TRAVEL: BAND: AFTER SHOW LOCAL ONLY. CREW: DRIVE TO BOCA RATON 261 MLS --------------------------------------------------- VENUE: TAMPA BAY PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE 1010 NORTH MACINNES PL, TAMPA FL. 33602 --------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SAT 21ST FEB. MIZNER AMPHITHEATRE BOCA RATON FL. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRAVEL: BAND: DRIVE TO BOCA RATON 261 MLS. CREW: DRIVE TO NASHVILLE878 MLS. ------------------------------------------------------- VENUE: MIZNER AMPHITHEATRE 590 PLAZA REAL BOCA RATON FL 33432 ------------------------------------------------------- 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. --------------------------------------------------- SUN 22ND FEB. FLY TO NASHVILLE TN. TRAVEL: BAND: FLY TO NASHVILLE CREW: DRIVING TO NASHVILLE --------------------------------------------------- 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. --------------------------------------------------- MON 23RD FEB. NASHVILLE TN. REHEARSE WITH THE BRODSKY,S TRAVEL: BAND: LOCAL ONLY CREW: LOCAL ONLY --------------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------------------------ TUES 24TH FEB.RYMAN AUDITORIUM NASHVILLE TN. TRAVEL: BAND: LOCAL ONLY CREW: AFTER SHOW DRIVE TO NEW YORK 903 MLS. --------------------------------------------------- VENUE: RYMAN AUDITORIUM 116 FIFTH AVE. NORTH NASHVILLE TN. 37219 --------------------------------------------------- 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. -----------------------------------------------------

Hello Steve. This journal you keep is very interesting to read. Thanks for keeping me entertained. "Windows" is a wonderful cd and I am so glad to have purchased it. Looking forward to seeing the show tomorrow in NYC. Thanks again.

I went to the Boca Raton,FL show. Man you and E.C. were smoking!!! Great mellow yet powerful set. My wife is not at all a E.C. fan but man she loved the way you hit them keys. Thanks for the great memories I will always have of this fine performance. You guys are awesome. Come back to Florida anytime.

Hi Steve,
Happy Birthday for the other day. I'm enjoying the journal please keep it up throughout the tour. Any news on a new album with the Imposters? Any news on coming back to Britain for more dates (apart from the Bournmouth show)? I get this horrible feeling that EC really dislikes playing in England nowadays just because of the press coverage over 'North' or any other album over the last 15 years. Yet if you can remember the Birmingham show late last year he seemed to start the show in a mood (okay what's new?)and then warms to the audience. His audience in Britain is hardcore and will follow his moods and tastes wherever. The 'fans' are not the press. Please let him know.
Please let me know what you think.
Good luck on the rest of the tour. Are you going to the oscars?

All the best.
Neil.

Was at the Ryman show (this year and last). Incredible experience, as always. My wife could not make it, so on a whim I brought the mom. A quick convert, as she enjoyed everything from the more sedate material from North, to Pump It Up. Thanks again for making it such a special evening. You are right about downtown Nashville - it has sure seen better days. Hopefully the next time you come things will have begun to change.

Thanks for such an awesome show at the Ryman tuesday night!! You were utterly amazing! I also saw y'all Oct. 2002 and it was also amazing! I am the complete moron who asked you to sign North and asked you if your fingers were still sore--I woke up the next day and thought 'oh hell! He probably thought I was insulting him!' Sometimes information (from this very journal) can be a bad thing--at least in the wrong hands. Should I ever be fortunate enough to meet you again, I swear I'll just say thank you! Your journal is wonderful to read. Thanks. I'm almost out of !!!!!'s now! Really truly thank you. It was a wonderful show.

Steve,
What a treat to find that you have an online journal that is so accessible! I had the wonderful opportunity to see you and EC perform on your b'day in Boca Raton (I was among the harmonious crowd of serenaders). I had seen you two previously when you played Sunrise, FL on Halloween night a few years back. Fantastic shows, both! Thanks for bringing it back to Florida, and I hope you'll soon return. My dream (well, one of my dreams, anyway) is to someday see you guys at the Beacon Theater in NY, my former hometown. I'm just not in a position (yet, which some say is an acronym for "you're eligible, too") where I can afford to fly around the country to see my favorite performers. Someday...
Peace, love and all things wonderful,
Keith