koln Arena which is located on Willy Brandt Platz. After yesterday's marathon sleep in, I decided to leave a 10 a.m. wake up call and make a proper day of it. Coffee and toast courtesy of room service then down to the hotel gym, one of the better of the tour, for a 90 minute measure of humiliation. A quick shower and out the door for a wander round the old town. Our hotel is just behind the beautiful town square and it's many cobblestone side streets. Hundreds of small cafes, bars, tourist trinkets, lace shoppes and nods to Herge's Tin Tin and Snowy, not to mention the famous piss-boy fountain surrounded by holiday makers having their photos taken. I vaguely recalled a used record shop, almost certain it was here in Brussels but not quite sure. I'll be darned if I didn't stumble across it just near the urinating boy. A brilliant array of jazz, old film soundtracks, rock and roll, lounge and exotica vinyl, all of it right up my street. I couldn't resist buying a couple of early albums by The Shadows, Chris Barber with Lonnie Donegan playing banjo, George Barnes, Red Norvo Trio with Charlie Mingus and Tal Farlow and two Ben Webster albums. All this and it was only 14:30 (2:30) in the afternoon. It pays to get up. Our gig tonight was the Forest (Vorst) National Arena, our usual venue in Brussels. I've played here on every tour with MK since 1996 and have a wonderful picture of my son in the loading docks from that year. Over the years the docks have been decorated with spray painted graffiti from a thousand different bands that have played here. Nick was with me for a week or two on that trip and was young teenager then. As I recall we found the Aerosmith tagging and had a pic made with loads of road cases all around. Hard to say how many were in there tonight, it was a standing floor with tiered seating round the perimeter. Many thousands I would say...8, 10?? Whatever it was, you couldn't have squeezed another person in the place....jam packed to the rafters, every seat taken and every bit of floor space occupied. Hot as hell, certainly the hottest gig of the tour so far. By the third song in the set I was saturated, had to peel the guitars off me after that. What a great gig and what an amazing audience....maybe the best of the tour this far. I've been doing these tours with Mark since '96 and we've always had great audience turnout and reception, but crowds and response on this tour is something else all together and we're playing better than ever and enjoying every minute of it. Back to the hotel bar for drinks and sandwiches then a quick stop in Guy's luxurious lounge for tea and sympathy. What a day. So long, Richard Cologne, Germany 2 June, 2008 Opened my eyes this morning thinking that I must get some coffee and put an hour or so in at the gym before lobby call. I rolled over, looked at the clock and it said 13:30, 1:30! Lobby call was an hour away! I did get a pot of coffee sent up and a shower and that was that. Lobby, Legacy and Koln, our final date in Germany. Tonight's gig was the Willy Brandt Arena and we packed over 11,00 people in, it felt like an old time rock gig. Even though it was a seated audience it had the feel of a stand-up. An unbelievable audience...fabulous. It was a great show from our side of the stage as well. A farewell to Germany as this is our last gig in that country. At this point in the tour we're beginning to experience firsts and lasts, wrapping up some countries while beginning others. Germany has been particularly warm and enthusiastic this time and we'll not forget it. A runner back to Brussels after the show, a couple of drinks in the the fab bar downstairs then a cuppa tea in Guy's room. So long, Richard Sonderborg, Denmark 1 June, 2008 A fond farewell to the U.K. for this tour and back aboard the Legacy to Sonderborg, Denmark. Located in the south just above Germany, Sonderborg is home to the Augustenborg Castle, residence of the royals who ruled on this Danish island. The castle has been converted to a hospital and it was on the green in the rear of the palace that our show took place. A very warm day for the crew, all in various states of undress, many wearing hats and sunscreen to block the rays and some having a refreshing swim in the lake. We arrived in time for a quick sound check, dinner, meet and greet then the show. By the time we took the stage it had cooled and was a beautiful evening for a show...our first outdoor gig of this tour. We were all still feeling the strain of doing 20 shows in 23 days, but when we got the first song started and saw that crowd of 14,000 folks having a good time, we weren't tired anymore. Great audience, great show. A runner back to the Legacy for a short hop to Brussels where we will base for the next few nights. So long, Richard London, England 30 May, 2008 The sixth and final day at the RAH. It's been a terrific week at this historic and beautiful concert hall and while we've settled into a comfortable routine, it never becomes blase when you step out on the stage and realise where you're playing. My good friend Derek Lawrence and I spent a few hours this afternoon catching up with each other and re-telling the old stories. Derek is a legendary record producer from the late 60's through the 90's and looked after making records by groups like Deep Purple, Heads Hands and Feet, Wishbone