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CHRISTINE's TRAVELLING DIARY.... "Once more unto the road dear friends … Autumn shows 2005 "
I can’t believe we’re already into December! My musical adventures began way back in September a feint but pleasant memory in my goldfish mind. Who remembers that far back? Well lucky for me I have some small reminders at my finger-tips: not only have I been on tour, but Bob and I moved out of London up to the Nottinghamshire countryside, his wonderful Artiste Corinne Bailey Rae performed on Later with Jools Holland and I also did a short stint with the super talented Beth Neilsen Chapman in, of all places … St Paul’s Cathedral! But hold on a minute, there’s a whole load of stuff before we reach those heady heights!

So … let’s start at the very beginning … cast your minds back to a sunny if cool Saturday on September 24 th. Before going to the Hermit Club in Brentwood I drove off to Harlow where the delightful Chris Howarth awaited to service our little red Vauxhall … he is our official car Angel and keeps the wheels and more importantly the engine of our hard working tour-mobile firmly but smoothly on the tarmac. Hurrah for Chris we love him! Bob had much to do before the gig so stayed at home working hard over a cranky computer with the intention of catching a train up to Brentwood later on. I left what I thought was a lovely lunch for him, only to have him be very sick immediately after and unable to attend my first autumnal offering. Ah. He was very much missed.
I have played the Hermit Club many times over the years but it had been almost a decade since my last show there and I was intrigued as to how it might have changed. Apart from a much better sound system all seemed to be as it was last time I was there … this was a very good thing. The evening was part of a festival and so only one set was required and I took the opportunity to try out a new song from “Love” the rega project recordings … not quite available at that point unfortunately! So … “Lighter than Air”, a song I co-wrote with Rod Bowkett, got it’s live baptism and a lovely response … phew! It was a good feeling performing again and lovely to be back at an old familiar place. I hope it’s not 10 years before they invite me back! Although Bob was missing I still had attentive Roadies in the form of Chris Howarth and Ian and Sue James … thanks guys! I felt very much looked after.
It was another bright day as we drove towards Bridgnorth in Devon the following Friday, September 30th. Unlike Brentwood this was a new venue for me and a lovely place it is too. There are a number of photos from Andy Lock who came and snapped away throughout the evening … thanks Andy! We had fish and chips before the show and walked around this pretty town by the river. I used my new sexy G7th cappo this night and found out there were several ways to use it! Thanks to a friendly guitarist in the audience I discovered I was using it upside-down! Oops! Despite my topsy-turvy positions, we all had a great time and I hope to be back again. (photos shown taken by Andy Lock)

On Sunday October 2nd, Bob and I packed up all our worldly goods and jammed them into Bob’s daughter’s fiance’s van (keep up!) and headed for our new home in the Nottinghamshire countryside … hurrah! It was a beautiful day and we nearly got everything in the one trip … but not quite! Bob headed back down the A1 later the same night and single-handedly finished the move on Monday. My hero!x It was difficult keeping one eye on the gigs and the other on where boxes and their contents needed to be but some how over the next few weeks it all got sorted out. We’re still staring a few boxes in the face from day to day but getting there. We love our new space!!! The Processed Pea in Etton, Yorks was my first gig after the move and now an almost local gig! It took all of an hour and a quarter to get there and even less on the way back. I played here nearly 18 years ago! Sound check was quick and easy and our steak pie and chips delicious! This was the first night that “Love” was available on cd (the LP is still being readied after a slight manufacturing hitch … we’ll keep you posted when it’s finally here), it’s always exciting when the first one is sold! Hurrah.

I went to the Black Swan in York on my own on Thursday October 6th as Bob was in London (ironic having just left to live in’t countyside!). I took advantage of accommodation at the gig and was delighted to find out the show was sold out beforehand! A text message from my good friends Paul and Julie who live in Ely told me they’d come up on speck and couldn’t get in … oops … we somehow managed to squeeze them in at the back. Hurrah again! It was a great night if a little on the sweaty side … is that too much information?!

I was up early the next day and headed back to my country residence and also to help my delightful friend Diane Ansell, set up a surprise party for her husband Bryan who would be 50 Tuesday!

