dods gigs + other things

GOT THE TRAIN DOWN ON THE SUNDAY TO MEET THE GUYS AT NITE IN THE BLIND BEGGAR.. JAKE,DON WAYNE + RACHEL CAME OUT FOR A FEW DRINKS TILL THE WEE HOURS.. LOTS OF FUN AND CATCHING UP WAS DONE, EVEN HAD DW + RACHEL PLAYING DARTS..  ..

THE NEXT DAY JEFF + I WENT TO THE LIQUID ROOMS TO SEE THAT EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO PLAN AND GET SOUNDCHECKS DONE.... THEN THE EVENING BEGAN WITH A GREAT SET BY THE GUYS INCLUDING NEW SONGS + OLD ONES..INC.."HOLIDAYS IN THE SUN" "FEEL LIKE DANCING"  "SHE WAS SKINNY WHEN I MET HER" ..+ "THE RIDER SONG" ESPECIALLY GOOD WHEN THE LYRICS ABOUT A PHOTO PASS CAME UP JOHN POINTED AT ME..

    ..JOHN TOLD EVERYONE TO COME BACK TO THE BLIND BEGGAR FOR THE AFTER SHOW PARTY, AND ABOUT 80 PEOPLE DID, WHICH MADE IT A VERY BUSY NITE, SO I SAT OUTSIDE TILL MOST FOLK HAD GONE, THEN WE HELPED TIDY UP A BIT, JOHN CHIPPED IN BY DOING THE WASHING OF GLASSES..

 ...

LEFT EDINBURGH AT 12 OCLOCK WAS DRIVING WITH JAKE,DALE,+DAVE IN THE VAN.THE TRIP TOOK 3 HOURS AND SOME GREAT SCENERY..

ARRIVED AT THE IRONWORKS, WHICH TO ME LOOKED LIKE A GYMNASIUM WITH A VERY HIGH STAGE.THEN AFTER SOUNDCHECK.JOHN,DAVE,JAKE + I WENT TO BAR PIVO FOR A MEAL..ANOTHER GREAT NITE WAS HAD.THE GUYS PUT ON A GREAT SHOW AND THE NEW SONGS WERE GOING DOWN A TREAT..AFTER THE GIG THE CROWD WERE HANGING ABOUT TO GET STUFF SIGNED WHICH OF COURSE THE GUYS DULY OBLIGED..THEN IT WAS OFF TO HOOTANANNYS FOR FEW BEERS..

       ..

WE LEFT INVERNESS AT 12 AND TOOK ALL THE B ROADS WHICH HAD LOTS OF GREAT SCENERY AND TOOK 5 HOURS.. ..WE ARRIVED ON GLASGOW TO FIND OUT THE THE VENUE HAD NO PARKING FACILITIES, SO WE HAD TO CARRY ALL THE GEAR FROM THE VAN AND WALK TO THE VENUE...THE ABC IS AN OLD CINEMA WHICH HAS A SIGN THAT LOOKS 50,S STYLE ..THE GUYS WENT FOR SOMETHING TO EAT, SO I WORKED ON THE MERCH STALL TILL THEY CAME BACK, WHICH WAS VERY BUSY..WHEN THEY CAME BACK I GOT A CHANCE TO CATCH UP WITH JOHN AND WE HAD A CHAT AND HE THANKED ME FOR ALL MY HELP WHICH WAS VERY NICE..THE ABC HAS A BIG GLITTER BALL WHICH JOHN GOT THEM TO PUT ON DURING "HOLIDAYS IN THE SUN" + "FEEL LIKE DANCING"..THE CROWD WAS AMAZING AND SO WAS THE GUYS WHO HAD THE BEST CONCERT OFF ALL 3 NIGHTS, THEY WERE TIGHT AND THE CAMARADRIE BETWEEN THE GUYS WERE TOP NOTCH..ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NIGHT WAS DALE SINGING ALABAMA (WHICH I,VE ONLY SEEN ONCE BEFORE)...EVEN THE BOUNCERS LIKED THE SHOW AND GOT IN ON THE ACT.

    ..

AFTER THE SHOW AS USUAL THE GUYS SIGNED STUFF, THEN WE WENT BACK TO THE DRESSING ROOM WITH MRJONTHEHAT,DEBBIE,KEVY.MO,JEF + RACHEL.. HAD LONG CHATS AND DALE + JAKE PLAYED ACOUSTIC..

