UK Tour Day 10 - The Grey Horse - London - Last Gig

Woke up about 9am from dream of being a Mariachi singer (or was it a dream).

One problem with parking in front of cars whose owners partied with me the night before, is that they don't have to wake up early and may be too hung over/drunk still to move their cars anyway (no names here)!!!

So......did finally get away closer to 11am for John Garth's place in London. After driving in country for 2 weeks, finally getting the hang of it all - made it around the M25 to Kingston in fairly short order and hung out with John and his family before heading to The Grey Horse in Kingston.

The gig went great - audiences were responsive, bought CD's made me feel good on my last night. As is becoming tradition, I stayed late for Ian Hunt's Jam session at the club and had a blast like last year! Got up and sang a bit, listened to locals get up and do their thing and ate some great Curry Chicken (which the bar orders from a place across the street and has it brought in).

Got to see a young blues singer (like 13 years old young) who I think is the real deal. When you're 13 and play and sing like that I guess you can't help but be a novelty, but Aaron Keylock is no novelty - I'll be looking for great things from him.

We headed back to the house about midnight. John Garth and his family have been so supportive, putting me up several times on this tour, feeding me and doing much needed map consultations. Thank you - thank you thank you!

I have to get up early tomorrow to return the rental car (and find my way around the massive Heathrow airport) - morning will come too soon!

UK Tour Day 10 - Day off in Ipswich....party time

Woke up about 2pm today, went to bed at 6am last night.....

Veronica and a handful of her friends including Alex (historian and tour guide extraordinaire) took us on a walking tour of Ipswich. The tour included "The White Horse Hotel" where Charles Dickens wrote his Pickwick Papers, "Silent Street", aptly named after everyone on the street died of Plague, the spot where it is said the last people were burned at the stake for heresy and the well that a Black Friar Monk was thrown down for trafficking (trafficking what I don't know). If those historical happenings don't say to you, "Ipswich is one swinging town" - then well, you just don't know how to party!

Speaking of parties....a "Fancy Dress Party" (costume party) was scheduled for the evening (Nori's Birthday) - so we headed back to prep the Green Room for that and a quick nap (which I spent sprawled in the third floor window watching the passers by). We grabbed a great early dinner at Mizos and it was time to dawn my costume for the evening.

Luckily Veronica went through her costume wardrobe vault (i.e. back of her van) and found a Sombrero, poncho and a flask....perfect for me! I bought several shots of tequila at the pub, filled the flask and the costume was complete.

Had a blast at the party.... which included such notables as Pocahontas,
the "118's", Rocky Balboa and many more (luckily there was also a Dr. in the house for any potential part fouls)!

After about midnight, the party continued down the street to the local dance club called Mojo's (I think) where the prerequisite characters abound; the boys sitting around trying to look cool together while being too scared to ask any girl to dance, the gorgeous girls dancing alone because the boys were assuming they were with someone and think they don't have a chance in hell with them and the dirty/drunk old men(evidently, including myself)dancing horribly around said girls..... because we don't give a damn and know life is too short anyway.

My goal of going to bed reasonably early and sober turned out to be a pipe dream, so I turned in about 4am with a 9am wake up to London!

Lesson learned: ya' wanna' stay young at heart, hang out with young people ....maturity is completely overrated!

UK Tour Day 6 - The Troubadour - London

Well, had to wake up a little early today, 9am. The three of us (Dave, Cole and myself) headed out for one more trip through Lemoncello's for cappuccino and croissants and then Cole packed up to gig in Nottingham and me for London. Man, it sure was nice touring with him for a few days. We made some cool music, had a bunch of laughs and it just broke up the solo travel vibe (the long hours of quiet between all the great stages).

I went from my Cambridge oasis at Dave's place, back to my London oasis at John Garths. In the process I got lost as hell. I don't know how I got lost or wound up at his house - it's all a blur. In the end though, he was waiting with a smile, some food and a good hand drawn map to the Troubadour Club.

I rested up and then headed out about 6:15pm. The Troubadour as I found out tonight, has quite the famous past. It dates back to about 1954and has had Eric Clapton, Jimmy Hendrix, Dylan, Joni Mitchell and countless others on it's little basement stage. Oh yeah, and now some folk singer dude from Nashville. It was a good night, packed house - sold a few CD's.

Downtown London driving was an experience tonight, but John's map made it all not the nightmare it could have been. I got back to John's in fairly short order around midnight (although the damn Sudbury Roundabout never looks the same to me coming back)and I tend to spin off it in the wrong direction every time - tonight included. Luckily I am very familiar with where I keep getting lost, so I am righting myself quicker (that doesn't even make sense).

No place to park tonight on the narrow little Myrtle Street, so I parked the rental out on High street - hopefully reading the parking signs right - we'll find out in the morning! Tomorrow I head to Swindon and the Beehive Club either 1.5hr. drive as the directions state or longer if the Sudbury screws me up again!!! Thanks for following along all!

Peace, Mark

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UK Tour Day 5 - BBC Cambridgeshire

Woke up in time for the 9:30 breakfast and was served up a great one by Alan and Karen. Had a good conversation about the history of the pub and the festival and the many great artists that have come through there. Alan and Karen definitely join the list of the few and far between musician oasis's. Great hosts and now great new friends - I look forward to coming back to the Brasenose.

