Dave Clemo- Touring with Nicki

And finally- yes finally

2011-12-03T17:47:00.000Z

I'd really struggled with my health during Nicki's tour. Eight shows in seven days was tough, although I wouldn't have changed it for the world.

Having said that, I could have done without the following two months.

Within a few days of the end of the tour I was ill. I had severe diarrhea and a throat infection. I couldn't eat and what food I could get down went straight through. I had to do something so I gatecrashed my Leukaemia specialist's clinic when I was at the hospital for another appointment. Within a few hours I had been admitted, had an X-ray and then a scan. I then had my appendix removed. I still had the other symptoms but had just avoided peritonitis as my appendix was about to burst.
I was in and out of hospital for the next week or so, and six weeks later had a sigmoidoscopy (a camera up the bum) to try and find out what was wrong. They still don't know, but I knew one thing-

This would have to be my final tour. My health had suffered too much. I'd had a month off work without pay and two months off sick. I think my body was saying- no more.

So that's it. I loved touring with Nicki. She's a lovely talented person and I'm proud to have known her. Maybe we will meet again when she next tours the UK. She and Tracy are welcome at our home anytime.

I'd like to leave you with this video. Nicki was staying at our house in between shows. It was a nice sunny day and she was in the garden playing guitar and trying a few songs out. One song she tried is now her new single "Always on my mind"

Nicki Gillis. The best I have worked with.

Final Saturday

2011-07-31T19:25:00.000+01:00

I slept in until late morning, when Nicki and Tracy arrived from Milton Keynes. We had an appearance booked on Andy Coupland's radio show on Corby FM so we drove over and arrived in good time. Their photographer Joy was on hand to take some pictures and Tracy shot a few as well. The show was broadcast over the internet and it was a joy to know that Nicki's husband Lee was on-line, chatting with Andy and listening in. Bob Howe messaged Tracy to say he was listening, and Chris recorded the broadcast as well.
All I had to do was remember how to play the songs on guitar....

No problem. The show went really well and we returned to our house to prepare for the final night of the tour. Chris and I set off first because we had to collect Lee from Northampton. Jason was to come along to help us set up but he texted me to say that he'd arrive later as he wanted to watch the bands playing in the Market Place in Kettering.

My throat and glands were still very sore but Chris Lee and I unloaded the van and set everything up. It took longer than normal as we were one man down. Niki arrived and we ran through a few snippets of the set. We would have liked longer but that was all the time we had. Like Lee on the first night of the tour a lifetime ago, he would have to wing it.

Sue showed up with her friend Anita. Chris' girlfriend Heather came along with their friend Annette. Vince and Rachel brought Yana and Anne-Marie. My old bass player Andy and his wife brought a friend as well. Jason turned up with a friend but was a little the worse for wear to contribute to the proceedings.

Chris played really well and overall the show was a little rockier but still hugely enjoyable.

Nicki surprised at least one member of the audience with her performance of AC/DC's "You shook me all night long". This girl can really rock!

After twenty three shows Lee asked for a mike and joined in on some of the songs!

Finally it was over for another year. Nicki had taken on every kind of venue and won them over with her presence, her musicianship and her fabulous voice. She made countless appearances on radio stations up and down the country and even appeared on the Philmack Country Show on satellite TV
http://www.philmackcountry.com/

I had to drive the van after we'd loaded out. We dropped Lee back in Northampton and I just made it back home. I staggered into bed and didn't get up until lunchtime.

Friday- Westcott

2011-07-31T18:52:00.000+01:00

This was originally our to be our last show and I for one was glad that it was not too far away- although Nicki and Tracy had stayed the night in York, so it was a long drive for them down to their hotel (an executive box at MK Dons Stadium)

The venue was the former officer's mess at a WW2 airbase just outside Aylesbury and as we drove on to the site we could see many of the old buildings, mostly in an advanced state of dereliction

Not so the club itself. It was a lovely venue with a big dance floor and a huge stage. The evening was in aid of Help for Heroes and more than 100 people crowded in to the venue and enjoyed a great show by Nicki and the band. The dance floor was full for every song and Nicki and the band needed no encouragement to pull out the stops

Chris managed to shoot a few frames of video as well as taking notes (he was to play the final show the following night) and here's a short clip of the fun we had that night

The show over-ran but nobody was complaining. We loaded the van and said our goodbyes, drove back to Northampton (I slept the whole way there). We filled up with diesel and dropped Lee then Cozy off. Lee was to play the final date but Cozy was to fly to Switzerland and a five week tour.

My throat was still very painful but I'd found a bottle of mouthwash and regular gargling was helping. I fell into bed and was asleep within seconds

Thursday Night- York

2011-07-31T18:19:00.000+01:00

Chris rejoined the tour for the final three shows and drove us up the M1 to the venue in York. We had to wait while a dance exercise class finished and they very kindly made me a refreshing cup of tea. My sore throat and saliva glands were causing me a lot of pain and I sat in the van until we were ready to load in. The room was very hot (I wondered why there were so many electric fans in the room, also why the outside doors were thrown wide open when we arrived. You can have too much insulation..)
Chris spent the evening making notes of the song arrangements, so no photos.
It was a very enjoyable show. The large crowd warmed to Nicki and gave us a great ovation at the end.
It was almost 4.00 by the time we got back home. Both Chris and I were shattered. Ah well, just a couple of shows to go.

Stanway Rovers FC

2011-07-27T12:44:00.001+01:00

Monday found me tired and depressed. I was even grumpier than usual and so spent most of the day in bed asleep. It did mean that I felt rested when we set off for our next show in Stanway near Colchester. This first part of the journey involved driving cross-country to Bishops Stortford in order to avoid the motorways and seemed to take forever. That said, we arrived within fifteen minutes of our ETA and began loading in. The show was held in the clubhouse of the local football club and people were arriving even as we were loading in. They just kept on coming. It was a full house. I thought they were a bit reserved to begin with but Nicki soon had them warmed up.

When we play clubs in the north of the country we tend to play two sets, while those in the south ask for three sets from 8.00 until 11.00. It doesn't leave much time between sets, but Jason managed to sneak out during the first set and find a chippy, so I ate a portion of chips during the first interval which kept me going.

The crowd loved Nicki and gave her a standing ovation at the end. (All except one lady who took exception to Nicki, sat with her back to the stage and left early. Ah well, you can't please everyone)

We surprised the bar lady who was astonished at how quickly we were packed away and ready to leave. I did say we'd be quick if she made us some tea to take with us. It was a good bargain as we sped down the road to Birchanger Services where we found some half decent pasties in the Waitrose store. I found a microwave in the baby changing area so we had hot pasties before heading back to the M11- a journey involving a complete circuit of the Services thanks to Jason misreading the signs. I settled down in the back and was asleep when I was woken up by a strong vibration as if the van was driving over cobbles. It continued for several miles along the A14 and we pulled over to see if there was any mechanical defect or puncture causing it. We couldn't see anything so continued homeward. I dropped Jason off and parked the van on the drive, then went to bed.

I was woken up with the news that the rear nearside tyre was flat. Just as well there's no show tonight.

Nicki Gillis at the Musician, Leicester, 24th July 2011

2011-07-27T11:00:00.003+01:00

The Long Haul -part eight

2011-07-25T20:51:00.001+01:00

Nicki and Tracy stayed over at our place and we chilled out and watched the German Grand Prix on TV. Sue cooked us a lovely roast chicken dinner, the first cooked meal I'd had in a week. I don't feel particularly well to be honest. Eating makes me feel nauseous and I may have a stomach bug.

Tonight's show was at the Musician in Leicester. I've know about the venue for some time but this was the first time I'd played it. We collected Cozy and Lee and put some diesel in the van, just enough to get us to the show and back, but not enough for the journey to Colchester in a couple of days time.

We were headlining a bill put together by my friend Stevie Jones. Jason Vatter, an excellent singer songwriter opened the show. He's originally from the USA but now lives in the UK and he was excellent.
He was followed by Tammy Levy and Mark Gill,who entertained us with a good selection of songs. Then it was the turn of my good friends Michelle, Gareth and Linsey of Auralia Sky. I really like what they're doing. Try and catch them in concert if you can.

At the risk of sounding controversial I would say that the Musician is an excellently appointed venue with a good stage and PA, friendly staff and plenty of seating and a clear view of the stage from everywhere in the venue. The only downside is that it is in a side street in the commercial part of town, so there is no passing trade. Despite radio interviews, radio play and repeated postings on Facebook etc, the crowds stayed away. Never mind, Nicki once again showed what a great trouper she is and those who attended saw a great show.

That's it. Eight shows in seven days. Goodness knows how many miles we travelled. All I know is that I'm dog tired and glad of a day off.

The Long Haul -Part seven

2011-07-25T20:36:00.001+01:00

We arrived at the Cafe Con Leche in Corby Town Centre in the evening sunshine. I was so tired. This tour schedule was taking its toll. We waited until Chris arrived before we loaded in, as we had two flights of stairs to negotiate. Eveyone mucked in and we were soon loaded in and set up.

I was pleased to see that my wife Sue had come along as she's been so busy with her work recently. As we set eveything up we were joined by Dave & Vince from my own band, Vince's partner Rachel, plus quite a few other friends and acquaintances, including some who'd heard Nicki's songs being played on the local radio and decided to check her out. Nicki graciously allowed my band to perform a handful of songs to open the show and we sounded good, even if I do say so myself. Most times we play we have to use the PA provided and they always turn it up too loud. It was a pleasure to play at the correct volume.

There was a good sized crowd when Nicki took the stage and once again she won them over in double quick time.

We've played a lot of shows on this tour and I think that this was my favourite so far. The reception the audience gave Nicki was very loud and heartfelt. Even the bar staff asked her to autograph a poster. They said that she was the best they'd had perform at the venue. I'm proud to be a part of this.

Once we'd loaded the van Chris took Lee and Cozy back to Northampton while I travelled back to Kettering with Nicki and Tracy. It had been a long day and I was exhausted. At least we could have a lie in the next morning.

The Long haul - Part six

2011-07-25T19:59:00.002+01:00

I got to bed at 4.00 on Saturday morning and set the alarm for 8.30. It didn't go off. Luckily I woke up at 9.00 and managed to get washed, dressed and breakfasted in double quick time. I collected Jason and we drove to Northampton to pick up Cozy and Lee and then drove over to Dumbleton, near Evesham. We took the booking on the understanding that we would be first on stage, as we had a second booking that evening. We pulled into the services at Evesham and I had a call from Nicki saying that the timings had changed and we weren't due on stage until 3.00 that afternoon. After all that- we could have had a lie in.
We arrived at the hall as everything was being set up, so we set the drums and amplifiers up and soundchecked before retiring to a gazebo in the field behind the hall, where we drank tea and read the paper. How Rock n Roll is that?

Nicki had chosen a great selection of songs for her hour long spot and the audience were eating out of her hand from the first song. They absolutely adore her here and have already promised to book her next time she tours the UK. I chatted to some of the crowd and they just love how warm and friendly Nicki is. They tell me that no-one else who plays the venue ever goes around and takes time to chat to every single person there.
We loaded up and set off for Corby. After a cool week the weather suddenly became very warm as we drove up the A46 and along the M6.

We were just approaching the junction for the A14 when we heard on the radio that Amy Winehouse had been found dead. This was so spooky, as Nicki and I had been talking about her while we were waiting to play an hour or so beforehand.