Ash, Quiet Riot and hundreds more. I met Derek in 1971 on my first trip to London with Neil Diamond, I was scarcely out of my teens but Derek and I hit it off famously. It was great seeing him and marvelling that we're both above ground and still in the music business. My wife and children have been with me for the past week in London and it's been a whirlwind, mostly for them as I've opted out of several outings to get some rest for the shows each evening. They've managed to go to the Tate Britain and Modern, Churchill's War Cabinet, The British Library, The British Museum, The National Portrait Gallery, St. Paul's Cathedral, a boat trip to Greenwich and The Royal Observatory, The Natural History Museum, a football match (U.K. vs. U.S.....2-nil, U.K.), shopping, Soho and more AND attend the shows each night. I'm exhausted having just typed it all! I'm going to miss them very much when they leave tomorrow. Tonight's show was a fitting end to our RAH residency, the hall was packed, including the standing room only balcony that encircles the high reaches of The Albert. The audience was on their feet for the last four songs of the show and MK & Co. were in top form, a show with passion, dignity, loads of fun and precision....tremendously well played. Following the show was an especially large reception with what seemed like several hundred in attendance. My wife and I made our way through the crowd stopping to visit with friends and fans. When it was over I made one last trip to the dressing room to pick up my stuff and bid farewell to the Albert Hall until next time. A day off tomorrow to catch our breath and say good-bye to our families. It's hard to believe how quickly it is going and we've now completed all the U.K. dates. On Sunday we'll board the Legacy again and begin the final homestretch of the European leg of the tour, 12 more shows then on to North America. What a tour. So long, Richard London, England 29 May, 2008 Once again we share the stage for a couple of songs with Joe Brown. We're thrilled he keeps coming back, he seems to be having a great time as well. Unfortunately for us he's got a gig up in Liverpool tomorrow night and will miss the closing night's show. We've become very proficient playing his Picture Of You! Another good show and audience, RAH feels like home. Notable apart from that was the spectacular spread caterers Angus McKinnon, Chris Desmond and Steve Ricalis laid out. Three entrees that were so good I could not decide among them and sampled all! Skewers of monkfish and prawns in a spicy Thai marinade, sliced pork loin in a spicy Asian sauce and mouth watering grilled lamb cutlets, all cooked to perfection. As for dessert, it was a tough choice between fresh strawberries and cream, hot rice pudding and banoffee pie. The later is a stunning concoction of fresh sliced bananas, in a rich toffee and cream custard atop a thick, baked, buttered graham cracker crumb crust. Indecision reigned again so I had them all. It's a very good thing I don't eat this way all the time but could sure get used to it. So long, Richard London, England 28 May, 2008 Night four we were surprised and so pleased to have Joe Brown return and join us on stage to play a couple more tunes. Joe is the missing link between Lonnie Donegan and the Beatles, a show business legend here in the U.K. I've been practising my 'scissors' stroke that he showed Guy and I the other night on ukulele and am now determined to master it. Very tricky, one of those things that takes quite a lot of concentration to get yet sounds best when not thought about. In short, loads of practice until it becomes mindless. Our tour ends July 31st and I hope to have it together by then. It's a device that was used extensively by another U.K. legend of the 30's and 40's, George Formby who was a master of the banjo uke. I've never been able to figure out how it was accomplished until Joe showed us the other night. Cheers Joe. So long, Richard London, England 27 May, 2008 The third night at the RAH has settled comfortably into a relaxed groove. Tuesday night's show was a storming gig, well played by everyone and packed to the heights of the hall which in the case of the Albert are VERY high indeed. Relaxed? If things got any more relaxed they might begin falling apart! The great Nils Lofgren and his wife Amy attended the show and I had a visit with them both afterward. Nils is in England on tour with Bruce Springsteen with whom he's played for many years. I've been a fan of his for a long time and was flattered that he was so complimentary about tonight's show. So long, Richard London, England 26 May, 2008 Night two at the Albert Hall was a dream come true for me. We were joined on stage by the legendary Joe Brown, one of England's early rockers and still going strong. While he never had success in America, their loss, he's a national treasure in Britain. Many of you may know him from the Concert For George DVD. Joe closed the show with just his ukulele singing I'll See You In My Dreams and brought the house down. One of his big hits from the early 60's was A Picture Of You which we played tonight with him on stage. I've met Joe several times before but had never played with him and to do that song, which I love, in the Albert Hall with him was a highlight for me. To top it off, before the show