A great deal of subterfuge and sneaky but brilliant organisation (all Diane’s doing!) had gone into this wonderful event and Bryan … bless him! … hadn’t a clue! I was part of the surprise and did a 20 minute set in his honour.

It was a fabulous night.

On Wednesday October 12 th Corinne, Bob’s up and coming singer/songwriter artist had her first of 4 dates at the Cherry Jam near Paddington London. These were to be an introduction to the press and a warm-up trial for her self and the band. A great deal of preparation went into these dates and a palpable level of excitement could be felt as people began to arrive. Her first single was to be released a few weeks into this residency and EMI were hoping for a positive response from the invited press … which they got in bucket loads!!

It was a great success and the following Tuesday Corinne and her guitarist Jan were invited to perform on " Later with Jools Holland" on his first show of the season! Oh hurrah! Visit Corinne’s website and catch her performance there: www.corinnebaileyrae.com.

Bob and I drove out to Norwich from London on Thursday October 13 th, another beautiful day. I love playing at the Arts centre, it’s definitely one of my favourites. A good crowd attended including a load of young performers who were suitably impressed … much to my amazement!

This was one of the few gigs where I remembered to take photos! Hurrah. I also wore my new swishy black dress and boots for the first time … yes!
(Pics: Norwich - right. Cambridge - below)

We stayed at the Lamb Inn in Ely courtesy of Paul Leitch once again … we also had the four poster bed again! Ha, ha, ha! Thanks Paul!
After a leisurely day roaming the streets of Ely we headed off early evening to Cambridge and the new Folk Club venue at the Golden Hind, a very impressive looking old pub, on the outskirts of Cambridge. It’s a great space up stairs and a healthy crowd (in terms of numbers!) turned up to pack the place. This was another show where I remembered to take photos – evidence that I’m not just making this all up! A really enjoyable night and a bouncy “Dirt in The Ground”!
We stayed in Ely once again and left after lunch heading for Oldham on Saturday. About 30 minutes down the road my mobile phone went off and Paul Leitch was on the other end asking if I was missing anything?! I’d left my stage clothes in the wardrobe! Argh! So … around we turned back to Ely to pick up my (new!) stage clothes. We were now pushed for time … doh! Me and my memory!

We arrived in Shawe where the Playhouse 2 resides, around tea time, exactly the time we needed to be there … phew! It took a while to find the place but once parked etc everything went smoothly. There had been a play on during the week and a fabulous map was painted onto the stage floor which I thought I’d make use of during my own show but once I got going forgot all about it! My lovely friends Lynda Turner and Chris Davis came to this gig and giggled all the way through … hurrah for friends! Another lovely night and a not too shabby “Dirt in the Ground” to boot! We drove back to our new home that night – yes!
(pic right: Ely four poster)

Corinne’s appearance on the Jools Holland show was recorded on Tuesday October 18 th … and I was there! She was to do one acoustic song playing guitar along with Jan the guitarist from her band. There was a sound check/run through earlier in the day and when we turned up later for the actual event we were all introduced to Mr Burt Bacharach! And we looked from afar at Goldfrapp! The show is recorded live and the tension/excitement is high to say the least. Corinne’s spot was three quarters of the way through the show – plenty of time to get nervous - and she was magnificent … her first TV appearance and a live one with all these established acts! … she sang beautifully and charmed everyone with her natural ability. I was so proud of her! There was an after show party up stairs at the BBC which we attended … once the show’s recorded, all that tension needs releasing and upstairs is where it happens … we had fun.

On Friday, October 21 st I played at another new venue: The Town Hall Arts centre in Selby. It was a typical wet and grey autumn day and didn’t do justice to this lovely town. Bob used to come here as a little boy and remembered the huge Abbey and great fish and chips!

We were made very welcome and soon had sound check out if the way. A delightful assortment of fresh goodies was placed in the dressing room for Bob and I to eat … the most memorable of which was a whole bucket of Chocolate Brownies! Naughty but very nice … I refrained until after the show otherwise I’d have raced my way through the set! It’s a lovely space and more people than I expected turned up … and on such a miserable night … I’m always amazed at that! Thanks Selby.