The Long haul -part 5

2011-07-25T19:41:00.001+01:00

It's Friday so it must be Edlington, an ex-mining village outside Doncaster. Nicki and Tracy had stayed the night at our house and they set off early, travelling via the Doc Shop to buy some Doc Marten boots, and then on to their hotel. I collected Jason and we drove over to Northampton to pick up the others and then started up the M1. We listened to the traffic reports on the radio, and it soon became apparent that we were in for yet another Gridlock Friday. As we neared Leicester the traffic slowed to a crawl, so we left the motorway for the A46 and a little used road that took us to within a few miles of our destination.

Nicki and Tracy were not so lucky. They managed to avoid one snarl up by leaving the M1 near Nottingham, but rejoined about five miles before the biggest jam of the day. It took them 4 1/2 hours to complete a two hour journey.
We were the first to arrive at the venue, which was shut, so we went and bought some chips.The next people to arrive were some fans of Nicki's, who'd driven over from the West Midlands, and had also been caught in the traffic jam. Finally the doors opened and we loaded in, Nicki and Tracy arriving soon after.

We played three shortish sets and the audience absolutely adored Nicki. She received the biggest ovation heard there in a very long time. We surprised one regular by performing "Over the rainbow" especially for him (it involved a very quiet rehearsal backstage while the bingo was on)

We loaded the van and drove into Doncaster to find some diesel, then drove back home. I was very tired and it was to be an early start the next day.

The long haul- part four

2011-07-22T14:21:00.001+01:00

This was a relatively easy day. Nicki had to visit three radio stations along the way, but it was a short drive for us down to the White Horse,Stony Stratford. So far on the tour we'd played country music clubs and this was a music pub, so we were looking forward to playing a different selection of songs.

It was a great show, the crowd got into the spirit of the evening and sang along. They loved Tracy and Jason's line dancing.....(I will draw a veil over that)

Because it was just a short drive home we were able to stay a while and chat, and still get home nice and early (for us)

The long haul -part three

2011-07-22T14:16:00.001+01:00

After another breakfast at Morrisons we filled up with diesel (although it was expensive it wasn't as pricey as the motorway services- £1.50 a litre!)We then set off in convoy back to the M5 and up to a mining village in Derbyshire. We stopped a couple of times to try and sort out Cozy's phone which wouldn't charge the battery, and arrived in North Wingfield in the late afternoon. The club was closed so we parked outside what we thought was the stage door and waited for someone to turn up to open the doors. Eventually someone showed up and told us we were at the wrong entrance. The load in was a breeze, as we backed the van up to the stage door and it was about ten feet to the stage. We got set up in good time and relaxed with a cup of tea until we were due to play.

The show went really well. The audience loved Nicki and they crowded around her at the end of the night, having their photo taken and chatting away.

We loaded the van and headed home. My own bed....bliss!

The long haul part two

2011-07-22T14:07:00.001+01:00

We arrived in Westward Ho! at about six in the morning and dozed in the van until eight o'clock when the reception opened. We soon got access to the caravan. We lit the gas fire to warm the place up and then drove into Bideford for breakfast at Morrisons. Once refreshed and fortified we returned to the caravan and crashed out for a few hours. Nicki and Tracy arrived having driven down during the day and we set off for the venue. My satnav decided to play up, so we missed the turn off and had a detour of a few miles. We headed in the general direction of the Alverdescott and the village hall where the show was to be held. We stopped and asked for directions and endured five minutes of yokel behaviour along the lines of " If I wanted to get to Alverdescott (pronounced the same as Alfred Hitchcock btw)I wouldn't set off from here...."

Eventually we arrived at the venue

The evening was a great success, although it was very cold in the hall to begin. Everyone made us very welcome and bought loads of merchandise including the last of the Nicki Gillis umbrellas. (It did rain a lot while we were there).
After the show we returned to the caravan and got some sleep before the next stage of the journey

The long haul part one

2011-07-22T13:57:00.001+01:00

We had the weekend off then started back on the longest stage of the tour, namely eight shows in seven days. The first stop was in Widnes. This is the only club we've played on each of Nicki's tours, so it was nice to see some familiar faces again. There was not a lot to report about the show, which went down exceptionally well. What concentrated our minds was the almost 300 mile drive after the show ended, as we reasoned it was probably better than going home and snatching a few hours sleep. We had a caravan waiting and we could sleep there during the daytime.

The North East- Part Three

2011-07-16T19:56:00.000+01:00

We drove back into Middlesbrough and on to Stockton. We played the club last year so found it easily. We arrived really early and set up and for once were able to run through a few endings and bits of songs that needed sorting.

We weren't due to play until 8.30, and then had an hour off before the last spot, so I settled down in the changing room and drank cups of tea and chatted with Nicki. I enjoy playing this club, there's a good crowd, split 50/50 between listeners and dancers. Nicki kept both happy, and after the show I went out to chat to the people and gauge the reaction. Everyone enjoyed the show, but a few wondered why we were playing the Country music night when they suggested we'd go down well at the weekends. We loaded the van and waited while some discussion took place between Nicki's management and the club committee.

I hope something comes of it. Nicki's far too good to be shunted off into the musical backwater that is British Country Music

The North East- Part Two

2011-07-16T19:44:00.001+01:00

Luxurious, comfortable, five star- words that are seldom used when referring to the type of accomodation the band stays in when we have to stay out overnight. Our digs were basic- very basic. The bed was hard and the breakfast stingy. The budget did not stretch to beds for the four of us, so one of the band slept in the van- a sensible move as we couldn't park in front of the B&B but had to leave the van in a back street. As it happens he doesn't eat breakfast- but then he wasn't missing much.
We checked out just after 10.00. The evening show was about twenty minutes drive away, so what do we do?
Cozy had a meeting with a promoter, so we visited the music shops. Cozy's snare head needed replacing and we wanted to browse for bargains. We then moved on to the local Cash Converter (Pawn Shop). The bass amp that I'd had my eye on last year was still there, and reduced even further, but I couldn't buy it. I still hadn't earned enough to pay the mortgage. Jason stocked up on cheap CDs and games and when Cozy returned from his meeting we headed off to the seaside.

I love Saltburn-by-the-Sea. There's something about the Victorian grandeur of the place, and it also remind me of Cornwall in that the people have found a way of life that transcends the loss of the industry and manufacturing that caused the town to be built 150 years ago. I enjoy the vibe, the people are friendly, and there is a thriving art community (just like in Cornwall)

I love this statue. It's made from thousands of pieces of sheet steel, flame cut and welded together. There's another one just inside the shop.

We parked up on the cliff-top and looked down on a crowded beach, full of schoolchildren on a day out

We took the cliff railway down to the promenade and had another all day breakfast in a cafe. That was much better!

The tide comes in quite quickly and soon the surfers were in their element. The walk up to the top of the cliff was steeper than I remember.

We drove a few miles along the coast to a tiny, almost forgotten village called Skinninggrove. The village grew up around an ironstone mine and when that closed about 60 years ago, the place was almost forgotten about. It's off the beaten track, with one pub, one shop and one chip shop. The hillsides of the steep little valley are dotted with allotments and pigeon lofts, and a few small boats are pulled up on the shingle beach. There's an old factory building, now roofless. A mile or so away, the steelworks that is the only employer for miles has been mothballed.

Welcome to 21st Century Britain, post Industrial Age

The North East- part one

2011-07-16T19:17:00.000+01:00

We had three shows this week, with two in the North East, The first was in Washington, at the North Biddick WMC.
We set off in good time as we were booked into a B&B in Middlesbrough and had to collect the keys. On arrival in Middlesbrough, I remarked on the number of Personal Injury Law Firms lining the street. Looking for someone to blame is big business here, which is sad as the town was built on iron and steel and heavy engineering. Later when we returned it was noticeable that the recession was biting deeply. All the pubs were shut and there was only one take-away open, when there were several last year.

But before all that we had a show to perform. We found the venue easily and loaded in via a circuitous trek around the rear of the building. At least there were no steps to negotiate. Although we weren't due to play until 8.30, people started coming into the room while we were setting up, so we weren't able to rehearse in private.

It was a strange show. 99% of the people loved it, but a couple of individuals made life unpleasant for Nicki. One even continued her rant the next day by email!

I have made a pledge not to enter into any discussions as to what constitutes country music with adults who insist on dressing up as cowboys.

The Sandboy Inn at Bawsey, Kings Lynn

2011-07-13T11:43:00.000+01:00

I didn't know what to expect about this gig. When we arrived and saw the size of the room and spoke to some of the people I expected the worst. The room was the smallest we'd played in to date and being a four piece band took up more room than the organisers were used to. I really thought we'd bomb here.

I was wrong. Within a couple of songs Nicki had won the audience over and a great night was had by all. The room was packed to capacity, the dancefloor was full, the people sang along at the top of their voices and they gave Nicki the loudest standing ovation of the tour so far.

Appearances can be deceptive

Sunday Fun

2011-07-13T11:27:00.000+01:00

We had a rare weekend off, so I watched the British Grand Prix on TV. It was strange to see the presenters sheltering under umbrellas 30 miles away, while were were bathed in warm sunshine. Such are the vagaries of the British climate.
I'd arranged for Nicki to visit Harborough FM to meet presenter Darren Harte and record a couple of songs for his country show, so we set off for Market Harborough, arriving in good time, only to find that Darren hadn't arrived. Then the phone rang. It was Darren with the news that he'd run out of petrol on the way and could we come and collect him?
Tracy and I left Nicki at the radio station, went and collected Darren and returned a few minutes later. We all then squeezed into Studio2 and I played guitar for Nicki as she sang three songs and was interviewed. We drove Darren to a petrol station for a can of petrol and then took him back to his car. Once we were happy that the car would start we then drove over to a village near Kettering for an impromptu music session.

The Dukes Arms in Woodford hosts an "around the table" session on Sunday evenings where players of all ages and abilities come together and share a song or two. I wanted to show Nicki and Tracy a little of the grassroots and traditional music scene while she was here. We found seats (the pub was absolutely packed- so packed that there was a second session happening in the beer garden outside)and Nicki and Tracy listened as each player brought a song or tune to the group. I played a traditional air on my mandolin and on the next circuit of the room sang "Past the Point of Rescue". We took a short break to stretch our legs and sample a plate of sandwiches and slices of panini kindly provided by the Landlord Sean and carried on. The room seemed even fuller (if that was possible)and as the evening progressed Nicki stood to sing a song, accompanied by yours truly. Within a few seconds all eyes were on her and she finished to warm applause. More songs and tunes followed. Nicki moved across the room and sat with me and played mandolin on a couple of songs. Finally we sang a duet on "Proud Mary" and everyone joined in either playing or singing. It was a great night, highly enjoyable, and a complete change for Nicki.
Quite a few people said they'd try and get along to one of Nicki's local shows, so it was a great evening out and she picked up a few more friends.

Gloucester- Friday

2011-07-11T20:55:00.000+01:00

It was Friday. The A43 was closed due to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone and we were playing in Gloucester. There was no choice but to drive from Northampton to Coventry via the M45/A45, take the A46 to Tewkesbury and on to the M5 for the last few miles to Gloucester, and hope that the traffic would behave itself. They don't called it Gridlock Friday for nothing.
As it happened, the traffic behaved itself and we arrived at the club in very good time. We had time to set up and sort the lights out (see the pictures), but still didn't have time to run through songs in an empty room. People started coming in from 7.00, and we weren't due on stage until 8.30. It was a big room with a huge dance floor that Nicki kept full all evening, but the downside is that the audience seemed very far away and didn't seem to want to engage with Nicki. It was hard work, hot and hard work.

