I got a new pair a shoes before I left home, for the tour, like, and beyond. I was well due a pair. Ones that wouldn’t be leaking. You can’t have that, and that’s the ways it was for the last while, though it didn’t matter much with the weather we’d been enjoying since April or May. The joy of new shoes is celebrated by Seamus Ruttledge’s moving song of the same name. Like acquiring a new skin, you get that sense of new life, the strength that it brings you, encouraging you to go forward fresh into the future with a sense of comfort and confidence. I’m still wearing them in, mind you; my heels are a small bit tender, but it won’t take much longer before myself and the shoes are getting along fine and dandy. Just been out for a walk to Maplin’s, the ‘electronic specialists’, here in St. Helen’s for a few batteries to keep the juices running in our little musical gadgets. Can’t be having a power-cut in the middle of one of these gigs….no sir-ee. It feels great to be back over in England again, out on tour. I wasn’t much good at geography in school, still amn’t, but I remember being taught the concept of ‘conurbation’ by our second-year geography teacher, Kevin 0”Dwyer, and his telling us that it manifested itself right beside us in England. It sure does. In this region for the most part, the edge of one town or city meets with the edge of the next one. Hazard messaged me last night when he saw we were in Newton-Le-Willows, “Just down the road from me,” he says. “I’d’ve offered ye a plank if only I’d known” Well there wasn’t much chance of Hazard knowing, cos neither me nor Anto had any idea where we were going to end up last night; Hazard would want to be a fortune-telling, mind-reading, magic-man if we was to know that we were to be so close to a plank at ChezHaz. But thanks for the generous offer anyways, Haz. We’re very lucky with the venue here in St. Helen’s. Our promoter, Nigel McIntyre, has a well-tuned-in concept of what suits the Leo & Anto show. We’re blessed. The Citadel here is tight and cozy with intimate seating on the floor and a delightfully close-up, in-your-face balcony. People have been asking why we aren’t doing some shows down South and we’ve been chatting to Nigel about it over the last while. The venues that he feels are best for us unfortunately book quite far in advance so he wasn’t able to secure them this time around but we’ll be looking towards booking a few for sure in 2015. Gorgeous crowd in The Citadel and a most enjoyable night. Thanks so much to Emily for presenting me with a maroon and white wristband she made specially for me and to Tia and Neve, not only for the lovely artwork they kindly made and gave to myself and Anto but also came up on stage and danced to Tommy K with us. Brilliant! The after-show party was a bit quiet. By the time we got out of the venue everywhere was closed save for the hotel bar, with just meself and Anto. Not shockingly exciting. Reminded me of a poem written by a Geordie poet by the name of Keith Barrett – EMPTY BAR Have you ever sat In an empty bar Completely Talking only to the barmaid Discretely Have you worked here very long Whats that on the juke box Whats that song Is she bored Yes She is Would you like a glass of fizz The match was on Man U versus West Brom All the punters now have gone So only me All alone Might as well of Stayed at home The barmaid has polished the tables Shuffled the chairs Looked in the mirror Adjusted the hair The glasses are washed Dried and stacked Empty bar Atmosphere lacked The bar trade on a Monday night Has turned into A pile of shite Everyone is swerving the drink That is what I think Keeping off it How can there be a profit Glass is empty Bar is empty Im leaving Ten twenty
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 17:03:21 +0000
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