On our way back home we stopped off at a good friend of Bob’s, Mick Holland’s and watch Corinne on Later whilst eating Selby Fish and Chips! What a fab combination! Although it was fleeting … I was on camera twice! Hurrah. We relived the excitement all over again.

Then … my body decided to have one of those horrible nasty throat infections, which very kindly turns into a head cold and makes you feel bloody awful! But if there was a perfect time for me to have it … it was then! Hurrah. I kept to my bed for several days, drinking gallons of water and downing multiple tablets of vitamin C and by Friday 28 th October all was well. Phew!

We travelled down Friday to Southampton in readiness for an early morning flight to the lovely Island of Jersey Saturday 29 th. We walked around St Helier in a sleepy haze looking for coffee and breakfast in the dazzling sunshine. We found a great coffee shop : “Bean Around The World” and gradually woke up. An afternoon snooze (in another four poster bed!) was still in order though but by 5 o’clock, energies were back up to gigging levels.

The Arts centre in St Helier is a delightful venue with high-level technical equipment: PA and lights and delightful staff to work them; sound check was particularly painless and Bob and I took ourselves off to eat a nourishing Italian meal before show-time. Life is good! The gig itself was lovely and I really hope it’s possible to make a return trip soon.
Another early morning flight back to the mainland the following day and a boat trip across that small strip of water to the Isle of Wight in the pouring rain; miraculously the sun came shining through as we parked outside the local radio station in time for a pre-show interview with the lovely John Hannam. John remembered interviewing me and Clive Gregson many, many moons before!
(pictured right - our lovely Isle of Wight Promoters)
We found our way to the B and B, booked by the venues promoters and lo and behold …another four poster bed! This made us laugh a lot! The Quay Arts centre was very close by, though a circuitous car ride to park outside due to one way madness. This is a truly delightful place with art gallery and venue on one side of the river and the cutest little shop where people enter the complex and (my favourite bit!) a rickety old wooden bridge which takes you across the river to the show! Hurrah. This was another situation with high quality pa and sound man and I was most impressed with the overall sound; it makes my life so much easier. A great show and another invite back asap please!
The following week had me back in London to see Corinne’s final Cherry Jam gig which was, of course, was a fantastic success. I took the opportunity to stay with Barb Jungr a couple of nights and was pleasantly surprised when I arrived at her gorgeous flat Wednesday lunchtime, by mutual friends who were just in town from Vancouver! Valdine and Gary were instrumental in Hell Bent Heaven Bound playing the Vancouver Festival in 1994! We had a very tasty lunch and time to catch up on each other’s news; hurrah. (pics: CC & Barb Jungr / Gary & Valdine)
I spent time with Steve Lima on Thursday working on new songs for the next studio album (it never ends!). Then on Friday after another singing lesson with Oleg Lapa (I’ve been seeing him for over 12 years!) we made our way up to High Wycombe and the Swan. I always love playing here and this night proved to be another hilarious show with many friends , past and present making an effort to be there; much appreciated of course! (pics: Wycombe friends / CC, FelixThe Cat guitar and Darryl)

Bonfire Night at The Ansell's...
We drove home afterwards, arriving in the wee small hours. It was now November 5 th and we had a bonfire night to remember! I took a huge amount of photos of Bryan and Diane Ansell’s spectacular bonfire; it was an amazing thing and on top of that the fireworks were marvellous too and the food ! Thanks Diane and Bryan … you’re the best!

While Bob had to go back to London on Monday I had the luxury of staying in our new home until Friday 11 th when my next gig took us to Ely once again. And yes … we had the four poster bed once more – we are spoiled rotten! This was a lovely gig and given the size of the audience, Dirt in The Ground was a little miracle! I managed to bring all my belongings with me this time and we drove the country route back via the Forty Foot Drain!