I'm going to have a bit of a moan and ask why is it that clubs insist on the artists playing until 11.30 when most of the audience leave just after 11.00? Would the audience leave halfway through a play or a film? Nicki doesn't just play a few songs- she performs a show, with a beginning, a middle and an end, so why leave before the end?

Trish and her husband, plus several people from Dumbleton and Notgrove turned out to see her and they made all the difference. I'd better shut up because I'm finding it difficult to say anything positive. Vicky, the Club Secretary was very helpful and friendly, as were most of the audience, but a few grumpy old gits spoiled it for me.

We were originally due to play the Americana Festival this weekend, but Nicki was an unfortunate casualty of the current economic crisis when the organisers took her off the bill. Ah well, a night off.

Notgrove City Limit.....

2011-07-11T20:30:00.001+01:00

The phone woke me up....at 10 in the morning. I'd only got to bed at five. I missed the call. In fact I missed the call three times during the day before I finally found out who it was. It was a busy day. I had to take posters and flyers over to Raunds, drop the studio computer off to be repaired and then drive to Bourton on the Water with the band to meet Nicki & Tracy. She was looking forward to a cream tea but traffic hold ups meant that we arrived as all the tea shops were closing.

Notgrove is only a couple of miles from Bourton, deep in the Cotswold country. The venue is a tiny village hall . One of the first people to arrive was Trish Bishop and her husband, who'd come to see us a couple of times last year. It was nice to see them again. The hall soon filled to capacity and Nicki once again played a great set. I know Nicki was really taken with the village and posted about it on her blog (nickigillis.co.uk). Once again it was a late night but we drove back to Oxford, got some diesel, and then continued back to Northampton. We managed to get on to the A43 just as it being closed off for the British Grand Prix weekend. I think we were the last vehicle to travel the full length before the race.

Several people who came to see us at Notgrove will also be coming to see us in Gloucester the following night

Catching up

2011-07-11T20:05:00.001+01:00

Since my last post we've played three shows, recorded some acoustic songs for a radio show to be broadcast this coming weekend and made a surprise appearance in a local village pub.
So, first of all we travelled up to the Wirral for a show at the Whitby Sports & Social Club in Ellesmere Port. Two years ago Nicki made her first ever UK appearance on this stage, an event that will live on in everyone's memory because the screen they use to show big sporting events decided to lower itself during the second number, and resisted all efforts to retract. In the end it was tied up out of the way, with much hilarity all round. There was a big turnout for Nicki's show and she went down a storm.

Once again Nicki got the audience involved and singing along. During the second set the club allows dancing, and the floor was full for the rest of the show.

It was a late finish but thankfully almost all the audience stayed to the end. By the time we'd packed the kit, said our goodbyes, drove into town to find some food, it was way past 1.00 and it was a long way home. We'd also agreed to meet in Bourton on the Water that afternoon and I didn't get to bed until after 5.00.

Honky Tonk Saviour

2011-07-06T11:33:00.002+01:00

It's amazing what you find on the internet. Here's a clip of Nicki in Nashville with the Tompkins Guitars Showcase last month

Immingham Tuesday

2011-07-06T10:37:00.003+01:00

After a well-earned rest day it was back on the road for the next run of shows. We have a new driver cum roadie in the person of Jason, who will be with us for the next three weeks or so. I collected him from his house in Kettering and we set off for Northampton. Before we'd travelled to the end of the street I noticed that the fuel warning light was on, so I put £10 of diesel in to get us to Northampton. Three years ago when I toured with Jerry Arhelger I thought the price of diesel was scandalous when it rose to £1.09, now it's £1.39 or so, and shows no sign of coming down.
The trouble is that the amount the clubs can pay has stayed the same, and with an aging club membership and few new members coming through, the outlook isn't good for touring musicians in the UK. Each pound that goes in fuel is a pound out of the musician's pocket, and we now earn less than we did ten or even fifteen years ago, when fuel was half the price it is now.

We called into Northampton, collected Cozy and Lee, put another £60 of diesel in the tank, and with Jason in the driving seat, set off for Immingham, near Grimsby. It's one of those strange quirks of the UK road network in that the quickest way to the North Lincolnshire coast is to head north up the M1 to near Sheffield, then take the M18 and the M180 eastbound. We drove up the motorway in the inside lane at a stately 60mph trying to save fuel, and arrived at the venue in good time. Chris' job today took him to within an hour of the venue so he called by to check that everything was well, stayed to catch the first set before heading back home to bed.

It was a small club, but began to fill even as we were setting up. We really could do with an empty roon for an hour or so in order to tidy up a few songs and rehearse a few new ones, but it was not to be this time. Word had got out that Nicki was in town, and soon they had to put out extra tables and chairs for the capacity crowd.

Like Dumbleton on Saturday, this was a listening club, with a good humoured crowd who'd turned up in Australian regalia with corks dangling from hats etc. Nicki soon had them singing and clapping along as we played three top quality sets. Once again Nicki brought the house down when she sang "Nutbush" and danced the routine with two of the guys from the club. Priceless.
We closed the show with "Waltzing Matilda" and it brought the audience to their feet. Even the die hards who only like "pure" country music (whatever that is) were won over. Everyone commented on a great show.
The organisers from two other local clubs in Grimsby and Scunthorpe were there. Now- if the three clubs could work together and put on a show in a bigger venue, we might get three times the people along, get three times the fee for the show, and not have to worry whether we'd run out of diesel on the way back. As it happens, we got back OK, but will have to fill up again before we head off to the Wirral for our next date.

Mexborough Sunday 3rd July

2011-07-04T03:32:00.001+01:00

We took a leisurely (and fuel economic) drive up to Mexborough on Sunday afternoon, arriving at the venue in good time. The club is surrounded by tennis courts and a cricket pitch and a game was in progress in the warm summer evening. Once we'd loaded in and made sure everything was working we sat watching the end of the match. (It was quite exciting. In the final over the batting side drew level but lost a wicket with the scores level and one delivery left to bowl. The captains shook hands and called it a draw).

But what about the show? The further north we travel the shorter the playing time. Tonight we played two sets of 45 minutes plus an encore, with a long interval while they played bingo. Nicki has been battling a head cold since she arrived in the UK, but still put on a great show. Once again the audience loved her, especially when she stepped down from the stage to teach the dance steps to the song she was singing. I'd not seen anyone do that before.

We're gradually sorting out all the glitches in the arrangements. A few days ago Lee thought it would take three gigs to get into shape and I think he was right. Our closing song gets better with each performance, and the band is sounding tight.

We now have a rest day before our next show in Grimsby on Tuesday

Dumbleton Village Hall

2011-07-03T14:45:00.001+01:00

Last night we played a great show at Dumbleton Village Hall, a lovely small venue tucked away in the Cotswolds. We had an interesting journey across, when an apparently simple straight line across the map was turned by the satnav into a magical mystery tour. We were heading south, then west, then north....
we passed the through Moreton on the Marsh, where we saw a stage set up for a concert in the market square featuring the Blockheads. A few miles later and we passed through Chipping Camden. A few more miles and it was Broadway. Finally we arrived and set up.

People travel miles to the venue, and they get there early to get a seat, so it wasn't possible to run through any of the songs that needed tidying up. We needn't have worried. Almost all the songs that we struggled with the previous night went without a hitch and I can confidently state that any mistakes I made were new ones!

The crowd love Nicki. She made such an impression last year that they'd been looking forward to this show for ages. They wouldn't let her go until she'd sung Waltzing Matilda (one that we hadn't planned on performing this time around)and the applause that heralded the end of the show almost took the roof off.

As we packed the gear away I could still hear some of the crowd singing away. Oh, and the song that we tried at Greenford went really well again. We're going to have to rehearse it and make it Nicki's feature number to close the show.

We drove back by the main roads. I dozed off on the front seat and if it wasn't for the seat belt almost strangling me I'd have ended up sleeping in the footwell. Ah, the rock n roll lifestyle!

First night- Greenford, West London

2011-07-02T12:38:00.001+01:00

The first night of any tour is always the most nerve wracking. Have we rehearsed enough? Is the kit going to behave itself? Can I remember all my parts? Can I remember my own name?......

Driving down the M1 to London isn't the most enjoyable experience. Most of the route south from Milton Keynes is through road works and driving down on a Friday afternoon is probably the worst time to do it. It's about 75 miles to the venue from Northampton and we allowed 3 hours to get there. We got lucky.

The traffic flowed smoothly through the roadworks. We averaged about 45 mph and, once past the M25 the last section was very light. The North Circular Road flowed smoothly and we soon negotiated the Hangar Lane intersection. We headed west along the Western Avenue and arrived at the venue at 5.30, an hour early.

Normally Chris would drive the van, but his work commitments saw him driving around Leicester until almost 5.00pm, so I had to drive the van both ways. He followed on behind, and where we sailed through the roadworks, he crawled. He arrived at the venue 15 minutes before the show started. One of the club's organisers Becky made us a cup of tea (which was a life saver) and it was time to start the show.

Considering the lack of rehearsal and the last minute change in personnel when Lee Goodwin stepped in at the last minute, the show went amazingly well. Yes it could have been a bit tighter and one or two of the endings could be better, but the show was well received by a good sized crowd. The first set flew by, very tidy, very tight. I spoke to the club members during the intervals and they all remarked how good the show was, how different from the usual acts they have, and how much they were enjoying it.

Towards the end of the night we played a song that we hadn't had a chance to rehearse. I won't say which song it was, because some might say that there were a few like that....but when I spoke to Chris after the show he told me that when Nicki sang this particular song he noticed half the audience on his side of the room were filming it on their phones. Hmmmm, we might have a winner here.

Once the show was finished I was exhausted, so sat with Evelyn and Pam, two of Bob Howe's friends who had come to shows on each of the previous tours. They really enjoyed the show, and were pleased as punch that the venue was only a bus ride from their home. I think they enjoyed themselves so much that they'll be back there again. The people who run the Western Avenue CMC are a really friendly bunch. They made us very welcome, kept us supplied with tea and brought out sandwiches for the band once we'd packed the kit away. Thanks for being great hosts.

Once the van was loaded it was time to head back home. We drove back to the M1, stopped at London Gateway services for some more tea- yes, more tea- and then drove back up the M1 in convoy. just before Luton the traffic slowed to a standstill and we switched lanes, drove up the exit ramp and down the other side, saving us a good 15-20 minutes on our journey, as four lanes of traffic were funnelled down to single lane as they installed a new bridge over the motorway. When we left the motorway, we swapped around a bit and Chris drove Cozy and Lee home while I carried on to our home. I'd just made yet another cup of tea when Chris arrived back. He'd had two hours sleep since the rehearsal on Thursday night, so we got to bed at about 3.30. I was up at about lunchtime the next day, still tired from the previous day's exertions, but looking forward to tonight's show in a tiny picture postcard village near Evesham.

First night tonight

2011-07-01T09:34:00.001+01:00

Well, that soon came around! Nicki's here in the UK, we've met up and run through the songs and we're ready to (country) rock! There's been a change to our lineup this tour and we welcome Lee Goodwin to the band. I worked with Lee on the Patsy Cline tour a couple of years ago and he's an excellent player.

Tonight's show is in West London, and anyone with knowledge of the UK traffic will know that travelling anywhere near London on a Friday night is going to be slow and congested, so we're having to set aside three hours to travel the 60 or so miles to the venue. I'll try and get some pictures of the new band lineup in the next day.

Rock Legacy

2011-06-22T12:23:00.001+01:00

My good friend Ged Eastick writes a couple of blogs and I really enjoy reading them for his insight and opinion. He's a journalist while I'm just a scribbler. He picked up on Nicki Gillis when he saw a video I posted on this site last year.