Guy and I went to Joe's dressing room and he gave us a ukulele lesson. We were like a couple of kids and immediately started practising what he'd shown us. Brilliant. The show itself was so much fun, relaxed and really well played, though Mark was having a bit of trouble with sticky feeling guitar necks due to the warm and humid atmosphere in the Albert. Still he played like a hero as did the band and the audience was as good as they come. So long, Richard London, England 25 May, 2008 The day began at 5:30 this morning, wide awake, did some reading and catching up on the writing of the last few instalments of these notes that I've neglected. At noon I had a return engagement at the Harvey Nichols hair salon (see May 1st notes) for another dramatic lowering of the ears. I went back to the same guy who'd cut my hair so well a few weeks ago. He remembered me and said my hair had kept it's shape, then shook his head in contradiction. Again he managed to leave more of my hair on the floor than on my head and somehow make it appear I hadn't had a hair cut. Genius. This is a bank holiday weekend in London meaning a long weekend and general day off on Monday. There are so many road, rail and underground "improvements" going on this weekend and getting round is tricky. Underground lines are inconveniently closed while being worked on, hopefully to be re-opened by Tuesday. The lines that are open have absorbed all the overflow and are packed. Getting to Harvey Nichols was like having a massive anxiety attack. The next part of my day was a welcomed reunion with my wife's brother and family and ours, the very first time all nine of us have been together in one gathering ever. Amazing. A lunch was arranged at a restaurant just next to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on the Thames. Getting there from Harvey Nicks was another nightmare and a long walk but we had a good visit and decided we will return next year for our niece's wedding. Oh yeah, it's opening night at the Royal Albert as well. I arranged for one of our cars to pick me up at the restaurant and arrived at RAH happy but exhausted. As soon as I walked on stage for sound check I felt completely alive and ready to take on the night. Albert Hall does that to you, never fails to inspire and scare you a little. It was John McCusker's first time in the place and as soon as he arrived this afternoon, walked into the hall and had to make a hasty retreat to the dressing room to calm himself a bit. I felt the same way the first time I played here well over thirty years ago. We'd all arrived in various states of readiness and tiredness but came together when we took the stage for a smashing opening night. After the show there was a reception for friends and family who'd attended and we spent a little time making the rounds before returning to our apartment on the South Bank of the Thames completely knackered. So long, Richard Brighton, England 24 May, 2008 My family arrived yesterday from Nashville to spend this coming week in London with me. We've taken a two bedroom apartment that sleeps six overlooking the River Thames complete with kitchen. A little strange, has a bit of business man's disco vibe about it, loads of smoked glass, white marble and shiny chrome. The restaurant in the place is called The Chino Latino Lounge, which speaks volumes. Still, the apartment itself is fine and will be home for the next nine or ten days we'll be in London. We spent the day warding off jet lag and the desire to fall asleep by taking a sight seeing bus tour round the city then last night venturing back to beloved Soho for a family dinner at the New Delhi Brasserie. Glenn Worf and I ate there about a week ago and they remembered me when we came in. The food didn't disappoint on return and we devoured every spot of it. Soho on Friday night was swinging hard, loads of young folks spilled out onto the narrow streets smoking, drinking, talking and laughing. Today we ventured to the seaside town of Brighton for our gig, my family took the train and joined us there as well. It is our usual at The Brighton Centre, always a good gig and also Guy's birthday so his family was there as well. The acoustics in the venue are surprisingly good and we had an energetic evening despite some general exhaustion and Mark's wrist bothering him not to mention the sniffles. The audience was fab and witnessed a couple of unusual events. After our encores we all gathered front of stage to take bows, Mark accidentally swung the neck of his guitar around just as Dan was leaning to say something to him and took the headstock of a Stratocaster right in the mouth. After a quick check to see that no teeth were missing and that he was all right, we decided to do a couple more songs to wrap up the evening. The next unusual moment occurred when we'd completed the final song and Mark took his red Strat off and handed it to Guy on stage as a birthday gift. Guy was figuratively gob smacked while Dan was literally so. There was a large reception following the show in Guy's honour. We stayed for a quick drink then back in the car for an hour and a half ride back to London. Tomorrow begins our six day run at The Royal Albert Hall! So long, Richard Cardiff, Wales 22 May, 2008 Up, bags packed and out earlier than last night's frolics should allow. The Newcastle