Had a splendid evening at The Grand at Trafalgar Square on Tuesday singing to the Anglo Belgian Club. We were very happy to sing and talk in English and French, and then at the last our secret weapon came out, and Steve talked and sang in Flemish to the assembled throng. Wonderful venue [in which there are many different venues, including a gold decorated ballroom], and a great Belgian audience. The Grand used to be a Ministry of Defence building, and till quite recently was where Downing Street's water was heated [this has at last been modernised].
We hope to spend further evenings in this place...
Friday, 5 November 2010
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
ON tour ends
Sitting in Toronto aeroport, awaiting flight home.
Very successful tour, met lots of great people....
Last night at Elliot Lake was as splendid as the rest... another appreciative crowd, enthusiastic to the last... including the after show party at the Bankside café.... the only thing open in town; and they served Bombay Sapphire.
In our end is our beginning, as our Canadian agent is just today going to Ontario Contact where this tour was concocted, and will organise some more...
After over 200 concerts in Canada over the last 7 years, still so much more to explore...
Very successful tour, met lots of great people....
Last night at Elliot Lake was as splendid as the rest... another appreciative crowd, enthusiastic to the last... including the after show party at the Bankside café.... the only thing open in town; and they served Bombay Sapphire.
In our end is our beginning, as our Canadian agent is just today going to Ontario Contact where this tour was concocted, and will organise some more...
After over 200 concerts in Canada over the last 7 years, still so much more to explore...
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
Pizza ingredient lotto
Mike won!
...or perhaps we other three lost.
Mike wisely did not order the chicken...
I will give you no more detail, but suffice to say that we are now OK, and gig tonight will happen...
...or perhaps we other three lost.
Mike wisely did not order the chicken...
I will give you no more detail, but suffice to say that we are now OK, and gig tonight will happen...
Fogbury
More travel chaos.
Happily sitting in Toronto aeroport, we find that the outlook of our flight to Sudbury has moved from 'fair' to 'not today' owing to fog... so we had the joy of getting our bags from the handlers [not as bad as we feared], and started the process of getting refunds for our flights (or at least the paperwork - which naturally had to be done in person, not online or later!) and then hiring another car.
Refund went well, Richard was patient and the lady was mercifully thorough, so slow-ish, but excellent.
When the 50% of TLQ that can drive went to the car hire place, they were told there were no cars; however, 'you could book online if you like'! Isn't it obvious, no cars means no cars for walk-ups, but if you have booked online all is OK? So Mike, having been told there are no cars, stood at the hire desk, on the glorious free wifi, and booked a car; then asked the man, who was still one metre from him, whether he could have his car.... and he was told 'yes'. We do live in a crazy world.
Steve did the deed, and lo, 5 and a bit hours later we achieved Elliot Lake - a place which closes mainly at 6pm, and definitely by 9pm... we got to the pizza place with 2 minutes to spare.
Oh joy.
As to yesterday, we had a quite delightful reception at Lakefield... lovely theatre/hall with great acoustic and super people... we had an exquisite meal in the Bistro, and everyone thought we were insane [well, in a kind and funny way]. We have visited some splendid communities on this tour, and our trip to Lakefield was as good as any... gorgeous folks... the wine and cheese after was the icing on the cake...
Surely it is all OK from here!
Happily sitting in Toronto aeroport, we find that the outlook of our flight to Sudbury has moved from 'fair' to 'not today' owing to fog... so we had the joy of getting our bags from the handlers [not as bad as we feared], and started the process of getting refunds for our flights (or at least the paperwork - which naturally had to be done in person, not online or later!) and then hiring another car.
Refund went well, Richard was patient and the lady was mercifully thorough, so slow-ish, but excellent.
When the 50% of TLQ that can drive went to the car hire place, they were told there were no cars; however, 'you could book online if you like'! Isn't it obvious, no cars means no cars for walk-ups, but if you have booked online all is OK? So Mike, having been told there are no cars, stood at the hire desk, on the glorious free wifi, and booked a car; then asked the man, who was still one metre from him, whether he could have his car.... and he was told 'yes'. We do live in a crazy world.
Steve did the deed, and lo, 5 and a bit hours later we achieved Elliot Lake - a place which closes mainly at 6pm, and definitely by 9pm... we got to the pizza place with 2 minutes to spare.
Oh joy.
