Stan is E.C.'s guitar tech. Most guitar tech's work from a set list, preparing the guitars for the different songs, leaving the artist to concerntrate on the music. Stan's work is more complicated than most, as E.C.'s set lists are more like a multiple choice paper, and a lot of the time he prepares two or three guitars..... intuitition....

Anyway, nothing was left to chance with Stan's BBQ, which he kindly invited us all to, tomorrow night being a hometown gig...

Thanks Stan,

(Trying to put up photos here, but there is a technical problem - comming soon)....

Yes the tour is over, and I am happy to be home in Paris once again, though only for a few days. But where is the rest of the tour journal, I hear you asking yourself? It is posted on the front page of this journal section as a PDF file, and so you can access it like that. There is no password to access this file. The main web journal page shall continue to be updated, from time to time, whenever something interesting and journal worthy takes place. Thanks for reading, and hope you keep comming back to the site..

TRAVEL:
BAND: AFTER SHOW LOCAL ONLY.
CREW: DRIVE TO BOCA RATON 261 MLS
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VENUE:
TAMPA BAY PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE
1010 NORTH MACINNES PL,
TAMPA FL. 33602
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We visited the AAA in St, Petersburg to get a quote for auto insurance. Jackson passed his driving license here in the States, a few weeks ago. He’d love to be mobile, but young men under 25 are in the worst bracket. The triple A is great, and one day when he gets driving his own car, I know he’ll want to join up. We also dropped by the main post office to get supplies for the “Windows” mail out. Our hotel is infested with marksmen, from our window they are clearly visible prowling the roof. The Vice President is here giving a speech at an afternoon reception. The atmosphere reminds me of the hotel we stayed in New York at the moment of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Iraq Conflict. There was a United Nations meeting and the delegates were all guests of our hotel. Three armed security guards in each elevator, one sitting outside each elevator door, on all 48 floors. I.D. checks every turn of the corridor. Why in addition to all the inconvenience, do these people have to be so rude and as they say in these parts, macho? Today, two marksmen opposite our window, they see Jackson and myself looking out over their territory. We’re not dressed at all like regular Floridians, black overcoats for one thing. For a minute they are paying more attention to us than the banquet in the grounds below. The audience are very responsive, and it’s the slower, softer songs that get the warmest response, so something has changed around here. My memory of playing the southernmost state, is young people, spaced out on smoking weed, and drinking Budweiser or Rolling Rock with their entire faces painted in bright primary colors. And yes wasn’t our first Tampa Bay gig at the Jai Alai Stadium? One guy, obviously drunk, though missing the grease paint, misunderstanding E.C.’s wonderful improvised scat about the tightened hotel security, and pre election machinations, treads a noisy exit, but is quickly drowned out by the overwhelming appreciation of tonight’s An old St. Pete friend, Gator Dave, his wife Robin, and her sister April were my guests. Back-stage Gator Dave let the cat out of the bag to Milo, about my birthday tomorrow. Now I was trying to keep that a secret. One or so in the morning, Jackson and I sped the hired car over to Tampa airport to the 24 on 7 post office, and out went the first shipment of windows. Thanks Jackson, I couldn’t have done that without all your help.
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SAT 21ST FEB. MIZNER AMPHITHEATRE BOCA RATON FL.
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TRAVEL:
BAND: DRIVE TO BOCA RATON 261 MLS.
CREW: DRIVE TO NASHVILLE878 MLS.
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VENUE:
MIZNER AMPHITHEATRE
590 PLAZA REAL
BOCA RATON
FL 33432
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Our bus driver kindly offered to drop Jackson in St. Pete on his way up to Nashville, Sunday, which meant he could tag along to Boca Raton. Thanks Ron. On the drive E.C. played some DVD’s of T.V. shows from the sixties. Sam and Dave, a lot of Blues artists, Etta James. A show called “The Beat”. Some Ed Sullivan Shows. Wonderful to watch. We are staying in an extraordinary piece of American Architecture, the Boca Raton Beach Club and Resort. I wonder if it’s the same architect that built the Nationale in Havana? Same interior features, I’m sure. Without me knowing it, Muriel had prompted everyone about the significance of Feb 21. There was a birthday cake in my dressing room and a birthday card from all the team. We were playing outdoors, but the crowd made us feel we were inside a cosy theatre. After the first couple of songs E.C. leaned into the mic and before I knew what was happening the audience were singing, in beautiful harmonies, Happy Birthday. It was a swell thing. Jackson met a school friend somewhere in the audience, now that tells you what a small world this is. After the show we shared a glass in the ‘cloistered’ courtyard of the hotel. A relaxing close to the day.
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SUN 22ND FEB. FLY TO NASHVILLE TN.

