This time next week ........

..... we will be finialising all the details and fixing all the necessary issues regarding the wedding on Sunday .... Yippee! Really cant wait for the big day to see everyone and of course marry the wonderful women who is Louise.

I still haven't blogged about Dave Matthews or the Brugge gig last night, but I am so busy at work and at night time it is really difficult to find the time. However, I have found some time so ....

Dave Matthews - Wow! What a night. I was so excited about seeing the great man! I was totally buzzed, pumped and bursting to the seams. He was very very good, he was very shy and I think humbled by the whole night. Remember this guy "doesn't do" UK/Europe after an incident with the British people in 2001 and so for him to get the reaction he got and the way he moved around on stage and played, you could tell he indeed felt "blessed" (his words). The night was spoilt however .... apologies Ruby .... by the Americans who attended. The basically whooped and shouted and yehaared all night both during songs and during the stories. Shameful reaaly. They kept shouting out songs .... which Dave simply and politely told them that he was there to play music to English people not to be shouted at! Unfortunatly for me the songs they shouted out were 2 of my favourites ... which Dave then didn't do (he had done them at the other 2 shows in MAnchester and Burr Ming Ham. A really unforgettable night! He will be back with the band soon ... he promised so he had better not let me down!!!

BRUGGE last night was the usual combination of non listening punters who never clap and a wonderful bunch of people led by a very fun Canadian Lady who proceed to get EVERYONE in the bar dancing! ... even though she didnt know them ..... It is always so much easier and better to play to these sort of people, you know where you stand with them .... needless to say I went past the 00.00 mark and so ended up getting home much later than expected. Drank 2 Red Bulls in the car which made me VERY hyper!!! WARNING .... dont drink 2 Bulls quickly!

Anyway...... I won't be here for 3 weeks .... Wedding followed by Honeymoon for I will be back around Mid June

Have a great rest of May and early June ..... and speak soon!

Dave Matthews

Yes, I am excited .... in fact more excited than I have been for a long time. Reason? I have tickets to see Dave Matthews in Hammersmith Apollo on Monday night ... oh yes! The guy has never been to Europe before so obviously this is a moment not to miss.

For those who are unaware of the great man .... then please make sure that in the next couple of months ... YOU DO! I am not going to spend time here telling you all about him and his band ... the band aren't coming to London ... boo hoo. .... all I am going to say is to get some of his stuff either on CD or download or whatever.

So .... I have starved myself by not listening to ANY of his music for the past week.

To show how much I really appreciate the music of this guy ... my current list of all time great Musos are now

1. Mahler
2. Steely Dan
3. The Beatles
4. Dave Matthews
5. The Flower Kings

I will be publishing a Blog after the event .... promise!

6 reasons why I haven't blogged

1. The Weather is beautiful here in Brussels for a change

2. Nothing of interest to say really

3. Work is very busy

4. Final preparations are currently ongoing which is taking up a lot of time

5. Trying to think of a 5th reason is time consuming.

6. There is no 6th

BUT, I will be playing at Singer Songwriters Tonight along with Steve Jones so if you arte aroung ... pop in to the Grand Prix Café from 21.00

Paris .... in Springtime.

According to the song ...... it is supposed to be "sunny and gay and warm and all play" ....... but I can tell you first hand that it is NOT!

After working in Paris for the week .... hence the non blogging .... Louise travelled to Paris so that we could spend a weekend without the worries, concerns or organising of the wedding. This we did but under cloudy and rainy skies. It was "sunny and gay and warm and all play" for the last hour we were there!





We spent the Saturday at the Palace of Versailles just on the outskirts of Paris. An amazing place that I would recommend to everyone young and old. A lot of walking but with so many different and wonderful things to see, it hardly matters. Unfortuntely for us, but not for those visiting next year, the Hall of Mirrors is half closed due to renovation work. This work started in 2002 and still has another year to go but it will look fantastic when finished. BIG TIP .... buy an all day passport before you go!! The queues were a good hour long when we arrived, howevere after taking the lmiberty to buy them before hand (FNAC or other ticket outlets) we were straight in. They even have different enterances for the all the different appartments visits for those with the passport and for those without. Again this saves about 20-30 minutes every time.

For more info ... www.chateauversailles.fr

Small gig update. The Gig at L'Alphabet had been cancelled, however I will be at the Singsong Wroters night at Grand Prix this Thursday ........

BIZON JAM

Not a reference to fruit toppings on toast but to the very interesting and successful Bizon Jam last night .... errrr ... at the Bizon.

No pictures to show, although I do have a blurred photo of the blister on my bottom of my 4th finger as evidence of mad tambourine playing. Thanks to all those who turned up last night, Thanks to ....

Tony Futheringham for his always crowd pleasing songs although I most enjoyed the look of horror on his face when I asked him to improvise a blues
Nick Yule for the excellent solo in Its Probably Me ....... and his guitar playing
Eric Moens for playing all songs all night in Eb, Ab, Db, Bb, ..... hope you still love me? We must get that slide solo in Piece of Mind worked on!!
Oliver Willardson for his incredible bouncing bomb impression as well as the last song of you 3 song set ...... it's better faster .... trust me
Ciaran Mc Manus for playing percussion for only the second time in his life in front of an audience ..... the first time sober
Dexter ..... FINALLY .... he's BACK!!!! Along the watchtower was cool man!
Nick Worrall for thinking about us
Nico Corten for bringing back a few good memories
Philip and Arne for bein the busiest and the best barmen in Brussels
Jon Eldridge for being there AGAIN
The 2 Policeman for being true sports!
Rose O Donovan for always Crystal clear accapella singing .... but you lose a point for not joining in on "With A Little Help"
Darius ..... for being Darius
Sarah ...... for being better looking than her Dad!

Thanks to the wonderful Bizon audience who are always easy to please!