A week or so back he interviewed her for his site Rock-Legacy and here's the link to the article.

http://www.rock-legacy.com/2011/06/nicki-gillis.html

It's a good read, very informative and with a video I'd not seen before. Please check it out and add your comments.

Just a few days to go....

Less than 2 weeks to go!

2011-06-17T20:49:00.000+01:00

My how time flies! It's mid June and Nicki will be in the UK in a couple of weeks. We'll be playing clubs and small venues the length and breadth of England (but not Scotland, Wales, Ireland or Europe). Which is a shame because everyone who's been to a Nicki Gillis show will tell you what a great performer she is, and we'd love to visit Ireland and Europe to play for you...(Any agents and promoters please contact me and I'll pass your message on)

In the meantime and to whet your appetite here's a video of Nicki and her band performing "Harper Valley PTA" in Nashville recently. Did I tell you that she has a new album out as well?

We'll be playing songs from her new album "Woman of Substance" as well as tracks from her previous albums and some old favourites too.

Roll on July!

2011-04-30T19:58:00.000+01:00

Nicki's new video. The Ballad of Lucy Jordan. This is a new recording of one of the highlights of her live show. Enjoy!

60 days to go!

2011-04-30T19:39:00.000+01:00

Just 60 days to go before Nicki's 2011 gets underway. Bookmark this site to keep up to date:
http://www.nickigillis.co.uk/Nicki_Gillis_UK_Tour_2011/Welcome.html

And finally finally..

2010-08-19T20:25:00.000+01:00

Bob posted this video from our last show at Little Harrowden. Here's to next year!
I love Bob's solo. See how many tunes you can recognise!

And Finally....

2010-08-02T19:03:00.000+01:00

Saturday was the final show of the tour. Nicki was booked as a special guest on Robbo's Saturday night show at Harrowden WMC just outside Wellingborough.
She was originally booked to play a short acoustic set with Bob

I watched from the side of the "stage"- (it's a tiny club). It was strange hearing the songs sung without the full band playing. The audience loved what she was doing though. After half a dozen songs she invited Cozy and myself to join them and we rocked out. It was great fun.

Chris had been wanting to catch that image all tour. It was taken during the final medley. Just before that we had the whole room singing along to "Boots".

All too sson the show was over. The tour was over. We packed away our guitars and said our goodbyes.
Nicki, Tracy and Bob drove to Heathrow where they stayed overnight before boarding a plane for Sydney.
Cozy spent the rest of the evening with his wife and son before flying out to yet another European tour.
Chris, Sue and I drove home. Chris had an evening with friends in his local, while Sue and I had an early(ish) night.

On Monday I started my sixth and hopefully final bout of chemo. My specialist thinks that this should give me several year's remission.

So roll on 2011!

Saturday July 31st

2010-07-31T04:01:00.000+01:00

Six and a half weeks. Twenty five shows. Five thousand miles or more driven up and down the highways of the UK.
I wouldn't have missed it for the world. There was a distinct possibility that I might have done. Soon after last year's tour I was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocitic Leukaemia and I was to have six courses of chemotherapy over six months. In the event I had a couple of spells in hospital following complications and other minor niggles meant that I'd only had four courses by the beginning of May.
When I was told that I had to have two more within weeks of the tour beginning I feared that I'd be too ill to play.
In the event the fifth course went without a hitch and I declared myself fit enough to play. It meant that I had to take it easy and rest as much as possible. My son Chris drove the van and looked after the PA and tuning Nicki's mandolin (she really strums it hard!)and with everyone's help we got through.

Tonight we join up with Barbary Coast once more. Nicki and Bob are due to play an acoustic set during the evening. They then head off to Heathrow before flying out on Sunday.
Plans are afoot for two tours in 2011, one in July and the other in September.

I have my sixth and hopefully final course of chemo on Monday.
God willing, I'll be raring to go come next July.

Nicki Gillis, Rocking your (and our)country!

Great North part three

2010-07-31T03:43:00.000+01:00

Each song was well received, but Nicki's little red dress drew a lot of applause and wolf whistles. The audience joined in and sang along (and also banged tambourines- but the less said about that the better!)

The hour flew by. Suddenly we were playing our final song. As the song ended the crowd raised the roof and Nicki left the stage to rapturous applause.
We had time for one encore and that was it.
Our last full show of the tour. We cleared the stage and the next band set up.
Nicki went to meet and greet the crowd and spent a lot of time chatting and posing for photos.
Once everyone was rounded up we loaded up and set off home, arriving back in Northampton at about 1.00. We dropped everyone off and got home about 45 minutes later.

Friday July 30th- Great North Part Two

2010-07-31T03:33:00.001+01:00

We were the first band of three on the evening bill. I like the Great North's policy of only having bands or artists that don't use backing tracks. That way you can be sure that what you're seeing and what you're hearing are one and the same thing. The downside is the amount of setting up that needs to be done. Luckily Cozy and Bob had already set up earlier, so we were ready to go almost immediately.
There were a lot of people taking pictures, and we had a lot of fun posing, as this was our last Festival spot of the tour. We were determined to have a good time.

Bob bought a new jacket, and he looked very fetching in it.

Friday July 30th- Great North Part One

2010-07-31T03:26:00.000+01:00

We got to bed about 2.00 am and the alarm went off at about 7. We had an early start in order to drive the 200 plus miles up to Castle Barnard in County Durham and the Great North Festival.
Nicki made a great impression on her debut last year and we were looking forward to meeting old friends and performing during the evening.
Before that, Barbary Coast would be playing in the afternoon, hence the early start.
Cozy and Bob both played in Barbary Coast in the 80s, when they were Frank Ifield's backing band, and Bob's coming to the UK with Nicki gave the band the opportunity to play a reunion show or three.
Bass player Bugsy would be travelling with us, while Robbo and John Roche would make their own way.
Bob was first up and through the shower. I followed soon after and made some sandwiches for the journey while Chris managed to drag himself out of bed.
We set off for Wellingborough and picked Cozy up as pre-arranged, then collcted Bugsy from his house.
We then had 200 miles to travel up the A1. Luckily the traffic was behaving itself. we stopped at Boroughbridge for diesel and drinks and arrived soon after one o'clock.
Barbary Coast took to the stage mid afternoon and played a blinding set to an enthusiastic audience.

There was a break before we needed to set up, so we enjoyed some food that was kindly provided for us.
We set up the guitars and had a quick sound check.
Now it was our turn.

Thursday 29th July- Stevenage

2010-07-31T03:07:00.001+01:00

We set off to Northampton during the afternoon to collect Cozy, who'd just flown in after playing some European festivals. He loaded a different drum kit, a black and white Premier kit that used to belong to Hot Chocolate back in the 70s.
We made our way through the traffic from Northampton to Bedford, where we queued at traffic lights for ages, then drove past the huge airship hangars where the R101 was built and flown. We joined the A1 and drove south to Stevenage.
The venue is situated down a narrow access. Chris tried to take the van all the way down, but he saw how much the passageway narrowed and decided against proceeding further. We loaded in and left the van out in the street.
This was our last full club show on the tour. There was a good turnout, including a family from Witney in Oxfordshire, who'd seen us at Dumbleton and made the journey (which took them four hours) across to see Nicki one more time. The audience were happy to sit and listen, and warmed to Nicki straight away.
Bob's friends also made the journey up from London and I was pleased to spend time chatting, as we'd not met for over a year.

All too soon the evening came to an end. Nicki received a standing ovation for her performance. We retired to the dressing romm while the club performed the "Flag" ceremony, then packed up the kit. Chris backed the van in and we soon got loaded.
Bob stayed the night with us as we had an early start the next morning.

Thursday 29th July

2010-07-29T11:37:00.000+01:00

Today's the last of our "rest" days. Later this afternoon we collect Cozy and his drums and drive down to Stevenage. Once the show is finished we will return with Bob as well, drop off Cozy and try and get some sleep before our early start tomorrow.
Here's another picture from Sunday's show at Norwich

Tuesday 27th July

2010-07-27T16:40:00.000+01:00

Another welcome rest day before the final leg of the tour.
Cozy is on duty with another band somewhere in Europe. He flies back on Thursday.
Bob is visiting friends and family in the London area and will join us in Stevenage.
Chris is stripping down his new drum kit and getting it ready to play.
Nicki and Tracy have been meeting a journalist today.
I spent yesterday updating this blog, and today catching up with the programmes I recorded on Sky+.

Here's a picture of the band from last Saturday at Wolvestock

Sunday 25th July- Norwich Country Music festival

2010-07-26T12:25:00.002+01:00

I'm pretty convinced that I know where the hottest temperature in the UK was to be found on Sunday afternoon. It was on the stage of the Norwich Country Music Festival when Nicki and the band were playing.

But first, we had to be on the road before 9.00 in order to get to the festival in time. Although I'd only gone to bed at 2.00, I woke at 6 and got up at seven for some breakfast. We managed to get Chris up and out on time and we had an easy drive to Norwich, arriving at 11.30 or so. Cozy was already there, along with his driver. Nicki and her party had got up for breakfast and then gone back to bed for an hour or two, but arrived in good time.
We were the second band on the afternoon bill, and I met up with Dave the soundman to sort out the D.I. instruments and checking that the back line was OK. After that all we had to do was unload the guitars and guitar stands.

Before we knew it it was our turn to entertain the crowds. Nicki came out in a floor length coat that covered her red dress. Would she have worn it if she knew how hot it would be?

Whether it was the heat (it was very hot in that shed and under those lights)or for another reason, the audience were content to sit and listen to Nicki and the band as we played our customary festival set.

In the picture above you can see the transparent roof panels that cause the building to really heat up. The show has evolved over the weeks, and now includes Bob's duck walk during one of his solos. It made Nicki laugh anyway.

The show ended to rapturous applause and we made our way outside to get some air. We quickly packed the guitars away and loaded the van before sitting and enjoying a cup of tea with a couple of Bob's relatives who'd driven over from the Midlands to watch the show. They've seen us three times on this tour and it's good to get feedback from them. They're looking forward to a trip to Australia in a couple of month's time where they will go and see Bob and Nicki play a show. They've even put in their request for their favourite songs to be played.
Cozy left in a cloud of dust as he had a deadline to meet, and we decided to find some food. Bob was being picked up at the gates, so he said farewell as we headed off for a baked potato (anything but chips!), a cup of tea and an ice-cream.

Then it was our turn to say goodbye as we headed off home along the A47. I don't recall any of the journey home as I slept almost all the way to Peterborough.

We got home just as Sue was serving up a meal. What timing! And home cooking definitely tastes better. We have three days off before the final leg of the tour.

Saturday Night- The marathon continues

2010-07-26T12:00:00.001+01:00

I had a chance to listen to a few songs from the Western Commanders, a really great western swing band featuring three female multi-instrumentalists who sing in a very convincing Andrews Sisters style. They looked great and sounded great. I wish I could have stayed a bit longer, but we still had one more show to play.
That's right, three shows in 24 hours, and over 400 miles separating them.

First of all we dropped Cozy and his drumkit off. He had a busy weekend of his own, with two festivals to play on the Sunday, one with us in Norwich, and another in Rutland with another band. He'd arranged a friend to transport him and his kit to both venues on the Sunday, so we'd meet him agian the next day.

