We make it to London-Breakfast at the Liverpool St. Station. Fun to be here. An off and on rainy drizzle. I wander the city visiting my favorite places. I spent a few months in Hampstead a long time ago, right next to the Heath. It is as beautiful as ever. Wish we were here for a week or so. Staying at The Groucho Club, a small private hotel/bar/restaurant for music/film/literary types.. Nice write up in Time Out London for our show tomorrow night.
11/18/03 London, The Borderline
Packed house, great enthusiastic crowd with a sense of humor. We're all of us excited to be here and I think it shows in the music. I meet a bunch of new and longtime fans after the show. Hate to leave London, but it's up at 4am with 3 hours sleep-taxi to the train to the plane to the 2 hour drive from Schiphol airport in Amsterdam to Groningen in Northern Holland.
My set:
1. Richie 2. Nobody's Girl 3. Buddy Holly 4. Chain Link Fence 5. Little Satellite (on Dobro) 6. Just My Imagination (everyone sings along-quite beautifully)
11/19/03 Groningen, Holland De Oosterpoort
Mary Gauthier plays an hour set and then we do our show. We keep crossing paths with her. She's the real deal-a major raw talent. She is on the road for 7 weeks. God bless her. This isn't the Roling Stones with tour buses and Deluxe hotels. This is hard-core hardnose-the-highway traveling. Our set is a little bit jet lag sleepy tonight. The audience is a bit far away from the stage and you can't see them past the lights. At this point the happiest moment in the day is being up on stage and I'd just as soon play all night. Pulling energy from the "running on empty" reserve tank in my body and soul. The James Taylor song "Daddy's All Gone" keeps going through my mind. I sure am on the road. Feeling disconnected, emotions close to the surface. I understand why Chet Baker chose to numb himself out with drugs. Back to Amsterdam to a depressing "heroin" hotel. The price for an hour of glory onstage. Our Sweden shows are canceled. P.S. I found a Bonnie Raitt bootleg CD here. "Live at the Paradiso-Amsterdam 1989." She sings a stunning version of "Nobody's Girl" that sends a chill down the back of my neck. P. S. S. My plane flight is filled with kilt wearing Scotsmen in town for the big Scotland vs. Netherlands soccer match. I see my family in their faces. My blood is a mix of Ireland, Scotland, & England. No wonder I can't get along with myself!
My Set:
1. Richie 2. Nobody's Girl 3. Little Satellite (on Dobro) 4. Buddy Holly
11/22/03 Last minute show added at Meervart in Amsterdam.
Mary Gauthier has asked us to join her in-the-round for her second set. A small auditorium, quiet P.A. and respectful but alive crowd. This is old home week with Boston/Austin/Nashville/Louisiana connections between us all. We close with a nice group performance of "Carmelita" a song by Warren Zevon in tribute to him. On to our hotel in Utrecht after the show. We drop off our friends Sandra & Luciano who have a cool record shop and mail order store called Lucky Dice Music. They are true believers in the cause of good music.
My set:
1. Nobody's Girl 2. Mercy, Pity, Peace & Love 3. Little Satellite (on Dobro)
11/23/03 Vredenburg, Utrecht, Holland
Utrecht is my hometown in Holland. It's a magic small city/university town with beautiful Oak? and Chestnut tress along old canals. This is where it all began for me in Holland, thanks to my friends Leo Kramer and Eric Scipio who "discovered" Vibrolux and did something about it. As I said at the show last night, it's like coming home, but a bit like having Mom and Dad in the audience. My nerves were a bit fragile and it somehow loomed large over me as our most important show of the tour. Sold out, and what a great crowd. A beautiful prestigious venue. A big orchestra (opera?) is playing in the large hall, so backstage is packed as always here. All backstages should be like this. 5 star dressing rooms, with lighted mirrors, showers, privacy and even an ironing board. There is a full restaurant and bar and often almost as many people backstage as are in the audience.
My set:
1. Richie 2. Nobody's Girl 3. Buddy Holly 4. Love is a Ruthless Thing 5. Little Satellite (on Dobro) 6. Just My Imagination