hotel is so comprehensively lame that the only thing I need to get is out. Breakfast or simply coffee is out of the question so, I wandered down the block to a great,little cafe called Blake's for a large plate of fresh scrambled eggs atop four pieces of thickly-sliced and buttered white toast. A large cup of very strong espresso with milk and a section of The Guardian to wash it all down. Heaven for the princely sum of 5 quid. Back to said hotel in time to check out. Everyone down in the lobby extra early to make a hasty exit from our dog-friendly boutique hotel. Legacy to Cardiff and a pleasant ride as always with Eike to the venue. Our catering heroes outdid themselves with tonight's dinner entrees; succulent lamb chops, Chicken Kiev and a staggeringly delicious fish pie plus the usual assortment of several vegetables. I didn't eat on the plane and that plate of eggs from this morning had long ago served it's purpose. I couldn't decide what I wanted for dinner so had some of each. To top it off Angus prepared a stunning treacle sponge that I hereby enter as a finalist for the best dessert of the tour. Golden, buttery, hot, high and drizzled with thinned treacle....it was the kind of cake one reads about. Even those who generally avoid dessert nailed this one. No meet and greet so after a meal like that it was a pre-show power nap. Tonight's show was our seventh in a row and we're all a little tired, but once we took to the boards the set took on a wonderful life of it's own and we had a great gig. The Cardiff audience was grand but I cannot say the same for the venue security who absolutely stifled the vibe. They did not allow anyone to come to the front during encores even though they are instructed otherwise. Sadly, it had a bit of a repressed vibe in the end. We flew immediately back to London for a day off tomorrow, much needed. So long, Richard Newcastle, England 21 May, 2008 We arrived in Newcastle last night after our show in Belfast and pulled up to a little boutique hotel where we are staying. I'm sure it must be an old, converted office building that has been given a new, ill-fitting incarnation. Look, I'm not a spoiled type, it takes a lot for me to complain about a hotel or a room. As long as it's clean, has a shower and a half-way decent bed, it'll do. I once knew a guy who would change hotels if he didn't like the chocolates left on the pillow. Not me. That said, this hotel is amazingly weird, inefficient, tiny, dirty, fixtures broken, stinks of fish and there's not even a clock in my room. I had to call down to reception this morning to find out what time it was, but there was nobody on duty so no answer! The kind of place that makes you wish for a Holiday Inn. Let's put it this way, you don't want to walk around bare-footed on the carpet, not in my room anyway. The description in our itinerary of the place was'...If you've ever searched for a dog-friendly boutique hotel in Newcastle.' Right. Of course the concept of a gym is far too abstract for this joint so I was directed to a very good one just a few blocks away and put in a couple of hours there. After that I was completely starving and headed straight to the nearest Pret-A-Manger. For those outside the U.K., Pret is a chain of sandwich stores that is second to none in my book, incredibly fresh, delicious and interesting sandwiches. My latest fave is their sliced chicken breast with avocado and rocket...genius. The fact that you can also get a darn good latte there is a bonus not to mention desserts. Seems like there's a Pret every two or three block in England's main cities, I sure wish we had them in the States. Actually, there is one in Manhattan but that's a far cry from Nashville. Tonight's show is one of those that we look forward to, Newcastle City Hall. Similar in inconvenience to the Edinburgh Playhouse for the crew, except smaller. The capacity is less than 2,000. The far ends of the upper balcony wrap around to the edges of the stage and you can nearly touch somebody sitting there. Because of the size and difficulty loading in, it becomes a very stripped-down evening in terms of production but is more than made up for in excitement and performance and tonight's show and audience was no exception. Mark made mention that the first rock and roll show he attended was here and he sat in the balcony. The Newcastle crowd always gives Mark a brilliant welcome home. After the show we had the usual party in the City Hall bar at the front of the venue, seeing old friends and acquaintances we look forward to visiting with. Loads of great hors d'orves courtesy of our caterers, Angus, Chris and Steve and drinks a-plenty. When all the shouting was over it was back to the absolute crappest hotel ever where we, en masse, took over the little bar downstairs and continued the party. The bar tender invited me to mix my own martinis, a very dangerous invitation that I readily took him up on. Behind the bar I went, deftly wielding the shaker, ice, gin and vermouth! We most certainly have a hands down winner for the worst hotel of the tour, but the little bar downstairs ended up being very cool indeed. So long, Richard Belfast, Ireland 20 May, 2008 The Odyssey Arena tonight in Belfast for just under 4,000 good fans. A seriously well played show, one of the best from a musical and technical standpoint. The