Monday morning, so it must be Red Bank. We finally have two nights in the same city, so a break from the remorseless show-fly-show-fly routine designed to reduce sane men into gibbering wrecks. I think I can safely say this tour (and the Fall one which we will be announcing on Wednesday) will be the last with this routine. 2018 in Europe and Japan is already booked with all double shows - and for 2019, many more multiple nights, or perhaps a World Tour of a city. Watch this space.
Another very good show last night, even if Jakko did, apparently, briefly deafen himself with his in-ear monitors so that he was running blind for a minute or so. And a lively and enjoyable Royal Package. One guest had so many burning questions that he is coming back tonight for round two. The guest “star in a reasonably priced car” was Gavin – who, amidst his Crimson tales, told a wonderful story about his time playing the musical “Chess”, and the antics of bored professional musicians. The brass players apparently started a competition in a 15-minute break to see who could get furthest from the venue, buy a drink with a receipt to prove it, and return to play the next part without being sacked for being late (a game which eventually included long taxi rides). Yesterday was a tough day in the management office (of which more another day), but thankfully errant musicians were not part of it - Although Mel can usually be relied upon to leave something somewhere. In Quebec airport, through no fault of his own, the check-in girl managed to drop his passport down the side of the conveyor belt, so they almost needed to dismantle the airport to get us on our way. We only have one saxophone player – if it had been a drummer, we keep spares…
A few photos from the road. The show at Toronto :
And then VideoTron in Quebec, where the venue (a huge ice hockey rink) sounded much better than many feared.
Afterwards, we wandered the streets to hear some of the jazz festival, and listened to a ten-piece band from Brazil..who have followed us from Montreal, where I also saw some of their show at the festival there. I had now seen them twice and still had no idea who they were, so I bought their CD from the front of the stage at the end...and I am still none the wiser! Nor do I expect it to capture the infectious spirit of their live show, but happy to have made a contribution.
And finally Red Bank. A picture of people taking a picture of people taking a picture...
And the walk back to the hotel...
