Im really, really glad that I bought a whole bunch of new socks before we set out on this tour. Weve been on the road for 10 days now, and normally by this point Id be getting down to the threadbare ones with holes in the toes and looking out for a laundry stop. But thanks to that sensible purchase, I now have enough lovely matched pairs of fully intact socks to last me until we get home on Tuesday. Bliss .... It was an honour and a pleasure to play in the beautiful Theatre Royal Waterford last night -- thanks so much to director Ben Barnes for taking a chance on a concert by me in this gorgeous big venue, and huge thanks to all the team there for making my and Martins life so easy -- technicians John and Eoin, Deirdre and Orlaith on front of house, Anoushka and Rosy in the box office, Tony in the bar, poor Michael who had the extraordinarily dull task of sitting guard in the stairwell that leads up to the dressing rooms, and Mary, Oren, Vivienne, Lee and Dennis. Big thanks also to my wonderful mother-in-law, Mary Shiels, for coming along to the show, and to the friends who came with her. Now were motoring up the road towards Derry, Northern Ireland/Londonderry, Northern Ireland, where Im playing tonight at the Waterside Theatre. Plenty of tickets still available for tonights show (and also for Saturdays and Sundays shows, as far as Im aware), but tomorrow nights concert at the Ards Arts Centre in Newtownards is sold out, Im pleased to be able to say! On Saturday night Ill be making my fourth visit to Crusoes, a gorgeous little place run by the affable and extraordinarily talented chef-proprietor Roger Robinson. The ticket price there includes dinner and wine, and advance booking is essential -- whatever about my music, the food will be well worth it, I promise! Then on Sunday Ill be making my third visit as headliner (I also opened there for Luka Bloom years and years ago) to An Creagán near Omagh. Then home! Where I can do my laundry and continue to enjoy my new socks! Life is good.
Posted on: Thu, 12 Jun 2014 09:38:32 +0000