security, although briefed before the show, was intimidating and would not let people up to the front of the stage for the final encores. Sort of a repressed vibe, but the audience was marvellous in spite of this. A runner to the Legacy for a short flight to Newcastle with some Irish stew for late night snacks. Tomorrow is Mark's home town gig, the Newcastle City Hall which is always a great one. So long, Richard Dublin, Ireland 19 May, 2008 I awoke this morning with only a few hours of sleep behind me, threw on some clothes and tumbled out into another glorious, sun-drenched, Edinburgh morning. Stopped in the first cafe and had a soup-bowl sized cup of coffee then found a great record store called Fopp. Never felt better with three hours sleep. We are moving along this afternoon and everybody wishes we had a few extra days in this great city. A short hop on the Legacy to Dublin where us Yanks were treated to a real Irish airport adventure as we had to clear passport inspection. A special car and driver picked us up on the tarmac and drove for what seemed like miles around and through runways to a special back entrance of the incoming passengers building. We were then escorted through another mile or two of winding corridors arriving at last at the window where our passports were stamped. Out the front door we went, by then the rest of the guys were already at the gig. We're not playing our usual venue, The Point, as it is being renovated. As we drove by it, we saw they've retained the outer stone walls of the place, using it as a shell, and are building upward. I suppose it will be an arena when completed. Tonight's show was at the RDS, an exhibition centre of several complexes. We were in the main hall which was nothing more than a long, large, flat area that was enclosed. No seating. It says the capacity is 4,500 but it looked like many more folks were crammed in than that. Regardless of the count, the audience was nothing less than what we've come to expect in Dublin....fantastic. A great up-beat show. Our road manager, St. Peter McKay arranged freshly pulled, pints of Guinness for us all when we came off stage for our first encore and another round when we came off at the end of the show. St. Pete is my shepherd, I shall not want. We're staying in Dublin tonight so it was a quick runner to the hotel, juggling our pints, and a full band showing down in the bar where the Guinness continued to flow freely 'til the wee hours of another morning. So long, Richard Edingburgh, Scotland 18 May, 2008 Edinburgh is a cracking city we all look forward to, the people are good and there's always a real buzz about the town. Seems everybody was out on this beauty of a Sunday, sun shining and warm. Mark and Glenn walked up to the castle, Matt went for one of his runs of biblical proportions. I simply tumbled out onto Princes Street and wandered my way up, returning down Rose Street with it's many shoppes, cafes and pubs. John McCusker who lives here in Edinburgh stayed home, had tea & toast and opened all the mail that has been stacking up since he's been away on tour! There are always a couple of very special venues that we anticipate playing, usually smaller theatres or auditoriums -- The Ryman in Nashville, City Hall in Newcastle, Albert Hall of course and ... the Playhouse in Edinburgh, the scene of tonight's show. Built for theatrical productions, it seats just under 3000 with a steep, third floor balcony, is warm, intimate and sounds wonderful, though a logistical nightmare for the crew to load in. The backstage is four floors of narrow stairwells and small hallways and one never really gets a sense of the layout or where you are, but we adore the place. A very large meet and greet tonight, some friends of Mark's and of course John had many friends and family there as well. As for the show, we all agreed it was one the best we'd done so far, in large part due to how well we could hear each other with the great acoustics of the theatre. Of course it was a seated audience, sold out to the rafters and they were tremendously good to us. Musicians live for nights like this, everything coming together perfectly, audience and performers totally connected. Back at the hotel we took over a couple of tables in the bar, drifting back and forth to visit with John's parents and friends who were delightful, then ended up in Guy's room for a final night-cap and cuppa tea. I came back to my room and listened to some music before calling it a night, the day already dawning. So long, Richard Manchester, England 17 May, 2008 Cool and rainy, lazy day. I did get down to the gym as well as a bit of practising in before it was time to head to the gig. Tonight's took place in the M.E.N. (Manchester Evening News) Arena and it was a pleasure after the low end problems of the night before. A few of the guys were struggling now and again with their in-ear mixes, but we all enjoyed the show as did a receptive and enthusiastic audience. A runner to the plane and another grand surprise in the car. Our road manager Pete McKay, who we've re-christened St. Peter, arranged a case of the monstrously delicious Augustiner Edelstoff beer that I'd mentioned several entries ago. One perfectly chilled bottle was waiting in my cup holder and it was most welcomed. Hmm, I wonder if there's an importer in