Final Saturday

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

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

The Long haul - Part six

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

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 three

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

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

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 Two

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 Sandboy Inn at Bawsey, Kings Lynn

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

Gloucester- Friday

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.....

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

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.

Immingham Tuesday

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.