MARGARET has an appointment at the doc in the village…I go for a coffee at Alfie’s and she meets me once she’s done.
Next stop, jimmy Egypt’s in Glasgow to discuss option for my ‘travelling’ guitar needs. Do I get some mods done to the folding electric or can he fit steel liners on a acoustasonic tele so I can easily and safely remove the neck. If that’s possible I don’t want to spend money on mods to the electric. He’ll do some tests and let me know next week.
Margaret drops me at the eye hospital for an emergency appointment and goes to get some shopping.
I have uveitis flare-ups in both eyes and the lens has somehow got stuck the pupil join my left eye. A bit jiggery pokery and I’m given a strict regime of drops and steroids.
Margaret picks me up and we drop into Ikea on the way home.I need to make some kind of down draft table/box to cut down on the sanding dust in the office.
We’re home in time for me to pack some gear and head to Lomond Radio to record a session and interview with David Dennett for his talent spotlight show that’ll go out on Monday.
It’s after 10pm when I get home – Margaret’s got Donner ready… 🙂
MY guitar student due to come this morning has been re-scheduled to Thursday, so kot so much of a panic.
First on my list is to sort a visit to the eye hospital – things were playing up a little in Finland and although I self-medicated a little, it’s best to have things checked out. I get an appointment for tomorrow lunchtime.
Next I call my luthier pal Jimmy Egypt – the ‘folding’ guitar is pretty good but could do with some mods – like a straight through bridge to make string changing quicker/easier. A property cut nut to replace my jam-fisted repair and some other potential nice to haves – better locking timers, pickup upgrade….maybe even piezo’s in the bridge saddles.
It might be easier and better to get an Acoustasonic Telecaster and have him put liners in the neck bolt holes so I can unbolt the neck….then flog the folding electric?? I dunno – depends on the costs of mods to the existing guitar.
I’ll take the guitar in to him tomorrow and we’ll chat through the options.
I put down some weed killer a few weeks ago but despite that, the place is looking a bit untidy and overgrown, so when the rain goes off and looks like it’ll stay that way I do it all again.
Next I add a new house concert reward tier to my Kickstarter – and make some video content to share round my socials to share the news. It’s good to have some updates rather than just banging on about the campaign.
Anna drops round to chat over a custom gift she’d like made before the weekend then Betty pops in.
After dinner I try and tidy/clean the office – I need to find a way to cut down the dust when I’m sanding, drilling and trimming metal etc. the place is now more of a workshop than ab office!
PRETTY dubbed when I wake up, Not surprising after a run of five gigs in four days, a full day of travelling band flight delays and not getting home ’til after 2am.
After a quick gear today up I have my first Zoom guitar student of the day. One of my ‘in-person’ students is coming at midday so there’s a small window of time to sort some more stuff out.
We grab some lunch then I work on editing the video footage from Finland and spend most of the afternoon on it along with some prep for this evening’s livestream into my Wildcats’ group on Facebook.
It’s been raining all day and I’ve no time for a walk before another session with a Zoom guitar student…then it’s into the livestream…
Rain stops just in time at Storyville, Helsinki for the final show of the trip
AFTER breakfast we pack everything up and get ready to leave Lahti.
Ismo and I have two shows today – Jarvenpaa and Helsinki – and we’re staying in a hotel tonight as we fly back tomorrow (Sunday).
Ukko – Ismo’s son – is our driver and roadie for today’s shows. Our show in Jarvenpaa is meant to be outside but the rain means we move inside the venue…no matter, we both have a great show.
A bit of a mad dash toHelsinki. It’s around an hour’s drive and I don‘t think I’ve ever seen such heavy rain. Helsinki is pretty flooded and we have to wait ‘til we get set up on the outdoor stage at Storyville.
Meantime we sit in shelter and are served up big plates of jambalaya.
The rain finally subsides, we get set up and soundchecked and by the time Ismo starts his set there’s a good crowd..and lots of familiar faces including Maiju. Great to see her 🙂
A quick changeover and I hit the stage for an hour or so before Ismo joins me for a coupla encores.
Once we’re loaded up Ismo and Ukko drive us to our hotel and say cheerio. We drop everything in the room and head to pick up some grub…then bed….wet, tired, sore – but well worth it 🙂
UP early, checked out the hotel and parked at the airport before 8am.
Checkin for our flight to Helsinki and security is largely hassle-free, but our departure delayed by nearly an hour.
The delay is compounded by a busy passport control but somehow we manage to get our train with just 30 seconds to spare.
One change then we arrive in Mäntsälä where Ismo meets us drives us to the venue. It’s a great place and Tarja has a great spread of food and drink for us backstage.
Ticket sales are good and the walk ups make it a full house…and a sell-out!
The gig goes great and is a fantastic start to the tour. After we load out Tarja takes us for a drink then we head to Ismo and Suvi’s in Lahti where we’re staying the next few nights.
OFF to the village early doors – Alison at the hairdresser has saved my ass and booked me in for an 8.15an haircut before what was probably meant to be her first customer if the day.
Margaret’s got some stuff at the doctor and we meet at Alfie’s for a coffee before heading home for breakfast.
I have a new guitar student coming at 10am…..when she looks like she’ll be late I message her and, for some reason, she thought it was 3pm! Nevermind, she’s on her way and will be with me by 11am.
Meantime I film a quick video update to tell folks about the new rewards jn my Kickstarter campaign.
The lesson goes well then I edit various formats of the video to post later.
After lunch I finish off a last minute batch of guitar necklaces, Margaret packs the merch and I get my gear ready. We’re driving to Manchester this evening and staying in a hotel near the airport for an early getaway.
We’re a bit later leaving than planned and rock up at our hotel just after 11pm.
A LOT on ‘the list’ today. Merch production, Kickstarter stuff, livestreams, guitar lessons…
After my first Zoom student of the day I get busy with a batch of earrings to take to Finland. We drive south tomorrow (Tuesday) and fly out early Wednesday. First gig is Wednesday night.
In the office I get some merch production underway…I also need to make more guitar necklaces.
Betty joins us for lunch in the garden then I get on with prep for Finland.
I get back on the merch then start sorting out a couple of extra rewards for my Kickstarter campaign….I have a couple of sets of test pressings form my Live at Memorial Hall album..and a couple coloured vinyls left, so I make a ‘bundle’ with them. I also make up a reward with a CD copy of the album plus a backers’ pin.
My evening Widlcats’ livestream goes well then it’s time for dinner.
I spend the rest of the night in the office on merch production and get to bed just after 1am. Early start tomorrow….
You won’t see me crying’…grand afternoon playing Festival Americana in Arrochar
UP early and I get the car packed before breakfast.
We eat then head for Arrochar where I’m playing set at Festival Americana at the Three Villages Hall. Wanna get there at a reasonable time to load in and soundcheck before folks start arriving.
It’s an easy, hassle-free drive and we’re there in just over half an hour. We know the organisers and some of the folks there and set up is a breeze. All sound checked and sorted with time to spare 🙂
I’m never really sure how these daytime shows will go, but the place is full up, I get a good reception and we sell lots of merch…and even attract some Kickstarter campaign backers.
We’re back home late afternoon and I get the pizza dough balled up and ready for later. There’s a fair bit of tidying and sorting in the studio – I have some guitar lessons over the next day or two, a livestream to do and also need to make sure I have all the gear I need for the `Finland tour. We leave on Tuesday evening….