the Nashville area? Aboard the Legacy, Linda has replaced Alex as hostess for the next several trips. She served a spicy chilli and rice dish for the short trip to Edinburgh where we stay tonight and will play tomorrow. At the hotel it was a quick drink and cuppa tea with Danny, Guy, Matt and his wife Paloma then off to bed. So long, Richard Birmingham, England 16 May, 2008 It was a well needed and well used day off in London yesterday, swinging Soho to be precise. A lazy start to the day then down to the gym for a couple of hours. After a quick shower I poured out into the street for a prowl round Soho. Loads of great cafes, Italian, Indian, Asian, Vegetarian, espresso joints, book shoppes, music stores, jazz clubs, clothes stores etc. On my walk I passed the De Lane Lea Studios, a large recording complex where I'd done some sessions 35 years ago for an artist named Earl Jordon. It was the first time I've been back in Soho in all this time. For me there's nothing better than a day off rummaging round books, records and musical instruments. Also did a little shopping down Oxford Street which is one of the main thoroughfares that border the Soho area and later met up with Glenn Worf for a brilliant Indian dinner at The Delhi Brasserie located next door to Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club. Between the two of us it got four thumbs up and is highly recommended. This morning we checked out of the fabulous Soho Hotel wishing we had another day off and drove about two and a half hours to Birmingham and the N.E.C. where we played tonight. I probably mentioned in my notes from 2005 that I'd met Prince Charles and Princess Diana in this venue while playing with Neil Diamond many years ago and I will always associate the N.E.C. with them. Tonight we had a royal visit of our own, Robert Collins our long time and beloved front of house sound mixer popped in to say hello. Robert lost his wife to cancer a couple of weeks prior to the start of rehearsals and understandably passed on this tour. We think of him every day, it was good to catch up and give him a hug. Tonight was our first show of a two week run in the U.K. The N.E.C. has a wicked, low end build up and things seemed just a little unfocused sonically on stage due to that, but it was a fun and relaxed show nonetheless and frankly I think Brothers In Arms was as good as we have ever played it. The 7,000+ fans seemed to be enjoying it as much as we were and when it's said and done, that's what this whole thing should be about. Back in the cars after the final encore for another push northward to Manchester where we stay tonight and play tomorrow. So long, Richard Munich, Germany 14 May, 2008 We bid adieu to the fair city of Prague this afternoon. The sun warm and shining as it has been for the last several days and it's a unanimous thumbs up for Praha with hopes of returning before too long. Our usual mid-afternoon hour in the air and we arrived in Munich. It's a half hour drive to Olympiahalle, another of our usual haunts. Sound check, a spot of dinner and a meet & greet. Over dinner the band discussion turned to Kylie Minogue's bum and if it really was that great after seeing her the day before. Weren't we having the same conversations 40 years ago in our high school cafeterias.....though we were probably talking about Nancy Sinatra's hind quarters then. There's an old joke about a father asking his son what he wants to be when he grows up. The son replies, "When I grow up I want to be a musician." His father tells him, "I'm sorry son, you can't do both." We happily prove the wisdom of this every day on tour. A sell out crowd of nearly 10,000. It was a seated audience and you could absolutely hear a pin drop until we finished each song, then deafening approval. Another stellar German audience and show. The usual runner to the Legacy except waiting for me in the car was a very special gift from Michael who works with our promoter in Germany. Several nights ago over drinks in Frankfurt, he and I were comparing our favourite beers. We both agreed that Munich was the region, but my choice was Andech's, a brew made by the monks in a monastery just outside Munich. Michael said Augustiner was his fave. I had to admit never having tasted Augustiner but would love to try it one day. Waiting for me in the car was a large, ice cold bottle of Augustiner Beer and a litre stein from which to drink it. I must hand it to Mike, even though I still adore Andech's, Augustiner was brilliant and the winner...like a liquid loaf of bread. It certainly made the ride to the airport very pleasant. Speaking of which, we flew out from a different airport than the one in Munich where we landed this afternoon. Tonight's departure was from a little airstrip out in the country with little else around it. I forget the name of the town, but it is where BMWs are manufactured though you'd never know it from the desolate area we drove through to arrive at the tiny airport in the middle of nowhere. Aboard the Legacy, drinks in hand, we flew to London and a day off tomorrow. Our great hostess Alex served up platefuls of piping hot chilli and rice followed by an unbelievable Imperial Torte from Vienna! Wheels down in London and the Brits are off to sleep in their own beds tonight while the Yanks will cool their heels in a cool hotel