TRAVEL:
BAND: FLY TO NASHVILLE
CREW: DRIVING TO NASHVILLE
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Horrible Goodbye at the airport, but it’s a good thing to think of Jackson pulling up to his grandma’s house in that huge tour bus, later today. Long day of air travel. E.C. invited us out to a Japanese restaurant in the evening. Another soft shell crab experience, great.
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MON 23RD FEB. NASHVILLE TN. REHEARSE WITH THE BRODSKY,S

TRAVEL:
BAND: LOCAL ONLY
CREW: LOCAL ONLY
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VENUE: AT THE RYMAN TIME T.B.A (EARLY EVENING)

Seems that bus driver Ron misunderstood the situation. He was supposed to collect the Brodsky Quartet in Montgomery Alabama and drive them to Nashville in time for our rehearsal. Instead, he had in mind to get them here in time for the gig tomorrow. The big silver bus is now in a mad dash to meet the schedule, the Brodsky’s are waiting outside their hotel, telephoning to know what happened. Our rehearsal is re-scheduled for late evening. I visited the Nashville downtown. Everything has a for-sale sign on it. Things are looking depressed, tourism is dramatically down around here. That’s not a good thing. I visited the Hatch Show Print Works on Broadway. They do all the cool looking posters for the Ryman Theatre. They created a famous poster for Elvis Presley, playing at the Florida Theatre, Jacksonville, early in his career. Visit the web site: http://www.hatchshowprint.com After the rehearsal E.C., the Brods, and myself have a good moment of banter in the hotel bar.
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TUES 24TH FEB.RYMAN AUDITORIUM NASHVILLE TN.

TRAVEL:
BAND: LOCAL ONLY
CREW: AFTER SHOW DRIVE TO NEW YORK 903 MLS.
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VENUE:
RYMAN AUDITORIUM
116 FIFTH AVE.
NORTH NASHVILLE
TN. 37219
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I took a short walk over to the Baptist Hospital complex. They have a gymn and a swimming club, open to guests of our hotel. I had the pool all to myself, a long lap pool. Also a very efficient whirlpool, hot and turbulent, which relaxed me so much that I slept off most of the afternoon, waking in time for the soundcheck. The Ryman is the legendary home of the Grand Ole Opry. So many performers have graced these planks, there’s always an air of occasion when you get to play a place like this. The audience sit on church pews, I believe this was originally a mission house, turned theatre, and the acoustics are wonderful. The set, like the last time here, was around two hours in length, yet there were only a handful of songs that we played here last time. That’s amazing. The Brodsky Quartet played with great fire and energy, adding warmth to the North songs. Real Emotional Girl, the Randy Newman song, received their classical touch. E.C. and I performed Heart Shaped Bruise. During the God’s Comic scat, E.C. slammed the President for his decision to ban same sex ‘marriages’ in America. The audience clearly felt the same way. “What’s wrong with people expressing their love for each other”? E.C. was sporting some very pointed and shining silver boots, that didn’t escape one cowboy’s notice in the audience. In between songs this chap was shouting and hollering something about them boots. The atmosphere in the hall was a finely tuned balance between honky tonk and recital hall. A drum-less Pump It Up tipped that equilibrium and the gals took to their dancing feet. After the show, Emmy Lou Harris came back stage with her mum, and family. I also met up with Dave Jacques, double bass and tuba player with John Prine. I left the theatre feeling a strong high from the music and the folks there. The poster for the show, printed by the Hatch Print Company, rolled under my arm.
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WEDS 18TH FEB. FLORIDA THEATRE JACKSONVILLE FL.
TRAVEL: BAND: CREW: LOCAL ONLY AFTER SHOW DRIVE TO CLEARWATER 195MLS.
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VENUE: FLORIDA THEATRE
128 E. FORSYTHE ST.
JACKSONVILLE FL. 32202
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I accidentally left my CD player, and CD’s at the baggage claim of Jacksonville airport. This doesn’t bode well. I hare loosing things. I call Delta a couple of times, and they sound very helpful, though I have the feeling that nothing will be recovered of this. I’ve had this CD player 2 years, so I feel bad, and angry with myself. African Dawn was good company too. I wish I could recall the order of the set we actually performed tonight. The ‘set’ is never in fact the same as the set list E.C. writes out and Milo (that’s our stage manager) tapes to my piano. This is one of the exciting aspects of performing with E.C., you are never going to follow a list. He has so many great compositions up his sleeve, and he takes the risk to follow his heart and go where the mood takes him. (At times, I’m sure, the reaction of the audience tempts him to make certain choices). Tonight E.C. took many detours from the list, and every surprise was a good one. If anyone has a set list of tonights show, I’d love them to post it here. Would be interesting to compare it with the ‘abandoned’ list:
ACCIDENTS/45 ROCKING HORSE ROAD/BRILLIANT MISTAKE
LONG HONEYMOON
SHOT WITH HIS OWN GUN
THIS HOUSE IS EMPTY NOW
YOU LEFT ME IN THE DARK
SOMEONE TOOK THE WORDS AWAY
TOLEDO/NO WONDERHOME TRUTH
YOU TURNED TO ME
FALLEN
GOD’S COMIC/THIS IS HELL
EITHER SIDE OF THE SAME TOWN
INDOOR FIRWORKS/SWEET DREAMS
MAN OUT OF TIME/DEEP DARK TRUTHFUL MIRROR
PEACE LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING
SHIPBUILDING/SLEEP OF THE JUST
WHEN IT SINGS
STILL
GOD GIVE ME STRENGTH
INCH BY INCH/ALMOST BLUE
LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT HER/I’M THE MOOD AGAIN
I STILL HAVE THAT OTHER GIRL
COULDN’T CALL IT UNEXPECTED