  TILL WE GOT RAN OUT OF THE PLACE..TOOK SOME PICS OUTSIDE THEN HEADED BACK TO THE HOTEL TO DROP OFF OUT STUFF, THEN WENT BACK OUT FOR SOME DRINKS AT THE MUSIC BOX, WHICH THEY KEPT GIVING US FREE DRINKS.. AFTER A WHILE ME JOHN,JAKE HEADED OFF TO GET SOMETHING FROM THE CHIPPIE WHERE WE GOT JOHN TO HAVE SOME HAGGIS. TALKED ABOUT WHICH GIG WAS THE BEST, HAGGIS AND HOW DARKWATER WAS GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME. THEN BACK TO HOTEL AS IT WAS 2AM AND I HAD TO GET UPAT 5AM.

MYSELF,SALLY.KAYLEIGH AND ANDY ALL WENT ALONG TO THIS FESTIVAL.

THE GUYS ARRIVED MID AFTERNOON AND WE HUNG AROUND WITH THEM CATCHING UP WITH THEM AND SHOWING THEM SOME WEDDING PHOTOS.KAYLEIGH + SALLY WATCHED FROM THE CROWD,WHILE I TOOK SOME PICS.

THEY WERE HEADLINING THIS NITE AND WAS ON AT 10.30 TO A PRETTY DRUNK CROWD.THEY PLAYED A GREAT SET INCLUDING "HOLIDAY"  "SKINNY WHEN I MET HER" AND A FEW OTHER NEWBIES. ALSO THEY DID THE BANJO TEST WHICH THEY HADNT DONE ON THE LAST FEW SHOWS I WAS AT..A INFLATABLE SHEEP WAS THROWN ON STAGE WHICH THE GUYS KICKED ABOUT BEFORE KICKING IT BACK INTO THE CROWD..THEY WERE ON TOP FORM,HAVING A LAUGH AND QUITE LITTERALY HAVING A WHALE OF A TIME...

more pics at  http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v680/dixiemania/wizard%20festival%20new%20deer%2025-08-07/?start=all

WENT OVER TO MY MUMS HOUSE IN THE MORNING TO MEET UP WITH MO + DALE, WHO HAD STAYED THERE OVER NIGHT TO DO HIS WASHING, AND HAVE AFEW DRINKS WITH MO..

DW + RACHEL ARRIVED AND WE HUNG OUT FOR A WHILE HAVING BREAKFAST BEFORE TRAVELLING TO DUNDEE  .DALE,MO + JANINE SET OFF IN ONE CAR AND I TRAVELLED WITH DON WAYNE + RACHEL..

WE ARRIVED IN DUNDEE TO TRY AND FIND HOTEL BUT WAS FINDING THAT NONE OF THE 2 WE TRIED HAD ANY BOOKING FOR THE GUYS.EVENTUALLY WE GOT A HOLD OF SOMEONE AND THEY TOLD US WHERE THE HOTEL WAS, WHICH WAS ABOUT A 15 MINUTE DRIVE FROM THE VENUE NOT CLOSE AT ALL.. WE BOOKED IN AND A HAD ACOUPLE OF DRINKS IN THE GARDEN BEFORE THE FAT SAMS BUS CAME TO COLLECT US. WE ARRIVED AND THE GUYS DID THERE SOUNDCHECK.   THEN WE ALL WENT OFF TO GET SOME THING TO EAT AND SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JAKE..

FATS SAMS IS AN OK VENUE BUT IT HAS THE SMALLEST STAGE I,VE EVER SEEN AND THE GUYS PUT ON A GOOD SHOW BUT IT MUST BE HARD..HIGHLIGHTS WAS JAKE WEARING MY HAT (I BOUGHT IT FOR A POUND IT IS JUST A SILLY HAT FOR LAUGHS)  AND ME GETTING THE MIDDLE FINGER FROM DW, AT ALL SHOWS HE DOES IT AT LEAST ONCE AND WE TRY AND COME UP WITH DIFFERENT POSES TO DO IT.....THEY ALSO SANG A SONG I,VE NOT HEARD BEFORE "LETS GET DRUNK AND SCREW"AND ALL THE GUYS AND CROWD SANG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JAKE AND HE WAS HUGGED BY ALL THE GUYS..