We drove home and dropped off our dirty washing, said hello to my wife, and set off for a local village where Chris was playing at a garden party with his band Iziggy and Some Weird Sinners. We tagged along because there were some music industry people there to see Chris' band and they'd invited Nicki to play a short showcase set as well.
We arrived as it was getting dark. being a garden party, there was some lack of organisation, but eventually we loaded our back line and Chris' drumkit onto the stage which was set up at the end of a long garden on the edge of the village. There were fields all around and the stage was open to the elements, but luckily it didn't rain.
Chris has been driving and doing our sound all tour, so he was quite familiar with the music although he hadn't sat behind a kit since the "Help for Heroes" charity show earlier in the month. Nicki chose a rocking set list and we played for about 30 minutes. Nicki and Tracy then went off to make contact with one of the promoters and Chris and I packed away the guitars and got the stage ready for Iziggy.
I declined an invite to squeeze into Tracy's already crowded car for a lift home, but stayed to watch Iziggy's show, which was very punchy and entertaining, and a vast improvement on the previous outing. I'm afraid the vegetable patch got a bit trashed as it became the mosh pit, but the party goers loved the band.
We then loaded out in almost total blackness, and I finally got to bed at about 2 o'clock with another early start the next morning.
At least I got some sleep. Nicki's party had real difficulty finding any accomodation in the Northampton area because of the World Superbike Championship at Silverstone and the Bug Jam at Santa Pod. We fixed a couple of rooms in a town center pub in Kettering, but parking was a problem and it was very noisy so they decided to drive on to Norwich.
They eventually found a hotel room at 3.30 in the morning.

Saturday July 24th- Wolvestock

2010-07-26T11:38:00.001+01:00

I have to say that this was one of the highlights of our tour so far. The Wolvestock festival has been running for many years and is one of the best organised (and well attended) festivals we've played. What's more, it's free!
You may question the wisdom of the local Council paying money to host freebies for the population, but it's still miles cheaper than the multi-million makeover of our old market place, complete with fountains shooting up from the pavement, and an "arena" that is supposed to be for outdoor entertainment but is absolutely useless, being badly thought out and totally impractible. The kids can't even use the steps for skateboarding as they've placed steel bands on the steps and installed speakers which emit a buzzing that can only be heard by young ears. I can't hear it at all, but it drives my son crazy.

Back to Wolvestock. The organiser was on hand to welcome us and made us very welcome. We listened as the local dignitaries welcomed everybody at the opening ceremony and I had a wander around the site, which was packed with families out enjoying the live music interspersed with line dancing lessons. Being a free festival in a public park, there were very few people dressed in period costume, or dressed as gunslingers or indians, and I believe the festival was all the better for it. These festivals are about music aren't they?

As usual, there was a back line and drum kit available, so we were able to set up quickly and soon got into our stride. I swear I could hear an audible gasp of appreciation amid the applause as Nicki took to the stage.

There was some light drizzle as we started, but that soon eased and we entertained the considerable crowd to an hour of country tinged rock.

There is always a large space in front of the stage for the dancers. Most of the time the people were happy to sit and listen, but occasionally they got up and danced when we played a familiar song. As you know, Nicki is a talented singer/songwriter and we feature many of her own songs in our set. Occasionally we see people singing along because they've bought her CDs previously, and I always scan the crowd to see if people are paying attention and joining in. Without giving away any details (you have to see the show for yourself)there are a couple of places where we get a reaction, and I noticed quite a few smiles on the faces of the nearest people as they saw what we were doing. All good.
The PA was quite loud, and it's a great power trip to play a note on the bass guitar and feel the stage vibrate. I want more!

All too soon the show came to an end and we left the stage to a standing ovation. It was a good 'un. I hope we get invited back next year.

Loading out was straight forward. We set off for Northampton and the next stage of our marathon.

Saturday- the marathon continues

2010-07-26T11:11:00.001+01:00

It was almost two before we got off to sleep and the alarm went off at seven. We absolutely had to be on the road at eight o'clock if we were to make it to the next Festival in time. There was no time for breakfast, just a quick wash, vacate the room, wake up Chris and head off.
When on the road we keep in contact with Nicki and Tracy by text, and we worked out that they were about twenty minutes behind us on the road. We pulled into the services on the M74 and queued for breakfast (and paid almost double what it would cost in Morrisons restaurant). I bought a paper (the Scottish Daily Mail)which contained the usual Mail-like rants, only involving Scottish stories. Even the sports pages were about Rangers and Celtic. When we toured Scotland last year with the Patsy Cline Concert we entered a pub quiz on a night off and did well except for the sports questions. No I don't know who Celtic's all time leading goal scorer is. Mind you, I don't know any of the Premier League stats either, but I can have a guess.
As we finished our breakfast Tracy, Bob and Nicki arrived and we received our vehicle pass for the Wolvestock Festival. That meant we could crack on with our journey.
I sat in the front, reading the paper as we drove down through Scotland and into England. I looked up as we drove over Shap and caught a tantalising glimpse of a steam train working hard up the gradient towards Carlisle.

Our next port of call was in Manchester. Chris had successfully bid on a Hayman drum kit (to match his existing one) and we diverted into Salford to pay for it and load it into the van.
I've not been into this part of Manchester before, but it looked just like every other dockside development, with token momentoes of an industrial past (in the shape of a pair of redundant cranes), plus trendy transport- in this case- trams.

We found the address quickly, Chris paid the seller and we set off again, this time with Cozy sharing the back seats with a drum kit.

We were soon on the M6 again and arrived at the venue in Wolverhampton at about 3 in the afternoon.
We had just enough time to sit with a cup of tea and have a look at the festival site before getting ready for our spot.

Friday night- Polmont Golf Club

2010-07-26T10:43:00.001+01:00

Our only Scottish show was hosted by a lovely lady by the name of Christine. We arrived at the venue which was high on the hillside overlooking Polmont and Grangemouth, with the mountains on the other side of the Forth making a great backdrop. We soon loaded in and were ready to play.
But first, something to eat.
We noticed a parade of shops including a Chinese takeaway and a chip shop back in the town, so we drove back down again.
We arrived as two policemen were trying to disperse a group of teenagers who were hanging around the parade of shops. I looked at the desperate lack of any kind of facilities and realised that that was all there was- hanging around getting drunk and, in the case of the girls, pregnant.
The scene is replicated all over the country. There are places in our town where you could see exactly the same thing- even our parade of shops has its share of bored youth just hanging around.
We ordered our fish and chips and I went and sat in the van. As Chris arrived with the food, it all kicked off around us.
A foolhardy fifteen-year-old youth attempted to light up a cigarette in front of the officers and was told to put it out, because he was under age. He attempted to argue that his mother said it was OK and began to struggle with one of the officers. Soon a crowd gathered around our van which was parked next to the police car. Then an adult drove up and added his two pennyworth, followed by the boy's older brother who was on a short fuse and wanted to wade in with fists flying. He had to be restrained by his friends as the boy was driven away in handcuffs.

Another typical Friday night in the urban desolation that is post-industrial Lowland Scotland. No work. No hope of work, ever.

After all that excitement we drove back to the golf club and played to a small but very vocal audience, mostly women, who danced beautifully to our songs. The men were drinking in the other bar. (It's a cultural thing I think)
It was one of those nights when we could have done with a backdrop. You can see what I mean here-

It would have been ideal to have had an early finish, considering the distance we had to travel the next day, but it was not to be. Our last set finished at about midnight, and we had to pack up all the kit ready for a long day on the road.
We got back to the hotel just before 1 in the morning.

Friday- the marathon begins

2010-07-26T10:22:00.002+01:00

We had to be up and away early in order to drive up to Falkirk in Scotland for our only Scottish show. There were a number of dates booked but a clash of dates with major festivals meant that they had to be cancelled. I do question the wisdom of one isolated show involving hundreds of extra miles travelling, with very early starts, but I'm not booking the tour, just playing the bass. We were booked into a Metro Inn near Falkirk, just a few miles from the booking and we arrived mid afternoon after a trip up the A1 through Northumberland. The sun was shining (why does it never shine on our days off?) and the countryside was beautiful.

This was all unfamiliar territory to me but Chris had driven the route a few times and pointed places he'd visited along the way.
When we arrived at our hotel it looked familiar. It was formerly a Formule One hotel, where the accomodation is basic to say the least. There are no en-suite facilities (not that that worries me), but the WC and showers are placed at the ends of the corridors and remind me of caravan holidays. There's even that slight rocking as if you're in a caravan. Ah well, it's only one night and we have an early start in the morning.

In the picture the bag is on the double bed. There is a bunk bed at right angles above it. There is a sink in one corner and a TV in the other. That's it. No bedside cabinets, en-suite, phone, fridge or room service.
Need a drink? There's a vending machine in the lobby. Something to eat? Vending machine. You can, however, get wi-fi and there are toasters and microwaves in the lobby area. No chairs, just stools. This is cheap but very basic accomodation.
When we arrived back after the show it was almost 1 in the morning and we were looking forward to some tea and toast. The toasters were cordoned off. Closed.

Never mind. We were on the ground floor so we opened the window and passed the coolbox and tea making equipment through. We sat eating ham sandwiches and drinking tea before turning in.
Chris slept in the van. Not because there was no room, but because we can wake him easier if he's already in the van.
And we had a very early start the next day.

Thursday- Billingham

2010-07-26T10:00:00.001+01:00

It's getting a bit blurred. While we've been here we've had a good look around both Darlington and Stockton. I can't remember which town we visited each day. I know that one day we walked around Stockton where there is a lovely street market, and I bought a book for Nicki in a flea market.But which day? Never mind.

Our show was in Billingham and it was hosted by a character named Johnny Ringo. We first met him at the Great North Festival last year, and we played a show at his club in Billingham. We caught up with him again at the Americana Festival, so it was very much a return to familiar territory.
Last year we had an unpleasant incident where we went looking for somewhere to sit while the bingo was on. (There is an hour between the first and second sets.) We walked into an adjacent bar and were waved on into another bar- that is, all except Nicki. It was a men only bar.
We spent an hour sitting on the floor in the corridor waiting for the bingo to end.

This time we stayed in the changing room and drank tea.
The show was well received. Nicki wore her red dress and wowed the crowds.

This is a nicely laid out club, with a good sized stage, good lighting and acoustics and an appreciative crowd. It's a shame about the incident with the men only bar last year.
We said goodbye to Johnny and look forward to seeing him again at the Great North, our last big show of the tour.

Wednesday- day off again

2010-07-26T09:48:00.000+01:00

We stayed one night at the B&B in Middlesborough. Cozy had some appointments in the city centre so Chris and I did some exploring. First stop was the Transporter Bridge

We drove up to the bridge and travelled across, then headed to Stockton where there were some music shops. I bought a new guitar strap for my bass at one, then headed into town where we spent some time chatting to the owner of Mad Dog Music, a shop for drummers. (I suppose the name says it all).
We collected Cozy then headed into Darlington to look at, you guessed it, some music shops before dropping off our bags at the caravan, our home for the next two days.
It used to be relatively easy to find paid work on a Wednesday, but the current economic climate means that clubs will only pay for a duo. Our agent was unwilling to set a precedent by putting us into a club for a fee that would just about cover our hotel bills, so we had the night off.
We drove up to Durham and spent the evening with Nicki and Tracy in a Weatherspoons.
The weather was very changeable. It didn't rain hard like it had on Tuesday, but it was hardly beach weather either. I was glad for the company, as I could sense the onset of cabin fever.
Ah well, another show tomorrow.