As to yesterday, we had a quite delightful reception at Lakefield... lovely theatre/hall with great acoustic and super people... we had an exquisite meal in the Bistro, and everyone thought we were insane [well, in a kind and funny way]. We have visited some splendid communities on this tour, and our trip to Lakefield was as good as any... gorgeous folks... the wine and cheese after was the icing on the cake...
Surely it is all OK from here!
Sunday, 24 October 2010
Canadian Tire
No, we haven't sold out to commercialism for this post, though we do like the shop!; we simply had a tyre blow on our most recent trip... no danger, just lots of bad weather and Steve [being the youngest] set to, and replaced the tire... once we had found it hiding underneath the car.
Just to make it really irritating, it was naturally, raining.
We have only had tyre trouble once before, as far as I can remember, and that was in Canada too!
Therefore we crawled into Lakefield later than expected, but got a great welcome.
Cornwall was a great concert, a full theatre and lots of enthusiasm; we realised that we were very near both the US & Montréal, which is just a few kms up the road... as we were on the edge of Québec we did some French intros as well as English.... just showing off really, but the French third of the audience seemed to be happy!
I forgot to say a lady asked me whether we 'did Bath' the other night... I wondered if I had forgotten to wash, but delightfully she meant did we perform near there, so her sister could go and see us.
Also did not mention Old Burnside where we stayed at Almonte; a wonderful house built in the 19th-century by a Scot, and home to a retired Canadian Trade Diplomat and his wife [Marilyn and Howard]. They had the most terrific collection of artefacts, photos and art from their travels all over the world, and it was great to explore this, and be shown around by them. The Eggs Benedict were also very high class.
Now, tonight's concert awaits...
Friday, 22 October 2010
Coffee at last
Now sitting in Palms café in Almonte (drinking much-desired espresso), having performed in Manitouwadge & Geraldton, flown from Thunder Bay to Toronto, then driven to last night's gig at Perth.
Perth ON is twinned with Perth, Scotland naturally, and is a very pretty place, and lots of bookshops & barber shops (one of which I used for its non-singing purpose) on a proper old-time main street. Heard a lot of Scots accents wandering the streets - good to see real-looking pubs too.
Concert a great success to a packed house in a splendidly-equipped theatre with techs who knew what they were doing -tremendous.
Wonderful guest house by the rail-tracks. This positioning was considered very romantic and and splendid by half of the group, the other half wondering when they might sleep, as the trains continued to whistle all night! Meals fit for (greedy) kings were had by all. Thanks to Jenny, Mark and family [& Jack the very intrepid three-legged dog].
We drove the first hire car for 2,404.40 km... well, Steve did anyway; we may not work the second one so hard.
Now must order another coffee...
Perth ON is twinned with Perth, Scotland naturally, and is a very pretty place, and lots of bookshops & barber shops (one of which I used for its non-singing purpose) on a proper old-time main street. Heard a lot of Scots accents wandering the streets - good to see real-looking pubs too.
Concert a great success to a packed house in a splendidly-equipped theatre with techs who knew what they were doing -tremendous.
Wonderful guest house by the rail-tracks. This positioning was considered very romantic and and splendid by half of the group, the other half wondering when they might sleep, as the trains continued to whistle all night! Meals fit for (greedy) kings were had by all. Thanks to Jenny, Mark and family [& Jack the very intrepid three-legged dog].
We drove the first hire car for 2,404.40 km... well, Steve did anyway; we may not work the second one so hard.
Now must order another coffee...
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Thunder Bay Sky... and beyond
This is the amazing fiery sky over Thunder Bay, as we left the aeroport to begin our Canadian tour. Fantastic sunset!
Now five days later, we have performed in Sioux Lookout, Dryden, Kenora, Fort Frances & Atikokan, as we travel about northern Ontario, wandering through the neverending and magnificent rock formations of the Canadian Shield
Mercifully only read of the pathetic England football team's display at Wembley against Montenegro; very grateful for not being able to see it or hear the desperate commentary. Much better wembley memories of seeing Dr Who live just before we left the UK with my son.... wonderful show - still touring the country!
The scenary has been as we expected; lakes, trees and beasts... tho' the latter have been a little shy. We were promised bears, wolves and moose.... we have seen a chipmunk, a brown squirrel and a few deer. Perhaps we have a greater beast count to come...
Onwards to Manitouwadge [via Marathon!]
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