WHEN THE SHOW WAS OVER WENT TO HELP RACHEL ON THE MERCH STALL AND I WAS CONGRATULATED FOR GETTING MARRIED TO SALLY BY SOMEONE WHO HAD SEEN IT ON THE FORUM.. THEN ME AND DALE WENT OFF TO GET SOME FOOD BEFORE GETTING THE BUS BACK TO THE HOTEL AND SITING IN THE BAR FOR A FEW DRINKS AND GOOD OLE CHATTING SESSION..

MORE PICS AT  http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v680/dixiemania/FAT%20SAMS%20DUNDEE%2026-08-07/?start=all

AFTER A HEARTY BREAKFAST, I SET OFF WITH DW + RACHEL TO GLASGOW. WE ARRIVED AFTER A STOP OVER AT THE HORN (GREAT LITTLE FOOD PLACE) FOR THERE BREAKFAST..

WE ARRIVED IN GLASGOW AND I WENT STRAIGHT TO THE HOTEL TO HAVE A CHILL. WE WENT DOWNSTAIRS AT 4 ISH TO MEET DALE AND JEANNIE (WHO HAD JUST ARRIVED THAT DAY FROM THE USA) AND WENT FOR A MEAL IN THE ITALIAN RESTAURANT ACROSS THE ROAD FOM THE VENUE..

WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE VENUE, DALE WAS ASKED IF HE WOULD GO TO THE MUSIC SHOP ACROSS THE ROAD TO SIGN A GUITAR (THEY HAVE A PLASTIC GUITAR SIGNED BY VARIOUS BANDS) DALE SAW A BOUZOUKI WHICH HE PLAYED A LITTLE, JEANNIE ALSO HAD A GO ON A GUITAR..

BACK ACROSS THE ROAD WE WERE JOINED BY DARKWATER, JEFF + RACHEL FOR THE SOUNDCHECK..

OFF ALL THE 3 GIGS THAT I,D BEEN TO OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS, THIS WAS BY FAR THE BEST,THE GUYS PLAYED SUPERBLY,ENGERTICLY AND HAD A WHOLE LOT OF FUN, WITH OLD AND NEW SONGS,

GLASGOW IS ONE OF THE FEW CITIES THAT THE GUYS CAN PLAY AT LEAST 3 TIMES A YEAR AND STILL PULL A LARGE CROWD.AFTER THE SHOW IT WAS LOADS OF PEOPLE BACK TO THE DRESSING ROOM FOR A MASSIVE BLOWOUT WITH LOTS OF DRINKING AND PARTYING..

SAD THING ABOUT THE LAST 3 DAYS WAS THAT SALLY HADNT BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT..

WAS DOWN IN BRISTOL FOR SALS DADS BIRTHDAY WEEKEND WHICH JUST HAPPENED TO BE AT  THE SAME TIME AS A HAYSEED GIG ..

GOT CALL FROM DW + DALE TO SAY THEY HAD ARRIVED AND WE WENT TO MEET THEM AT THE HOTEL AND SIT IN THE BAR FOR ACOUPLE OF DRINKS, WHILE WE WERE THERE THE NOVEDS ARRIVED AND WE ALL CAUGHT UP.THEN I WENT OFF TO THE SOUNDCHECK WITHT HE GUYS, WHILE SALLY STAYED WITH NOVEDS..

SOUNDCHECK WAS A LAUGH WITH JOHN PLAYING THE DRUMS AND SINGING THE OLD RUGGED CROSS, BUT THE SOUND WAS NOT THE GREATEST...DALE, DW AND I WENT TO CATCH UP WITH SAL AND NOVEDS FOR FOOD AT A PIZZA PLACE..

THE VENUE WAS A BIT STRANGE WITH NO PIT AT THE FRONT OF THE STAGE BUT INSTEAD AN EXTENSION OF THE STAGE (WHICH THE GUYS USED WELL TO GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THE CROWD)

THE GUYS PLAYED A GOOD SET, WITH OLD AND NEW TUNES, "SHE WAS SKINNY WHEN I MET HER" AND" BAR B QUE" WENT DOWN REAL WELL WITH CROWD SINGING ALONG.. I STOOD AT THE SIDE TAKING PICS, JAKE AND DW WERE IN TOP FORM AND I GOT LOTS OF FACES PULLED AND POSES FOR THE CAMERA...

MORE PICS AT http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v680/dixiemania/bierkeller%20bristol%2023-09-07/?start=all

http://www.hayseed-dixie.com/itinerary.php