in Soho. It was 4 cities in 1 day plus a show! The sheets will feel good tonight and the day off tomorrow welcomed. So long, Richard Vienna, Austria 13 May, 2008 Went out for a little march around Prague with Dan and Guy, our mission was to find the trad jazz band that plays on the bridge. One of the guys in the group is ace on a washboard played with kitchen whisks and we were hoping to get a bit of them on video. On the way there we passed a rope store, completely dedicated to everything from sisal twine up to massive nautical looking stuff made from a variety of materials and proudly displayed in the shoppe window. Guy said with great reverence, "I love rope." Well, it takes all kinds and we're nothing if not a strange and eclectic group. After a long and circuitous route we came to the bridge and made our way through the crush of people, vendors and construction workers doing some serious repair work. It was a slightly different group playing today than the one we'd come to see but fantastic...three clarinets, tenor banjo, guitar, string bass and a compact, three valved, instrument with a curved bell. I have no idea what it is called but it sounded wonderfully mellow and in the mid-trombone range. We stayed for a couple of tunes and they did a bang up job of Up A Lazy River and we bought one of their CDs. The sun was out in full force and it was another beautiful day in this fabulous city of Prague. It was a mid-afternoon flight to Vienna for tonight's show at Stadthalle. As I've said before, we've played most of these venues many times before and you begin to know the cold and impersonal concrete arenas from the inside out - where the dressing rooms are, the feel of the backstage, the lay of the arena area and what they sound like. Our routine is fairly set and comfortable when we arrive at the various venues. Drop the bags in the band dressing room, go to catering to say hi to the chefs and try to cajole them into saying what's for dinner, maybe a quick bowl of soup and a cup of tea before going on stage for sound check. After that it is often a meet and greet followed by a quick dinner, or vice versa, then the show. Tonight nearly 10,000 MK fans filled Stadthalle. Both band and audience were in top form. Several of us didn't eat dinner at the venue tonight for one reason or another so on the flight back to Prague we really tore into the steaks in red wine sauce, mashed potatoes and veg that were served. A light meal to go to sleep on. So long, Richard Budapest, Hungary 12 May 2008 When we arrived in the lobby this afternoon to depart for the airport, there were throngs of fans and tabloid types all crowded round the driveway entrance. Turns out Kylie Minogue is playing in Prague tonight and was leaving the hotel just as we were getting in our own vehicles. She very assuredly and graciously walked up the drive to sign autographs and greet the people. My hat's off to her. After that bit of excitement we made our way to the airport and a short flight in to Budapest for a standing gig of 7000+ at the Arena tonight. A wonderful audience except for several folks who insisted on using their video cameras throughout the show, something that is now discouraged as it is disruptive to other fans and very distracting to us all on stage. Apart from that we all loved the gig and the great folks who came out for the show. So long, Richard Prague, Czech Republic 11 May 2008 Sunday in Prague AND the Prague Marathon! Loads of folks in the streets of this beautiful city and I never got out in it. Opted for a couple of hours in the gym then back to the room for some reading and practising. I will get out tomorrow if for nothing else than a coffee and lunch at one of the cafes that line the streets. Our call today was delayed by an hour and a half. The trucks and crew were a couple of hours late in arriving due to a traffic accident that blocked all traffic. When we arrived at 5:30 the lights were still being focused and instruments being checked to see that they were all going down their proper lines. Everything was set back by two hours with the exception of the show somehow. A miracle! The Hala Sportovni is a shallow venue as far as the depth with a low ceiling but the venue sounded fantastic and the show was tremendous if I do say so myself. Another exceptional audience. The tour has been so well received and we all are aware of it. Loads of love coming from over 7,000 people tonight. Hat off to Prague. A runner back to the hotel and a couple drinks and the usual brilliant music in Guy"s pad. We got on a serious Junior Parker and his Blue Flames jag, Sun Records era. So long, Richard Oberhausen, Germany 10 May, 2008 Behaved myself last night, no gin and tonics, straight to the room and in bed with my guitar. I've got a new little tune I've been chasing down that I'm very pleased with but not quite finished and woke this morning with the guitar slung across my chest. I ordered room service and continued playing. I've got it sorted now and will put it on the pile of new things already completed. I'll get round to doing some recording later this autumn and begin a new album. We checked out of our fab Frankfurt hotel and flew to Oberhausen for tonight's gig. Acturally, we flew to Koln (Cologne) and drove 60 minutes to Oberhausen. With the way the tour is set up, we don't stay