Tour Update- Tues. Stockton July 20th

2010-07-26T07:31:00.002+01:00

It's almost a week since I've been able to blog, so I'll try and remember all that has happened to date. If I recall, we set off at lunctime to drive to Middlesbrough where we were staying for one night.As we drove along the A19 and nearing our destination the sky to the west was looking ever stormy and dark. It was about to rain- hard.
But not yet. We arrived at our digs and got installed, then, as we had some time to spare, Chris and I walked into town to look at the music shops. We then walked into a shopping mall as it it began to rain. I looked out the doors and it was as if someone had turned on a fire hose. The rain was torrential.
Eventually it eased off and we decided to walk back to the B&B. We got about half way before it started raining again and by time we arrived I was soaked to the skin. My tour jacket, my jeans, my trainers- all waterlogged.
We hung them up to dry and got ready for the evening show in Stockton.
We'd played there last year, so it was easy finding the venue. We loaded in and I went out to buy some milk for our tea (how very Rock 'n Roll!) and met Tracy, Nicki and Bob as they arrived from Durham.
After a welcome cuppa we finished setting up and got ready for the performance.
I don't remember the acoustics being a problem last year, but this year the sound was difficult to get right. The room had some strange characteristics. In some parts of the room we were loud and boomy, and in others very quiet, like a transistor radio. Moving a few feet away from the axis of the PA made a huge difference to our sound.
The converse was that the audience sounded very loud when we were on stage. Unfortunately there were some there who didn't appear interested in the music and were chatting loudly and it was very offputting to say the least.
Nicki has blogged about this.
http://web.me.com/tracydann/Nicki_UK_Tour_2010/Blog/Entries/2010/7/21_Malleable_Social_Club.html

We don't mind the chatter. Sometimes it's all we have to remind us that there is an audience at all. We don't play excessively loudly. Trying to drown out the chatter is pointless because the louder we play, the louder they chat until it's a cacophany of noise. All we ask is that chatter be kept to a minimum when we're playing.
What capped the evening for us was when the organisers started taking down the flags and decorations before we'd finished. That is rude. There is no excuse for that.
We didn't play an encore, despite the wishes of the rest of the audience who enjoyed Nicki's singing. As far as we were concerned, the chatter and the actions of some of the organisers said it all.
Cozy had a different drum kit and had an issue with the tomtom and cymbal holders that couldn't be put right on the night despite our best efforts.If you look carefully at the photo you'll see the tomtom on the floor by my amp.
Ah well, it was one of THOSE nights.

Tuesday 20th July

2010-07-20T09:27:00.000+01:00

We're heading back to the North East after our rest day yesterday. The next few days are probably the most arduous so far. We have three days in the North East, then travel up to Scotland for one show. Then we drive down to Wolverhampton before finishing up at the Norwich Festival on Sunday.
Here's Nicki's video for her song "Remember me".

I don't think I'll be posting until we get back in a few days.

Sunday 18th July- Welshpool festival

2010-07-19T13:30:00.002+01:00

We arrived late, despite having the least distance to travel. Ain't that always the way? However, we soon got set up and sound checked and were ready to play our first set at 10.30.

The Festival has been running for many years and is well organised. Four curtainside trailers were parked in a way to provide two stages side by side. Each stage being two trailers deep meant that each act was able to set up in their own space without encroaching on the other bands and without having to keep moving equipment.

We set up our kit, miking up the amps and drums and then giving a feed to the main PA system, which was loud enough for everyone on the site to hear, despite the strong wind blowing.

Our first set went without a hitch although Chris covered some miles runing back and forth between the stage and the arena. Eventually he was satisfied with the sound and took some photos. After the first set we had a wait of about five hours before we took to the stage again so we had a good look at the sales stands and had a very tasty pork, apple sauce and crackling filled roll for lunch.

The afternoon session started with a presentation of the bands to the crowd. Nicky was presented with a nice bouquet of flowers and a commemorative plaque by the organisers.

Soon after that it was our turn to play again. Once again Nicki showed the crowd why she is so highly rated as a singer and entertainer. All too soon the set was over and we busied ourselves clearing the stage while Nicki went to meet and greet the appreciative crowd. I joined her and Tracy and heard many people come up to say how much they appreciated her. More than one fan said that she was the best act they'd heard in years.

Before we knew it it was time to leave and drive back home. On the way out we saw this, and had to stop and take a picture. Is this what they mean by portaloo?

Monday is a rest day. The next stage of the tour will cover the most miles.

Saturday 17th July- rest & travel

2010-07-19T13:07:00.000+01:00

No show tonight, so it was a chance to catch up on sleep and get ready for the show on Sunday at the Welshpool C & W festival.
Tracy had difficluty finding accomodation in Welshpool and eventually booked a weekend at a lock keeper's cottage on the Montgomery Canal near Welshpool. It meant that there were some extra beds, so we decided to drive over on Saturday evening to save an early start on the Sunday.
We found the place and it was very nice, just off the beaten track and very peaceful
We had a cup of tea and a chat before Cozy and Chris went off to explore the local pub about half a mile down the road.
Chris and stayed the night in a brand new barn conversion that was being finished off. It was spartan (it was still a building site) but the eco-friendly heating system based on pipes laid in trenches in the field next door) worked well and supplied hot water and kept us warm.
We had to be out early in order to arrive at the festival site by eight. Chris slept in. We were a little late but had set up and sound checked before the doors opened to allow several thousand country music fans on site.
More later.

Friday July 16th- Sacriston

2010-07-17T15:12:00.002+01:00

After a late night eating takeaways, we had a lie in and a late start into town to Morrison's for breakfast. After that we drove to the city centre and had a walk around the music shops. Then we went on to Durham to meet up with Nicki, Tracy and Bob at their hotel. Soon it was time to head off to Sacriston, a short drive away.
We arrived in very good time and loaded in and sound checked. Then we visited the local takeaways for our evening meal.
Chris and I had fish and chips, Bob and had an Indian, while Nicki and Tracy had chinese.
Soon it was time to start the show. Despite the fact that a significant portion of the crowd had gone to a show at the Sage in Gateshead, those that remained had a great time and were dancing from the first song. There were a few who had seen us at other clubs so it was like playing to friends.
All too soon the show ended and we loaded up the van ready for the long drive home.
There were hugs and kisses all round, and yet another rebooking for next year.
Chris drove the 200+ miles home, stopping at Woodall services for tea and refreshments.
We dropped Cozy off at about 4.30 and arrived home at about 5.00
Today is a rest day, time to sort the washing out, pick up some bits and pieces, change some guitar strings and get ready for tomorrow's show at Welshpool.
We need to be there early, so Tracy has booked a cottage to stay in and we'll go over there tonight to save an impossibly early start in the morning.

Thursday July 15th -Part two- Hardwick WMC

2010-07-17T13:45:00.001+01:00

The weather had brightened up considerably and it was quite warm but windy when we arived at the club to set up. Loading in was very straightforward and we were soon set up and ready to go.
It was a great show. Whatever was missing the night before was back and we played well,and the crowd had a great night. Even the dancers enjoyed themselves. One dancer told me that the bands who play there tend to cover the latest hits, with a couple of dozen songs that tend to be played by every band every week. New songs meant a chance to try new dances so they were happy.
Nicki sings a lot of her own material so our shows are bound to be different. The audience warmed to her, and one person told me after the show that she was the best artiste to have appeared at the club in over eighteen months, bearing out our view that Wednesday night was a one off.

After the show we loaded up and returned to our accomodation. On the way we phoned a takeaway that had been recommended to us by Eddie. We arrived at the caravan, followed soon afterwards by the man delivering the takeaway. How about that for service? I had a portion of chips which hardly made a dent on the amount of food that had been delivered and I went off to sleep, leaving Chris and Cozy to eat the kebab, pizza and chicken parmesan

Thursday July 15th- Part one

2010-07-17T13:33:00.001+01:00

After the show at Peterlee we drove into town and found an all night drive-in MacDonalds. I'd bought some pasta earlier so I ate that while Chris and Cozy had burgers. We then drove home and bedded down in the caravan parked on the drive next to our host's house. I got off to sleep right away and slept right through.

After our morning ablutions we went into town and found a Morrison's supermarket where we parked up and availed ourselves of an all-day breakfast of bacon, eggs, beans, etc from the in-store restaurant. I bought some pasta and tuna for later.
We had a few hours free before the evening show in Stockton, so I persuaded Chris and Cozy to take a trip to Shildon to visit the Railway Museum.
It's a good afternoon out, with a bright new exhibition hall packed full of giant steam and diesel locomotives- and entry is free!

When we left there it was a short drive to Stockton and we arrived in good time to prepare for that evening's show.

Wednesday- Peterlee

2010-07-17T13:23:00.000+01:00

We were back on the road again and heading up to Peterlee in the North East. Cozy had arranged accomodation for us in Darlington, so we called in there first to say hello and drop our bags off.
Our hosts Eddie & Dee had seen us playing at the Americana festival the previous weekend and they'd been involved in country music for many years. They now organise an annual festival locally and run a club on Sunday evenings. It's people like these who keep country music going and I'm indebted to them for their hospitality.

Eddie kindly gave us clear instructions on how to get to the booking and we promptly set off in the opposite direction! However, it's not far from one town to another so we soon arrived at the venue- just as it started raining heavily.
We've been blessed with good weather so far, so it was bound to happen sooner or later. We unloaded the van in the rain.
The venue itself had an odd shaped stage in one corner and try as we might, we couldn't get a good sound. Maybe it was one of those nights, maybe it was the miles we'd travelled or just a let-down after the highs of Americana, but the show seemed a bit flat.
We also had equipment problems when one of the amplifiers, fresh from repair was found to have the same fault that caused us to send it in! That will need to be sorted on our next day off.
The people were great and had a good evening. All the little niggles and various indefinable things meant that we didn't.
Sorry Peterlee, but this was one to forget.

Tuesday 13th

2010-07-13T21:27:00.000+01:00

Two days rest has got the ache out of my back and we're ready to go again. We've three days in the North East before coming home again. On Sunday we're playing a country music festival in Welshpool.
The weather has broken and it's quite a bit cooler now.
I found this video of our performance of "Wall of Death" at last year's Great North Festival. It's a great song so I make no excuses to post it again.

Americana- Part Three- The Wall of Death

2010-07-12T11:14:00.000+01:00

After the show we had another wander around the site, listening to Heggy (George Hamilton V) play his set of country rock. He was followed onstage by Paul Overstreet. What a treat! He wrote (among many other songs) "When you say nothing at all" and "Love will build a bridge". Mark (son of John D) Loudermilk played lead guitar and Gail Davies' band provided the backing. A perfect Saturday evening's entertainment.

I'd mentioned that there was a Wall of Death on the site, so Nicki, Tracy and Bob walked down to take some photos. Unfortunately it was in between shows but they very kindly allowed us access.

They even allowed us access inside the track, which is made of wood.

"Let me ride on the wall of death one more time
Let me ride on the wall of death one more time
You can waste your time on the other rides
But this is the nearest to being alive
Let me take my chances on the Wall of Death"
Words by Richard Thompson.

It was getting late by now, so we said our farewells and headed home. Cozy was staying overnight as he was playing again the next morning. We will all meet again on Wednesday in Peterlee.

We have a couple of days to recover before it all kicks off again.

Americana- Part Two

2010-07-12T10:58:00.000+01:00

Pretty soon it was our turn to go on. The band that were on stage before us cleared their guitars and then we went on to prepare. Cozy had his own helper on the drums- his son Sonny.

They provide a whole array of amplifiers for the bands and I had a very nice Ampeg and 4x10 cabinet. We plugged in and tested all the instruments, then checked that everything was working. Once that was done we began our show.