Cole and I wandered around the village a bit, walked down through the Oxford Canal and checked out all the long-narrow boats. They ranged from a basic mini-barge to very cool houseboats that make their way down a canal that in some places is barely wider than the boats themselves. We headed back to Cambridge via some quaint village roads - looked right out of the movies to me. I kept looking for Sir Lancelot or maybe at least, Monty Python.

Dave had given us a key to his place in Cambridge so we could relax, get caught up on blogs and I could nurse my throat with some of his tea and whiskey! Man that works well.

Cole was first up at the BBC with a 7:20pm slot. This show goes out to basically all of Eastern England, so by far the biggest station I have done in the UK. We were told by other musicians that Sue loves to shake the interview up with left fielded questions, usually "if your music was a fruit which one would it be". Both of us were well prepared for that one, but she fooled us and went with "if your music were a set of clothes...." Cole handled it great, did a good interview and played several songs live. My segment wasn't until 9:15pm. Sue is one of the great interviewers, in that she understands artists and music and asks the kind of questions that make the hour go by like a minute! You can wait for the radio posting (which will come in the next couple of weeks) for my answer to the "clothes and music" question as well as the "magic time machine VW Bus" question. I played "Bye Bye Baby Jane" live and we did "Not Even New Orleans" from "American Road." We also got a good chance to talk up my new group Runaway Home and played "Tell You Goodbye" from the EP.

Cole and I hit a Greek joint for take-out on the way back to Dave's. By the time we got back (around 11pm) Dave had assembled a handful of musicians, professors and students from the area colleges (and saying area colleges in Cambridge is saying something)! They were scientists, geneticists and music lovers from New Zealand, Austria and South Africa. We drank wine and played music until about 3am - a great night.

UK Tour Day 3 - Acoustic Routes

Got up early this evening after a restful sleep in the studio barn, but awakened by the un-restful debates between the neighbors working in their gardens this morning. Had a quick breakfast and hung out with James and his wife and his two cool twin boys Tev and Joe. Later we hooked up with Stephanie Lambring and Becky for lunch at a neat restaurant out in the English countryside. Both Stephanie and I (as well as Cole Stacy from last night's gig) were due to play the Acoustic Routes club in Cambridge together. So, after determining that the new and bizarre warning light meant that I was driving with my emergency break on, I was able to just follow Stephanie (who was smart enough to bring a GPS) to Cambridge - good thing too - the rural route was a crazy one! We got to the gig early, did sound check and had a great Italian dinner at the CB2 restaurant. I went on last for this show. It was sold out and as always, the crowd helped me to transcend my bronchitis and hoarse voice (they all love tom waits so it was cool) and deliver a good show. They all sang "Stars in Their Eyes" at the end - very fun!

Stephanie headed back to Ipswich and Cole and I were put up by a local singer-songwriter and musician oasis - Dave Streatfield! Sleep comes easy after the stress of the left hand days and the excitement of a sold out night.

UK Tour Day 2 - Institute at Kelvedon

Slept in today, hard to shake that flight. My host John was busy working the phones for me searching for a last minute gig for my one open date next weekend. Man he is a troubadour's oasis! I headed out on the M25 around the "clockwise loop" around London. Wow the traffic !!!! Took me about 3 hours to get to Kelvedon. By now I was realizing my cough was getting worse and I was indeed plagued with my UK usual. I stepped into a health clinic where they diagnosed me with bronchitis and got me started on some antibiotics , so at least I think I'm on it early this time. I joined up with my fellow troubadours Stephanie Lambring and Cole Stacey for sound check and a bunch of good laughs that only new friends of an old struggle seem to share. We are also sharing the bill in Cambridge too so that will be a welcome interrupt to the path. I walked outside before the doors opened and saw a big line waiting to get in and I inquired if anyone good was playing for which I got the reply, "god I hope so". I told them one out of the three of us sucked but couldn't remember which one. Luckily the English and I share similar humor. My voice held out OK through my 45 min show but began to die during the last song but by then the audience had the chorus on "Stars....." and they carried it for me. I headed back to the promoters house where I had some great beer and antibiotics and listened to a bunch if new music back in his music hut in the backyard. A great way to end the night. I think we're all grabbing lunch in town before heading to Cambridge. Here's hoping for more great people to sing to and a voice to do it with. Thanks for coming along. Peace Mark

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Mark's UK Tour Blog Coming April 7-18

Hi All,

This time last year the great Icelandic Volcano cut my UK tour by more than half, but I had a great time anyway! I am excited to be returning to some of my favorite venues and adding a few new ones to the tour. Old friends and the promise of new ones - that's what makes this music circus all worth it. Check back on this blog starting later next week and follow along with the journey. I'll be blogging as internet connection allows. Thanks for the support! - Peace, Mark

Fri. April 8 - The Institute at Kelvendon - Essex - 8:30pm.
Sat. April 9 - Acoustic Routes - Cambridge - 8:30pm.
Sun April 10 - The Brasenose Arms - Oxfordshire - 6:30pm.
Mon April 11 - BBC Radio with Sue Marchant-Cambridge- 9:30pm.
Tue April 12 - The Troubadour - London - 8:30pm.
Wed April 13 - The Beehive - Swindon - 8pm.
Thur April 14 - The Pelham Arms - Lewes - 8pm.
Fri April 15 - BBC Radio Suffolk w/ Stephen Foster- Ipswich- 2pm
Fri April 15 - PJ McGinty's Pub - Ipswich - 8pm.
Sat April 16 - check back on Mark's website for last minute update
Sun April 17 - The Grey Horse - Kingston on the Thames - 5:30pm.