or get to see much of many of the cities and towns we play, simply fly in, do the show and fly out. The best part of it all is the show which we always look forward to, can't wait to get on stage and play and tonight was no exception at the Konig-Pilsener Arena for 9,000 plus wonderful fans. It was a grand show, at times a fly by the seat of our pants show, a few missed cues and interesting chord changes but loads of fun and more than a few smiles on stage. The audience was with us all the way and rewarded us with a full standing house for the encores. The usual runner back to Koln and the Legacy where Alex our hostess had a cocktail shaker, ice, Plymouth Gin, exceptionally dry vermouth, olives and a steaming paella waiting. Before we knew what hit us we were in Prague where we will base for the next few days and play here tomorrow night. What a tour! So long, Richard Hannover, Germany 9 May, 2008 A day off yesterday in Frankfurt was spent in a couple of record stores, a sauerbraten lunch at a bier garden and a fabulous Italian dinner courtesy of our German promoter Marek Lieberberg. Many cocktails, much food and wine. As an antidote this morning, I dragged myself off to the gym followed by an hour luxuriating in the sun. While laying there I began to feel my left forearm tightening, apparently I'd pulled something while working out. Went back to the room, picked up my guitar and realised the fingers of my left hand weren't working so well. Definitely a concern, but after a couple of ibuprofen the swelling began to ease and the hand began to come back. Whew. It was a mid-afternoon flight to Hannover for tonight's sold out show at the TUI Arena. We've been spoiled by the great German audiences this past week and Hannover did not disappoint us. I've played Germany many times with MK but must say that the audiences for this tour have been the best ever. A runner to the Legacy and back to Frankfurt for our last night in the hotel that everybody loves. After six nights I'll have a lot of packing to do tomorrow morning as I've managed to get the contents of my bags strewn everywhere. We'll fly to Oberhaussen for a show tomorrow. So long, Richard Stuttgarg, Germany 7 May, 2008 The tour keeps rolling and tonight was our 31st show in 40 days! With a total of 93 shows booked, we're exactly a third of the way through and have hit a comfortable stride. Everything running like clockwork and everyone enjoying themselves. As mentioned in the last few entries, we've been basing in Frankfurt and flying to the show dates each day. Today's city of Stuttgart was so close that we took the train there, a pleasant journey of an hour and twenty minutes. About half the band had the traditional visit to the Hugo Boss factory just outside Stuttgart which required them to take an early train in. Several who had decided to pass, took the afternoon excursion. The rail systems of Europe and the U.K. are alive and well, in good shape, affordable and a very civilised way to travel. No telling how many billions of dollars it would take to get the passenger train business back in shape in the United States, not to mention the time involved. While the airline industry struggles with the high cost of fuel, rampant inefficiency and the shoddy treatment of passengers, rail travel is a smart alternative. We arrived at Schleyerhalle to find the rest of the band already there having left many Euros with Hugo, and sleeping on couches in various dressing rooms. It'd been an early start for them and their credit cards were no doubt exhausted as well. Schleyerhalle is an old indoor skating track that I'd played back in the 70's with Diamond. In many of these venues the wooden tracks have been removed and replaced with seating though you can still make out the slope of track particularly on the far ends. After sound check we headed to catering. For the last week it's been rumoured that a special dinner of wild boar would be served and it was tonight. Brilliantly prepared, rolled with pistachio nuts, various undisclosed spices (I did detect juniper berries) and served with a rich, deep brown fruity/tangy gravy. Miraculous. Roasted potatoes, red cabbage and broccoli were the perfect foils to the meat. The only thing that could possibly follow this German meal was the most delicious, freshly baked apple strudel known to mankind. We doff our hats again to our heroes of catering. A sold out show of just under 10,000. The acoustics were amazingly good for the size of the hall and we took the stage relaxed and confident to do a show that I felt was exceptional as was it's reception. Fans of all ages including children of 5 or 6 years hoisted up on their parents shoulders right up to the front of the stage during the encores and the roar of the crowd nearly deafening as we took the last bow. Our team of drivers were waiting as we came off stage and we were driven back to Frankfurt arriving just past midnight with plenty of time for a drink with Danny and John in the hotel bar. Tomorrow is a day off then it's on to Hannover where we commence the next two thirds of the tour. So long, Richard Leipzig, Germany 6 May, 2008 It was the Leipzig Arena tonight and a full house of 8,050. As with all the audiences in Germany, they came to listen to music and weren't shy about showing their appreciation. A runner to the Legacy,