We looked out over the crowd and I noticed a few familiar faces. It was apparent that a few of them knew Nicki's songs and were singing along. This is a good sign. The stage was huge and we made good use of it. It was also like an oven.
Chris had spoken to the sound engineer, asking him to mix the sound like a rock band and the result was a punchy, pleasing sound that made the most of the instrumentation and Nicki's powerful voice.

The time flew by. The band played out of its skin and won the crowd over. All too soon it was time for the last song and then a well deserved encore. It was a great debut.
We cleared the stage but Cozy stayed on as he was playing drums for George Hamilton V. We packed the guitars away and made for the hospitality area for a well earned cuppa. While we were there Tracy was approached by Chris Jackson, the organiser, who confirmed that he'd like Nicki to play the festival again next year. All in all, a good day.
Now where is Michael Eavis' number?

A good shot of Nicki and Bob.

Not forgetting Cozy & Dave

Americana- Part One

2010-07-12T10:39:00.000+01:00

I woke in good time and got myself ready, all the time speaking to Chris, trying to wake him. His alarm went off and he switched it off and resumed his slumbers. I continued packing and realised that I didn't have my glasses. I managed to wake Chris and we searched the room before someone said that my glasses were in the bathroom. Doh!
Anyway the result was that Chris was up and ready in time for the short trip to the ferry terminal. We met up with Bob, Nicki and Tracy and were loaded on an earlier ferry again. We drove up to Winchester where we stocked up on food, filled up with diesel and Chris bought some shorts. yes, it was another hot day.
The trip up to Newark was punctuated by a stop at Leicester Forest East services. Cozy met up with his wife and son and they continued to the festival together, Nicki Bob & Tracy stopped for lunch and the free wi-fi, so Chris and I continued to the venue alone.
We got checked in and almost the first person I met was George Hamilton IV. We hadn't met since the Whitby Gospel Music Convention in May, and he then introduced me to singer Gail Davies. George and his guitarist Colin (a member of Live Issue and a friend from Whitby) were singing a duet with Gail during her set.
I went out front to watch her band perform and they were excellent, a real treat. The area in front of the stage was packed with people sitting in folding chairs listening to their favourite music and soaking up the sun. We listened to George, Gail and Colin and the band as they sang one of Gail's songs together and then wandered around the showground to look at the stalls and the exhibits.

The Americana Festival is huge, with two live music arenas, one for Rock and Roll and the other for country music. There were big trucks, Winnebagos and classic cars everywhere. There was an exhibition shed full of Harley Davidson bikes.
In the far corner, past the funfair, there was a Wall of Death.......
We returned to the backstage area and after a cup or two of tea, got ready for our performance.

The Isle of Wight

2010-07-12T10:18:00.000+01:00

We were late leaving for the Isle of Wight but still made the ferry terminal on time and even got loaded onto an earlier one. That should tell you that the roads were clear all the way, even though we had to use the MI, M25 and M3 rather than the A43 and A34. The A43 was closed to through traffic because of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
The reason we were late leaving? Chris can sleep through a hurricane. I spoke to him several times trying to wake him. He even had two phone conversations but has no recollection of any of that. When he did eventually wake up it was all systems go, arriving at Northampton a hour late to load Cozy's drums.
Depending on the turnout, Tracy had asked Cozy to bring his full drum kit and his lights so that he could play his feature solo, so we had extra drums and boxes, plus a huge gong and stand to load in the van.
As I mentioned, the journey was uneventful and the crossing was very flat.

Once we had disembarked we drove the short distance to where Nicki and Tracy were staying and enjoyed a cup of tea and freshly picked strawberries before heading off to the venue, a Community Hall and Sports Centre in Cowes. We crossed the river from East Cowes by chain ferry and arrived at the venue in plenty of time to set up.

The evening was a joint promotion and a fundraiser for the local scouts, who were hoping to raise funds for a trip to Sweden. Nicki and Bob (who'd caught a nasty cold) had been on the BBC Radio Solent to publicise it, and it had been widely publicised. Nicki's friends and Tracy's friends and family had all played their part in publicising the event, so it was a real dissapointment that the turnout was lower than anticipated.
Was it the weather? The football? The economic climate? Who knows.
However, the show must go on and the show we played was a run through of our set for Americana, plus some extra goodies.

One of our friends rang a photographer for the local paper who came and took pictures of Nicki during the interval. As luck would have it, all the media attention was focussed on a possible woman overboard on the Cowes- Southampton ferry. Just our luck.

Chris and I stayed with members of Tracy's family. We sat out on the patio drinking tea (in my case) and a cool lager for Chris until it was time to turn in. We had an early ferry to catch, and a long run up to Newark for the Americana Festival.

Getting ready to rock again

2010-07-08T18:19:00.000+01:00

We've had our mid-tour break and we're back on stage tomorrow on the Isle of Wight. We'll have to be up early on Saturday morning to catch the ferry and drive up to Newark for the Americana festival in the evening.
I expect we'll play this Richard Thompson song- I hope so, because RT is my all time favourite singer/songwriter.

Nicki & Bob at the BBC last week

2010-07-05T22:17:00.002+01:00

Father & son

2010-07-05T00:08:00.000+01:00

Normally Chris is in charge of the camera and he takes 100s of pictures of each show. On Sunday he was playing drums so he couldn't. Sue had the camera and was snapping away, but never got a close up shot of Chris & me.
I saw this photo on Nicki's blog and "borrowed" it. It's a bit grainy but does the job.
Here it is- Nicki Gillis, Chris and Dave Clemo.

Help for Heroes Sunday July 4th

2010-07-04T19:41:00.002+01:00

Today we made a special guest appearance at a charity event near Wellingborough in aid of the Help for Heroes charity. We only heard about it a few days ago and Robbo kindly added us to a very varied lineup of artists.
Unfortunately Cozy had a prior engagement and was unable to make it, but fortunately my son Chris, who has been driving and roadying for us is also a drummer and was able to step in. It did mean that he had to listen to some of our performances rather than sleep in the van in order to learn the songs, and in the event he put in a fine and assured performance. He can always catch up on his sleep another time.
A prior engagement (a radio interview on BBC Radio Kent) meant that Nicki had to be on the road by 2.30 in the afternoon, so we were the second act to take the stage, following John F's set of good time country music.
The stage was a 40 foot curtainside trailer and to save time and space we used the drums and amplifiers that were on stage. It meant an unconventional looking line-up but it still sounded as good.

Once again the crowd responded to Nicki's performance with enthusiasm and all too soon it was over. As we said goodbye to Nicki and Tracy a second world war aeroplane flew overhead, filling the sky with the unmistakeable sound of a classic warbird. It was very apt, as Nicki had sung "White Cliffs of Dover", her excellent tribute to Vera Lynn a few minutes before.

Sue Chris and I then spent an hour or so wandering around the exhibits, meeting and chatting to old friends. I had very good comments regarding Nicki's performance, with some people preferring it to Friday's at Earls Barton. Both shows were organised by Robbo and we look forward to our final show at the end of the month when we will be at Little Harrowden WMC, once again as guests of Barbary Coast.

We now take a few day's break from touring. We will all meet up again on Friday when we play a concert on the Isle of Wight.

Rugby Homecoming July 3rd

2010-07-04T11:30:00.000+01:00

Saturday night was a special night for Bob. He was born and lived in Rugby before emigrating with his mother to Australia in the late 60s. His late father was a regular at Hillmorton Ex-Serviceman's Club and so it was fitting that his UK family and friends should organise a show at this club.
The trip from Northampton to Rugby was uneventful although Chris' insect bite on his leg was giving him some discomfort. Luckily Sue was with us and dispensed motherly care and concern and antiseptic cream in equal measures.
Bob's extended family almost filled the room. Most of them had never seen him sing or play and each song was greeted with warm applause. We were due to play 2x45 minute sets plus a 30 minute middle set, but the meeting and greeting and photographing ate into the interval time. At one stage Bob was photographing the crowd mid-song. It was great, a real family reunion.

But what about the show? Nicki and the band performed to their usual high standard and Nicki treated us to a welcome return of her little red dress.

Once again the audience took over Nicki's rendition of the "Australian Trilogy" and sang the first chorus of "Waltzing matilda" unaccompanied. This is proving to be a popular show closer. Loud and prolongued calls for an encore were followed by Nicki singing "Simply the best" to a crowded dance floor.
Although the music had stopped, the show went on as Nicki and Bob posed for photos and chatted to the crowd while Chris organised the packing away and loading up of the gear.
We drove back to Northampton where we unloaded Cozy's drums. He's away on tour in Europe until Thursday as we have a few day's break before meeting up again on the Isle of Wight.

Earls Barton July 2nd

2010-07-03T12:08:00.002+01:00

Last night Nicki was special guest at a Barbary Coast reunion show at Earls Barton WMC. As you may know, both Cozy and Bob were members of Barbary Coast back in the 80s when they were Frank Ifield's backing group.
Robbo organised the booking and Bugsy, Basil and Queenie joined Robbo, Cozy and Bob to play a couple of sets to a full house at this small club in a Northants village. Nicki played a 40 minute showcase between their sets. It was a lovely summer's evening and a good time was had by all.
I hadn't played the club since the late 70s when my band Conspiracy used to play there a couple of times a year. It hadn't changed much, but I'm glad they got an extension to the stage, because it was just as cramped as I remember it. I even recognised some faces among the crowd.
Nicki, Bob & Tracy found a chinese takeaway and ate it sitting in the van before the show started.

The show started with a set from Robbo and the boys and they sounded very smooth and polished, despite the years and miles since their last performance. Then it was Nicki's turn. We've been using a radio mike for her shows so she was able to make her entrance through the crowd as we played her opening number "Lucy Jordan". The rest of the set were mostly her own songs, and despite the unfamiliarity of the material she won the crowd over with an electric performance.
All too soon it was over and I went outside, put on my tour jacket and slowly cooled down as we chatted to friends. It was a great evening. Both bands sounded great and the hundred or so people who packed into this tiny club had an evening to remember.
Chris enjoyed his first pint of Guinness so much he had a second, so I drove the van home. It was only a few miles and it was the least I could do. We've got a lot of miles to cover in the next few weeks.
Tonight we're playing a show in Bob's home town of Rugby. I'm looking forward to that.

Weds 30th June North Biddick WMC

2010-07-01T21:37:00.001+01:00

It was a long old haul up the M1 and A1 to Washington, Tyne & Wear for last night's show. Nicky, Tracy & Bob had made their way via Scarborough and Whitby, while Chris, Cozy and myself drove up via Northampton.
Once again the weather was very warm and luckily the roads were clear. It still took four hours to drive the 220 or so miles to the venue. We arrived in very good time and had plenty of time to set up. After a cuppa and a sound check we were ready to go.
Nicki's first song was extremely well received and Chris told me that he and Tracy knew right away that this was to be a special night.
The band played well, Nicki was on song despite a toothache, and every song was applauded long and loudly.
All too soon the show was over and Nicki spent some time chatting to everyone and having her photo taken while we packed everything away. We got loaded and away by 12.30. I was sweating buckets under the lights and it was cool outside, so strange as it may seem I wore my tour jacket buttoned up so as to keep the heat in and cool down slowly.
My health is a bit fragile and I don't want to take risks of getting ill before the end of the tour. Chris drove all the way home. We stopped for a short break after about 100 miles and again to get some diesel at Leicester Forest Services. We dropped Cozy off and got home at about 4.30. I made a cuppa and took it to bed, staying awake just long enough to drink it before falling asleep
Three local shows this weekend. Bring em on!

