We’ve been in Chicago now for almost a week so it feels nice that we’re finally playing the show here tonight. The now quite familiar Chicago theatre is another fabulous venue, one of the first theatres built in what is now theatre-land, Chicago.
In keeping with the regime, the Peloton session was first up, then brunch across the road with Danny. Eggs Benedict for 12 dollars as opposed to 60 dollars in the hotel seemed like a good idea. Back to the room to pack for a 3pm bag call when the bags would be taken to the plane for tonight’s after show flight down to Tennessee.
Nearly time to say goodbye to the Peninsula once more as I crammed the strewn contents of my room into the Large Briggs and Riley. It never looks like it will fit, but amazingly it does. Teapot, kettle, shoes, electronics. It all fits.
Downstairs in the lobby, the band were assembled, 20 minutes before scheduled departure. Not once on the entire tour has anyone been even remotely late. Unlike the old days. Our SUV-minibus convoy had us backstage at the venue in 5 minutes and we all headed to catering for the ritual that is soup. Another great catering team were in place here and dinner was delicious, although I had a ‘Sparrow’s’ portion. This is the way ahead for me these days, along with the rest of the band. Carrying a full stomach on stage just isn’t an option these days. Plus we’re going to eat later on the plane, so we may as well be hungry when we do.
Yet another wonderful, rather vocal audience greeted us as we took to the stage for the show. These theatre shows are so much fun, we get to really see the faces of at least the first ten rows. The expressions on people’s faces can be fun to watch. Soon, we were all back in the vans, sitting in pre-Labor day traffic. Even at 11pm, the highway was crawling. 30 minutes later we got to the plane and dined on G&T’s, Roast Chicken and laughter. Nashville for the first time in a long time was an exciting prospect. A day off too before one of the most anticipated shows, the Ryman Theatre.