I’d been invited to take part in a very special event the following weekend, by Beth Nielsen Chapman (www.bethnielsenchapman.com) She knows the cannon of St Paul’s and he’d asked if she would be the subject of the Sunday service there on November 20 th! I was thrilled and honoured to be asked by her and to work alongside Maartin Allcock and Pete Zorn! Unfortunately I knew none of the material and had to cram like mad before rehearsals in Banbury on Thursday 17 th. Maartin was particularly helpful and put my panic stricken self at ease before we met up. Beth flew in from Nashville on Thursday morning and came straight to rehearsals where she sang instantly and beautifully for several hours! Amazing.
(pic right: CC hides behind her hymnsheet in St Pauls Cathedral)

We not only did hymns for the Sunday service at St Paul’s but Beth had also been invited to perform at a private 50 th birthday party at … the Victoria and Albert museum on the Saturday night! So I also had a crash course in Beth’s own wonderful material for this show.
Maartin had me playing keyboards too! Those two notes made all the difference!

(pic left: Maartin, Pete, CC, Beth)
(pic right: Beth, Maartin and CC's keyboard debut!)
The entire experience including meeting Beth, was simply wonderful and singing in St Paul’s will stay with me for a long, long time. Beth is hoping to put together a concert of Hymns with four part harmony to be performed in Cathedrals around Europe, next Christmas. If this fantastic idea comes to fruition you must all come and experience it … it’s a truly beautiful thing!

I had a get together with Dave Kelly and The Travelling Gentlemen on Monday 21 st, to have a look at a few new songs for next year; it was lovely to see everyone again. On Wednesday 23rd Bob and I drove off mid afternoon heading for Halifax and the Square Chapel Arts centre. Helen Watson showed up at sound check and stayed to have fish and chips with us before getting the train back to Hebden Bridge – prior engagements meant she couldn’t stay for the show but it was fantastic to see her. She’s hoping to come and stay at our new gaff and do a bit of writing together … very soon. Yes please! I loved this venue – a bit like “it does what it says on the tin” - this is a Chapel and … it’s Square! A very friendly bunch they turned out to be and some people had travelled a fair few miles to be there. Thanks Halifax.

The temperature dropped considerably over night and everything was crisp if not exactly dry, the next day. We had a leisurely drive up to Morpeth and Rod Clement’s “Rothbury Roots” club. We met a number of characters here! Harry, a local character using the bar room next door, was not part of the audience but became a very important part of the show; a recent widower at 87, his cheek and sheer personality were fabulous and made an already great night into a very memorable one. Hurrah for Harry and everyone at Rothbury Roots for a special night in deed!
We had to drive up to Glenfarg on Friday 25th … the day of the snow blizzards. We were innocently enjoying the beautiful views from Rothbury going northwards, bright blue sky and brilliant sunshine along with several enormous rainbows lulling us into a false sense of good weather, when we hit Coldstream and … everything went grey. From there on out we were battling the elements. Even so we were extremely lucky and the real snow fell either side of where we were travelling. The only real bit of difficulty was due to a crash on the M90 … our last few miles of the journey. (pic: CC finally in her warm room at the Bein Inn!)
We were extra glad to get to The Famous Bein Inn and enjoyed being snug and warm in our room while outside everything froze. This was only our second visit but we felt very much at home and though the weather obviously defeated some people, the night was a roaring success.

I was particularly pleased to see Chris Howarth! How did he ever get that far so quickly!? We had a wee dram before bed that night. Hurrah.

(pic left: CC with Dave Mundell at the Bein Inn)
Favoured by the weather Gods once more, our journey to Galasheils was merely wet not frozen and we arrived there much sooner than we’d anticipated. Enough time to visit the local shops! Hurrah. A new pair of jeans and a lovely long cardi later … we were sound checking once more and soon after that enjoying the ambience of a new local Indian restaurant. Back at the Salmon Inn where the String Jam club is held, we were pleased to see a packed room.

Though the format of this well run club is different to most places I play, it obviously works well for them and my later, one hour set went down really well … this was perhaps the best “Dirt in The Ground” of the entire tour. Well done Galasheils!

We drove down to Carlisle after the show in order to be closer to the Isle of Man boat from Heysham on Sunday afternoon. It was a great drive down the windy A7 and we’d love to do it again in the day time, as it was beautiful in the pitch black of the night! The weather Gods continued to shine on us … only 2 days before, the ~Irish sea battled force 9 gales but come Sunday afternoon it was calm as calm can be. We are lucky sometimes!

A Selection of pics from the Isle of Man Villa Marina Gig (by Dave & Christy!)

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