Outdoor stage

2010-06-28T22:46:00.000+01:00

This was the stage we played on on Sunday. The sun shone, it was blazing hot, and everyone who attended was a fan of the music. Let's hope that any other outdoor shows will have as good weather as this.

The R49 Festival at Leominster, Sunday 27th June

2010-06-28T13:00:00.000+01:00

It was an early start. Too early as it happened, because the traffic was very light and we misjudged how long it would take us to drive over to Leominster.
We arrived at the Festival entrance to find everyone still asleep, yes it was that early. We drove down to the stage area and had a recce. It was going to be a very hot day. The stage was a converted 40 foot trailer with a blister style pull out extension, so we had an ample stage of about 30 x 20 and plenty of time to get set up. All the acts had to be there and set up by ten o'clock as the event kicked off at 10.30.
Our first set was at about mid-day and the second at about 3.30.
Nicky went to get changed and soon returned. In the rush to leave the hotel to get to the site she'd picked up the wrong stage gear and what she thought was a dress was in fact a top. Luckily there were plenty of trade stands selling clothing and she picked out a lovely red fringed dress that fitted her like a glove. Just as well, because we cut it fine getting onto the stage.
Nicki and the band soon got the crowd going and we finished to set to rapturous applause. We continued to chill out backstage until it was time to play again, at a time that coincided with the World Cup game against Germany, so the performance was interspersed with news of the scores as they came in.
The crowd soon forgot England's woes as they were won over by Nicki. Many of the audience and organisers will be at the Welshpool festival in a couple of weeks time and we look forward to seeing them there.
We quickly dismantled the kit and cleared the stage so that the final band could play, then loaded the van ready for a leisurely drive home via Worcester, Pershore and Evesham, then the A46 and A/M45, M1 and home.
Chris hadn't had much sleep so I took over and drove part of the way home. I'm feeling fitter and stronger and my sore throat has now cleared up. Next stop for Nicki is a BBC radio interview, next stop for me is a hospital apointment on Tuesday, and the next stop for the band is a trip to the North East on Wednesday.

Sunny Shropshire

2010-06-26T12:31:00.002+01:00

Last night we played a show in a picturesque town in Shropshire called Ellesmere. We set off early to avoid the usual Friday afternoon motorway carnage, and by mostly sticking to the old A5 we arrived in very good time. It was incredibly hot in the van as the sun shone in through the windcreen all the way there. We had time to get the picnic chairs out and sit and eat a takeaway before loading in, but I was still parched until we'd set up and tested everything. I then set up the kettle and made cups of tea until every thirst was quenched. (It took three mugs for me).

We hit a familiar snag on this show. The lack of, or ineffectiveness of publicity. Basically, the paying public know what they like, and like what they know. Advertisers reckon that the average person needs to see an advert eight times before it registers with them. Unfortunately, the promotors efforts to advertise Nicki fell on mostly deaf ears and blind eyes, hence the low turnout. Not to be discouraged, Nicki turned in a blindingly good performance and won the crowd over.

When the show had finished I was relegated to tea making duties and packing away the cables. Once the van was loaded we said our farewells. Nick, Bob and Tracy drove to Ludlow and Chris, Cozy and myself back home. However, we hadn't enough diesel to get that far, so we very carefully drove down to Shrewsbury and then managed to find a 24 hour Tesco, where we put as much fuel in as we could afford. We had a wander around the store looking for food ( I can't eat when it's too hot, but I was hungry when we got off stage) and then we drove home.

We arrived home and got to bed at about four. Exactly twenty four hours later we have to be up and out and on our way to the next show in Ludlow, where we play in the morning and again in the afternoon. I hope there's a good turnout.

Thursday 24th June

2010-06-24T20:34:00.003+01:00

I've done four shows with Nicki, Bob, Tracy, Chris and Cozy so far. I've had to take it easy and not lift or carry anything, and try and stay in isolation from everyone. That's a bit strange but it's working so far.

I'm really loving every minute of this tour, and I'm going to continue to do so. It's great to work with my son Chris, and although it seems limited by my own standards, I believe I'm making a contribution to the success of the tour so far.
I'm treating each show as if it were my last. You never know, one of these shows might be.

Wednesday 23rd June

2010-06-24T17:42:00.001+01:00

Last night we played the RAFA Club in Newark. We arrived at least an hour earlier than we needed to and got set up in double quick time. Nicki, Tracy & Bob got lost again. I stood out in the main street waving my hands and they eventually passed by and I guided them to the venue.
It's a nice club, not very big and they enjoy listening to the music rather than just dancing. We played three 40-45 minute sets during the evening and they absolutely loved Nicki. She looked and sounded great and many of the audience said they'd not heard a better singer for years.

It was very hot. I'm watching my temperature constantly and I had to be careful that I didn't get too cold after the show, so I emerged from the venue and sat in the van dressed in my tour jacket which is fully lined. This allowed me to cool down slowly.

We got back home before 2 o'clock and I had a good night's sleep again.

United Services Club

2010-06-22T12:40:00.000+01:00

Widnes Monday 21st June

2010-06-22T12:18:00.000+01:00

Last night we made a welcome return to the United Services Club in Widnes. It was a long day, starting at nine in the morning when I visited my specialist at the hospital. I had a blood test and he told me that my white blood cell count was very low, due to my ear/mouth/throat infection. I have to inject myself each day in order that my body will produce more white cells. I have to see him again on Friday. He warned me that if my temperature rose above 38c, he'd admit me to hospital for a large dose of antibiotics.
We hit the road during the afternoon and arrived at the venue exactly on schedule. and were soon set up. The biggest hassle after that was getting a cup of tea. Once refreshed we got ready to play our two sets.
All the band members were presented with specially embroidered tour jackets by Nicki and Tracy, and very fetching they look as well. We could have done with them last weekend in Pickering.
Nicki was well received, although the audience seemed a bit more reserved than they were on Saturday. Tracy sold less merchandise as well, but that may be due to the economic climate and an older audience on a fixed income.
When the show was over, I sat in the van while the others packed the kit down. That felt very strange. I'm used to being in the thick of things, but if I'm to make it to the end of this tour I will have to conserve my energy.

I thought I'd claimed the corner seat in the back of the van, but as I got out to say goodnight to everybody, Cozy sneaked in to sit there as usual. The drive home was the usual mix of dozing whilst sitting up, numb bum and legs, pins & needles. We stopped near Uttoxeter on the A50 for some diesel and a chance to stretch our legs and then it was onwards towards home.
After dropping Cozy off we arrived home at about 4.00.

Yesterday was the longest day, the Summer Solstice. We seemed to spend a lot of it driving.

Bob & Cozy at Dumbleton

2010-06-21T12:58:00.000+01:00

A great show at Dumbleton

2010-06-20T23:08:00.001+01:00

We set off for Northampton just after 3 in the afternoon, collecting Cozy & Bob, fuelling up and then heading cross country via Daventry, Leamington and Evesham.
The venue was in a tiny village off the beaten track and it seemed that the crowd travelled up to 30 miles to get there. They were a really friendly bunch who made us welcome (and a nice cup of tea as well).
We had to play three sets of 45 minutes and Nicki soon had the audience hanging onto every word and every song. The really took to her and applauded when she told them about visiting Iraq to entertain the troops a couple of years ago, following up with a superb rendition of "The White Cliffs of Dover" that had a standing ovation.
We played a couple of songs for the first time, including Bob & Nicki duetting on "I remember you" which was a hit for her sponsor Frank Ifield back in the 60s. Nicki has a single of that song out now, produced by Bob, that features Nicki and Frank, in a lovely performance that spans the decades.
The third set included Nicki's mike failing twice while she was singing "An Australian Trilogy". Luckily the crowd knew the chorus to "Waltzing Matilda" and roared her home.
It was a rousing success and they've booked her again for next year.

All too soon it was over. Nicki was surrounded by well wishers as we dismantled the kit. When that was done I sat in the van while everything was loaded. We managed to get away by about 12.30 and we were home a couple of hours later.
My ear infection and ulcers made it difficult to swallow and I couldn't hear myself well enough to sing in tune. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

I'm coping OK but I'm glad of a day off on Sunday. On Monday I see my specialist and have some blood tests. I won't know until then how much more of the tour I can undertake.

Saturday 19th June

2010-06-19T13:07:00.000+01:00

I got to bed at about 5 this morning and was awake again at about 11 o'clock. I've got a sore throat and my mouth ulcers are playing up. Swallowing gives me earache. My temperature is OK. I will just have to watch it.

Friday June 18th Pickering Country Music Festival

2010-06-19T12:44:00.002+01:00

Fridays are not the best days to travel on UK's motorways. Our first show was at the Pickering Country Music Festival at Rosedale Abbey, deep in the North Yorkshire Moors. We had to be there at 5 in the afternoon so that mean we had to leave Kettering just after 11.
Chris drove the van and I sat in the front passenger seat. First stop was in Wellingborough where we picked up Robbo and Steve, who together with Cozy and Bob were the other band on the bill- Barbary Coast.
Next stop was Northampton where we filled up with diesel for the van and some food for me, then collected Cozy and the rest of his drum kit.
Then we headed north. Nicki, Tracy and Bob were already on the M1 about twenty minutes in front of us, so we met up at Leicester Forest East services.
We then drove in convoy to our destination, with rain showers and traffic jams along the way. We made good time and arrived at around 5.30 and set up.
We had a solo singer on the bill with us, so each act played two sets. Bob and Cozy played four sets in all. The stage was about the warmest place on the site. The wind was from the North and was very biting.
I stayed in the van when we weren't playing as I have to nurse my health. I hadn't played with a band since last summer and my ears played me tricks. My bass sounded out of tune although it wasn't, so I had to play by instinct.
It was like we hadn't been apart for the last eleven months. I really enjoyed the experience although it was so cold. When the show was over we got packed up and away by 12.30 and Chris drove us all the way back with a couple of convenience breaks and to top up with diesel. As we left the M1 to join the A14 I heard the dawn chorus and it was light by time we'd dropped everyone off. I got into bed just after 5 o'clock and awake at about eleven.
I've got a sore throat and earache. I'll have to take care.

Off we go...

2010-06-18T10:42:00.001+01:00

Chris is driving the van and he's picking everyone up this lunchtime. We have to be in Rosedale Abbey by about 5.00 to set up the kit.

We'll be somewhere in the middle of this valley

One day to go.

2010-06-17T09:27:00.000+01:00

Chris and I spent an hour or two emptying the van and refilling it again. All the kit is loaded, all the leads are checked, the ashtrays are emptied and we're ready to roll again.

First stop is the band rehearsal tonight

Nicki Gillis UK band 2009

2010-06-15T12:07:00.000+01:00

Here's a picture of Nicki and the band taken after a show last year. Can't wait to get started.

More from last year

2010-06-14T15:33:00.000+01:00

Nicki is a talented singer songwriter who can belt out a great tune. Here we are at one of last year's festivals playing a Eurythmics song.

Almost ready to rock!

2010-06-14T15:15:00.000+01:00

It's Monday 14th June and we're only a few days away from the 2010 Nicki Gillis UK tour. I was privileged to play for her when she toured here last year, and we have many happy memories from back then.
As you may know, I finished the tour and managed to get bitten by a tick while on holiday in Wales. To cut a long story short, it turned out that I had a form of leukaemia, so I've spent the last ten months getting having chemo and feeling a bit sick. However, the worst is over and I'm raring to play on at least a few of her shows.
The tour starts this Friday at the Pickering Country Music Festival, held at Rosedale Abbey, deep in the North Yorkshire Moors.
To give you a taste of what to expect, here's a video of Nicki and the band from a festival last year.