Rickenbacker Music Inn

https://youtu.be/m9voeiw3wvA

So on Monday I played a set at the Rickenbacker Music Inn, since this tour was booked this was the venue that I was most excited about. The owner, PR team, my management, local press and radio had gone out of their way to promote this concert and wow did that work pay off! During sound check I was watching the house band and they blew me away. Their keys player fell ill and they asked if I would stand in for her, as thanks they would join me during my set. It was so much fun. They were very blues/rnb/soul kind of a band, but they could play so well! So I winged playing the keys for them and it was great.

During my set, as well as my usual set up on this tour, they joined me on bass, drums, lead guitar and sax. My head was blown off when I was playing. These songs really came alive and felt solid, strong, note perfect. I used the guitar players loop station for The Slammer song, and dubbed 5 separate harmonica tracks on the loop - just like we did in the studio - and that song really went down well, gritty blues vocals, immense solos for each musician. Thank you to everyone who got on the dance floor, joined me on stage, and made this one of the most memorable shows on this tour!

J xxx

Thank you Hamuburg

https://youtu.be/J3GHVEk0hqE


Well Hamburg, it’s been a blast, every city I come to gives me something new. Hamburg has simply been an amazing city. To the amazing artists that I have played with, met, chatted to this week, you have all been amazing. The Molotow – what a venue full of students from the local university. Reminded me of the days we all frequented the Limelight in Belfast. The atmosphere was exactly the same, lively, drunken, party atmosphere. To warm up I played an outdoor gig on Beetles Platz and by the end of the first song I had a crowd surround me, singing along with the tunes. Eventually I played a load of my own, and similar to what happened in Berlin I taught them the outro to Stuck on the Tube, and the crowd continued for a good 3 mins, with me standing on the stage watching them. It’s hard to describe that kind of moment, it hits you powerfully  the emotion, the energy, the crowd feeding off the enthusiasm on stage, it’s an amazing feeling! The week in Hamburg ended by playing a 90 minute set on one of the Booze Cruises for someone’s birthday. The guests were determined to bring me on a pub crawl of Hamburg, but a pub crawl drinking orange juice just doesn’t appeal to me, now that am off the alcohol. Who needs it when you get such a buzz from playing to man attentive crowd!!

Hamburg .... Party Central

Been in Hamburg 5 days now. Have taken the days to relax, wander around filming and photographing sights. The above have been taken at Reeperbahn, and Landerbürg (which is kinda like the Docks). It's a busy city that never sleeps and the hotel is bang in the middle of party central, right beside the venue that I've been playing all week. It's been cool playing here, I've enjoyed it. It's been fun, being able to let loose a bit. Amazing venues, with the best student crowds here!

More pics to follow!

Day 10 ..... of a song a day... Light My Fire

https://youtu.be/qZ1C25C7Sjw

So, the past few weeks have been really manic ... I haven't had a chance to keep up with The Song A Day theme, but am back at it, I have to find time each day to learn a new song, as well as continuing to write new songs whilst on the road. After visiting Paris at the weekend, I remembered my teens when I would listen to The Doors after discovering a cassette that one of my brothers had - Waiting for the Sun, a classic album .... that's where my musical journey, passion, enthusiasm, love began - with that cassette tape. Anyhew, I went to Père La Chaise and saw the grave of Jim,

 and my teenage years came back, and I thought I'd do my own take of The Doors song Light My Fire, which is just such a great song. But need to add in some harmonica in there. 

Hope you enjoy 

J xxx

Next city ..... Hamburg!

https://youtu.be/1OD27Iqn5CQ

Reflecting on the tour so far ... Arrived in Hamburg yesterday morning. It's a really nice city, found some nice quarters. The overnight journey was tough, felt slightly anxious, which is prob a natural reaction, after all I am playing in cities where my music isn't known, I'm not know so I am relying on the management team to be pushing the music and to promote me. Maybe I'm a bit of a control freak in that regard but blown away by the reactions that I am receiving on this trip. The fact that we have sold out of The Lonely Stroll simply blows me away. People still like having that physical copy of music. This is something that pleases me I don't full trust the digital age... don't know if I fully comprehend it to be honest or even if I trust it!

But anyhew I found my way through Hamburg yesterday, exploring on the bike. Roaming the different areas.

Let's see what today brings ....

J xx

A Day Off Exploring Paris

Had a day off today to eat croissants, drink coffee, visit Monmartre, Le Sacré Coeur and Père La Chaise cemetery. Saw the grave site of Jim Morisson, Oscar Wilde, Balzac, Molière among others. Was a beautiful sunny day to explore the beauty of Paris. I look forward to visiting again next month for some more gigs. It was good to have a rest today to take time to see some of the sights that this beautiful city has to offer. I look forward to exploring some more next month.

J xxx

Paris .... city of lights ... city of music

Session photos by E. Wartel (part of Tour Management) 

So have spent this weekend gigging in Paris. Have visited the Sacré Coeur and Le Louvre, going to Père La Chaise, Eiffel Tour, Notre Dame, and Montmartre. I played at The Quiet Man in Paris tonight accompanied by flute players, a guy on squeeze box - Karl's favourite instrument!! - fiddle players, percussionist, mandolin and banjo players. Great sound, but my only gripe would be the fact that there was a certain amount of arrogance among some of the session musicians - I think sometimes people need to realise that we should be working together putting on a top class show for the punters! But I enjoyed belting the songs out on the guitar and giving some heavy vocal lines. Good times spent in Paris... I'll definitely be back! And looking forward to exploring more Parisian venues next month.

Off to Hamburg tomorrow night.....

Best J xx