LONGEST DAY

With Summer’s Solstice upon us already, today was a day of trains, planes and automobiles. Another Gym, Swim session and a repeated attempt at getting online in the room was a dismal failure. I would normally charge down to the front desk and find a solution but the 3G seemed to be getting me where I wanted to go. It was only later, when we checked out of the hotel, it dawned on me that I was unique in shoddy internet department. The rest of the band were enjoying high speed surfing, not that that’s all we do during the daytime I hasten to add. And so it was, into the cars we hopped and were dropped off at the railway station for a rendezvous with an ICE train to Cologne. No sooner had I dropped off to sleep to the sounds and smells of Paul Crockford sitting next to me munching on a Chinese takeaway, we were pulling in to Cologne where we were met by yet another VW convoy. There are in fact only two teams of cars and drivers yet they seem to be everywhere, ALL the time. Quite brilliant. Lars headed the team to the Arena where we immediately convened for our ritual soup session. Soup is always up first pre-dinner and coincides with our arrival for sound check each show day. Today’s was Mushroom with a hint of Truffle, quite superb. Dinner was a Sunday Roast that would compete effortlessly with the likes of Gordon Ramsay, Nigella or Raymond Blanc.

Today’s montage, Ianto’s keep fit session in the garden of the Villa Kennedy, the Laxness Arena,an ICE train and Management tuck in to cheeses and management-type conversation..

Guitar-Land…

There was another Meet and Greet session for which I am acting photographer as Pete is away for a few days for his son’s wedding. Mike and John met up with local Low whistle maker, Colin Goldie after the meet and greet for a brief maintenance session with the whistles.

By now there seemed to be a hint of that ‘last day of the tour’ feeling as thoughts were on the 12 day break in our amazing schedule. The Americans are heading home and we are naturally all looking forward to seeing families with the added bonus of the knowledge well be back on July 4th. We took to the stage for the last show of this first leg and enjoyed every minute of another fabulous indoor German gig with an audience to match.

The off-stage runner was so swift and well organised, I neglected to give goodbye hugs to the U.S. contingent as they sped off towards Frankfurt for an early morning flight home. We were all driven to the GA terminal in Cologne for our flight back into Luton and cars home. With the sun setting to the North, and only five of us on board, Laetitia served up delicious cheeses and a crisp Chablis to round off the longest day.

See you in July.