BREAKFAST at the Premier Inn is pretty good…then we go back to the room and I get some work done while Margaret packs up.
We check out at midday and go to meet my pal Neil at a nearby Costa. He was at the gig last night but we didn’t really get a chance for a blether.
On the road, we head for Sheffield and check in at a strange hotel – a Jonas – on one of Sheffield University’s campuses.
I’m off into Glasgow to play a session for Celtic Music Radio on Monday and have some work to do on Joe’s order of service when we get back tomorrow, so I spend a few hours editing the video blog/vlog of this trip…I’ll want to use it in my Wildcats’ livestream on Monday night. Need to get as much work done on it as possible before then.
Suddenly it’s time to head for the venue foor the private show…a complete venue – The Alder – has been taken over and there’s been acts on stage sing early afternoon .
We get a drink and some pizza and I’m just about to go and chill before my set when I’m asked to run the sound for the band that’s on before me. The PA isn’t bad, but there’s a real tangle of mics and channels…I manage two muddle through to everyone’s satisfaction.
Needless to say it’s a bit of a panic to load in, get set up and started with my own set the last of the night.
It goes really well though and the crowd is mad for it 🙂
AFTER getting packed up and out the hotel we head for a nearby all-day breakfast place – JJ’s Kitchen in Gateshead. Turns out to be a great find.
Then it’s onward to Hull. We sp[lit the driving and check into our hotel on the edge of town where we chill for an hour or so before making our way to tonight’s venue – Wrecking Ball.
What a great place. Spacious record and book shop and cafe downstairs…and a fantastic music room upstairs.
Engineer Matt is greta and we soundcheck quickly then set up merch before relaxing in the green room until doors open.
I’m amazed at the turnout – was expecting just a handful of folks – and I have a grand time.
We’re back at the hotel at a reasonable time and enjoy some snacks and a nightcap…
WE’RE on the road into Glasgow before 7.30am…I drop Margaret off then leave the car at the garage for a service. The driver’s window is bust – thankfully ‘up’ – but the folks at the garage aren’t gonna have time to look at that today.
I wander into the city centre and stop off at a McDonalds for some breakfast and coffee which I make last a few hours. While there I upload the first Devil May Care tour vlog to YouTube and Facebook.
I’d forgotten that the software I need to layout Joe’s order of service isn’t installed on the laptop I have with me. I get all the text input and gather the assets so I can get cracking in the office later on. Meantime I do some promo for tomorrow’s (Wednesday) Dundee show.
When I call the garage to see how they’re getting on they tell me that they don’t wanna complete the service in case the cracked oil sump causes a problem and they know we hit the road tomorrow. Most of the work has been done, though, and the car’s good to go. We can take it back after the tour and have things finished off.
I collect Margaret and we head home where I sort some broken strings and prepare the gear for an early start in the morning.
After dinner I spend a few hours in the office coming up with a first draft for Joe’s order of service and manage to get it to Betty before midnight…
I MANAGE to get most of the gear sorted out in the studio – everything just got dumped when we got back yesterday – before my first Zoom guitar student of the day.
When I’m done, the rain’s off so I take the chance to check out the roof. There’s a fast-growing grey (now getting black!) patch on our bedroom ceiling. I don’t see anything obvious amiss, so I check out the loft. Some of the roof boards are saturated and sagging. Not good. I take some photos to discuss with Margaret later.
In the office I check out the material for Will’s glass/weight package stickers. I ran a sheet last night and it’s a mess. Test engraves also produced a mess. I call the supplier and send images but while awaiting a reply I pick at the material and find an incredibly thin protective film on the material. That’s the problem. I’ve had this material three or four times before and it’s never had that film.
Finally I get back to offloading and editing some video footage from the last few days. I hope to get part one of a vlog with the album launch and first set of live shows all edited so I can show it in my Wildcats’ livestream later.
Of course, it’s a fairly complex job and takes me right up until my 7pm Zoom guitar session. There’s still a little to do and then an export after the Zoom session…and before I go live at 8pm. I manage with a few seconds to spare.
After the livestream I rush back to the house for dinner then along to see Betty to help with the order of services for Joe’s funeral.
WE HAVE a good breakfast at the hotel in Aberdeen then hit the road back to Glasgow.
Lots of online promo to be done while Margaret drives and we make decent time to JonZip and Maggi’s for a coffee before we have to go into the city centre and load in at Stereo.
I’d been concerned about the size of the room – approx 300 capacity – and while we don’t have a full house, we have a very respectable crowd and a good time.
Once we load out Margaret drops Jonzip and I of at King Tuts and goes back with Maggi.
Jonzip’s pal Ian is doing sound and tour managing a abad from LA called Upsahl and has left passes for us at the door. The place is rammed and the band great. We help them load out, have a beer in the dressing room then hit the King Tut’s bar with guitarist Johnny and drummer Ross. Then it’s onto Sleazy’s. Jeez, I;m getting a bit old for this carry on!
We’re back at Jonzip’s just after 2am, have a bowl of chilli and a few glasses of red before turning in sometime after 4am.
We have a good post-gig night out with Upsahl guitarist Johnny and drummer Ross (not pictured)….
MATTY’S away to work by the time we’re up. We have some breakfast then stop off at Union Vinyl to check on vinyl sales before leaving Inverness.
We stop off in Lhanbryde for lunch with friends then carry on our way to Aberdeen.
Quite lucky we’re travelling from Inverness as a lot of the main roads are closed due to flooding. Even the route we’re on has some diversions and deep water to negotiate.
After checking into the hotel we head to the Blue Lamp, load in and get soundchecked.
Jonzip and I nip out to the supermarket to bring in some grub and supplies for later…doors are open when we get back and folks started to arrive. Despite a lot of call-off’s the room is full and we both have a great time playing….Glasgow tomorrow…
WE’RE up and having breakfast at a reasonable time then I pack up some more CD pre-orders, do some promo for tonight’s show in Inverness and sort out the gear.
It’s a tight squeeze getting the three of us, my gear, merch and Jonzip’s gear in the car but we manage!
We make good time to Inverness and load in at the Tooth & Claw.
Soundchecks go fine then Jonzip and I go to find some grub and coffee…and take some back to Margaret before doors open at 7.30pm.
Advance sales for the show weren’t great but thankfully there a good number of walk ups and we have a nice crowd in.
Jonzip’s guitar packs in so he uses my resolectric and manages just fine. We both have good sets and there’s plenty chat with folks afterwards. Then it’s back to Matty’s flat for a night and to raise a glass to one of our best friends…
Album launch at the Scottish Music Centre (Pic: Pat Byrne)
THE CAR’S parked and we’re on our way onto Glasgow just after 7am.
I drop Margaret off then go for some coffee and wifi before dropping off a load of gear at the Scottish Music Centre (SMC) for this evening’s media/music industry album launch event.
Next stop is Costco to pick up pre-ordered buffet food, some extra wine and soft drink supplies…then Margaret.
I’d managed to set up a lot of the gear at the SMC so it’s not too much of a panic when we get there. James from Maramedia who’s been following me with a video camera over the last week or so is already there and the Smokehead pop-up bar is almost up.
We sort out sound, prepare the room and Mikey form Smokehead prepares to serve Smokehead cocktails and drams. My pal Dave from the the Music Cable Company arrives early with a banner stand and prizes for our draw later on.
The whole event goes to plan and it’s great to feel the support of all the guests.
All too soon it’s over and JonZip[ comes back up the road with us…ready to leave for Inverness in the morning!