THRS 19TH FEB.
RUTH ECKARD HALL CLEARWATER FL. TRAVEL: BAND: CREW: DRIVE TO CLEARWATER DRIVE TO TAMPA 195MLS 41 MLS.
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VENUE: RUTH ECARD HALL
1111 McMULLEN BOOTH RD.
CLEARWATER FL.
34619
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My two children were born in St Petersburg Florida. My son Jackson is here, so I spent most of the day with him re-visiting old haunts. Nostalgia is a strange mixture. Lunch down-town at the Coney Island Hot Dog. Photo of this legendary Americana will be added to the personal photograph album asap. I’m actually feeling pain typing this, which may indicate the force that attacked the Steinway tonight. The piano just didn’t respond enough, and had to be beaten into submission. My fingers are sore as hell. Notice, there are four shows in a row, a situation that we try to avoid, mainly to protect E.C’s voice. On stage the same list was successfully abandoned again tonight. Girl’s talk was extremely enjoyable to play, followed by Mystery Dance. After the Jacksonville show, instead of following the road book and staying in town, we hit the road, and drove in the night. Road works along the freeway slowed our journey, (seems American laborers are OK to work in the night under arc lamps, could be a Florida thing, with the hot sun in the day?? I’ve seen it often in Japan). We watched the Buddy Holly story, and I feel something of that spirit came tumbling out during this unexpected moment. There were other moments I thoroughly enjoyed, but I cannot go through them all. A strange thing happened during When it Sings. When we perform as a duo, there is a communication that I cannot explain, that mysteriously informs me when I should slow down, or play softer, or play more intense, or whatever. I had the sure feeling that E.C. was making a pause, and so I held back, but it was not the case. E.C. was suspended in mid sentence, he was actually waiting for me. It was a protracted freeze frame that only a grimace from E.C. snapped me out of. Sometimes you need to mark your score “Keep going regardless, do not think about ‘accompanying’. Lead on.” Other weird moments. My synthesizer was set to ‘Farfisa’, when I was expecting ‘subtle analog strings’. The LCD is so small it only displays a three digit number, another thing to watch your step about. Oh yes, copies of Windows arrived today. So post office tomorrow. That’ll keep me out of the sun.
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TRAVEL DAY
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Woke at seven a.m. Took a taxi with Muriel and Antoine, St Martin Belleville to Geneva Airport. Horrible Goodbyes. Swiss Air to New York. Delta Airlines to Jacksonville. Nirvana, Sam Cooke, Mystic, Let It Be Naked and Abdullah Ibrahim on my CD player.No sign of any of my crew at the hotel. I’m whacked.
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