FRIDAY 4/05/07
Although the tour is now over, there was one last bit of fun to be had for all of us. The whole band with partners and/or wifes plus Dennis, Sam & Claire, Judy (photographer/publicity) and Dennis' manager JT, all met up for a end of tour meal in a Thai restaurant in Eastbourne, where Clive, Griff & Martin were recording the long awaited new Any Trouble album.
We had a great meal with plenty of Thai beer. DL was drinking tequila of course! There was a BIG surprise for us all towards the end of the evening. JT suddenly appeared with a load of boxes which he distributed to Dennis and the band. When we opened them we found that we had all been recipients of a GOLD DISC! This was for sales in excess of 100,000 in the UK of the 'Hits & History' CD & DVD. I have never had one before, and was very chuffed - as, indeed we all were. It's up on the wall of my studio right now.
So we went our separate ways with lots of hugging and back slapping. What a great end to the adventure.
I say end..... but I'm certain this is just 'au revoir' rather than goodbye...

HOME 28/04/07
Back home now and just a few words to wind up this diary. Thank you all of you who bothered to follow my jottings. I started it because I wanted something to do to fill in the spare time on the road, little realising how large an audience it would get! It was lot of fun to do and a big thanks to all those who emailed me. Also a thank you to Dennis for embracing the idea and letting me run with it. It's not everyone who would want someone in the band writing an insider's view of things!
There's not much more I can say about Dennis or this band that I haven't already said. Simply the best frontman / singer that I have had the pleasure to work with, and simply the best bunch of musicians I have ever had the pleasure to play with as well. There wasn't one cross word between any of us on the whole tour, and we all enjoyed each others company. I have had the time of my life doing this. It's been such a buzz.
So it's time to say goodbye to all you tour diary readers for the time being. There's not much more to add - except to say I'm pretty sure that we will all be doing this again before too long. BRING IT ON!!!!

GIG KOBENHAVN 27/04/07
What I was unable to tell you up until now (for reasons which will become obvious) was that Clive was too ill to fly out on Thurs, and there was a very real possibility at one stage that we were going to have to do this show without him! Those of you that have seen us on the tour will know how important he is in this band as a musician and singer - never mind that he is also our musical director. So it was good news when we found out this morning that he was better, and well enough to fly out. We were having dinner when he arrived and I have never been so pleased to see his smiling face! So drama right up to the end....
The Tivoli Gardens looked fantastic as we arrived in the early evening. All the lights twinkling through the trees, and full of people all out to enjoy themselves. I was able to meet Sam and Claire for the first time. Somehow we have managed to miss each other at the other shows.
We went onstage at 10pm and played to an estimated 20,000 strong audience for a little over an hour and a half. It was a truly great evening, and a fantastic way to end our 2 months on the road. The Danes loved Dennis - and greeted him like a long lost prodigal son. Another round of applause for his guitar solo in 'Hearts'!
We had to leave the hotel at a VERY early 7.30 this morning (after not going to bed until 2.30) for the flight home.... OUCH!!

DL ONSTAGE AT THE TIVOLI GARDENS

STAGE BEFORE THE SHOW
See someone you recognise on the big screen?

KOBENHAVN DAY 2 27/04/07
As I have quite a bit of free time today, and also as it's the last gig we will play for quite a bit, I have decided to 'blog' a bit more than normal on this trip.
We left the hotel and were driven to the Tivoli Gardens at 9.30am, for the soundcheck at 10.00am. We had just an hour to get everything right, using strange equipment and amplification. Luckily we have our normal crew with us which helps a lot. The weather here is crazy! Even at 10am it was at least 20 degrees C, and by 11.00 when we finished it was even hotter. 'Hotter than Crete' one of the Danish guys said! The soundcheck went ok, although we are on an enormous outdoor stage, and it's quite difficult to gauge how it will sound with 20,000 people standing in front of the stage. It will be fine, I'm sure!
After the soundcheck, we had been invited to lunch at a nearby restaurant, Groften, by its owner, Paul, who is an old Dr Hook fan from way back. They say there is 'no such thing as a free lunch'... well, this time there was!
Food and drink notes coming up: We were treated to a fantastic meal. Starter was prawns with local bread, next course fillet of plaice in breadcrumbs with remoulade sauce. Main course was roast pork with red cabbage, prunes and pickled cucumber, and this was followed by a selection of cheeses and cold meats - just in case we were still hungry! All this was washed down by the Danes finest beer, and in my case an additional schnapps to round it off seemed like a good idea! An excellent meal Paul (especially the pork). Thank you for your hospitality.
After the meal the band presented Dennis with a Mont Blanc pen - a thank you from the five of us for such an enjoyable tour.
There was a sudden realisation at this point that showtime was a full 8 hours away... so it seemed like a good idea to go back to hotel for an afternoon snooze... which is what I have just woken up from! Never thought I would use the phrase 'It is sooo hot' about Denmark.... but IT IS!
More later....

STAGE AT THE TIVOLI

ONSTAGE AT THE SOUNDCHECK

DL SOUNDCHECK

GRIFF OUTSIDE THE GROFTEN - where we had lunch

LUNCH - we are on the cheese course I think!

STREET SCENE - KOBENHAVN

TRAVEL TO KOBENHAVN 26/04/07 I picked up Andy in my car from his home, and we left Brighton for Heathrow at 10am. Uneventful trip to the airport. We all met up at Terminal 3 for the flight. It was delayed because of industrial action by the SAS aircrew. The pilot rather charmingly said that the crew didn't want to talk about it! Sat next to Ian, our soundman, and found out that he hadn't flown for 18 years and was very nervous about it - poor chap. I don't enjoy flying either, so I did my best to chat to him and hopefully took his mind off the flight. The cabin pressure has made me go deaf in one ear. I hope it fixes itself overnight.
So we arrived at a sunny Kobenhavn airport at about 18.00 local time. 30 mins or so found us at our hotel.
We had a very pleasant meal (Steak with veg & new potatoes, and a sweet pancake, together with some salad from the buffet). Also had an ELEPHANT BEer..........er...er...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

IAN (soundman) & ADRIAN (tour manager)
knew I'd snap them eventually!

GIG GREATER MANCHESTER 22/04/07
THe gig was at The Lowry in Salford - part of a wonderful space age complex designed by James Stirling & Michael Wilford.
It was a fantastic final gig on the tour. We had a full house of extremely excited people - and that was just the band! Seriously though - it was a great way to finish a tour of which I will have nothing but good memories. Dennis got another round of applause for a terrific guitar solo in 'Hearts'. He was on top form - both with his singing and playing - and also with his audience banter! He is the most amazing singer and frontman and I'm full of respect for him. And a genuinely nice guy too. I hope the australia trip comes off so that we can all work with him again.
It was good to see George and Graham (our monitor technician and stage manager respectively) in the wings, getting down 'Saturday Night Fever' stylee to 'Better Love Next Time'. If you wondered why some of us were laughing during that song you now know. It looked like they had completely choreographed a dance routine! Also, when Andy arrived to soundcheck Graham had replaced his guitar TUNER with a tin of TUNA - geddit?!!
It's brilliant that we have ONE MORE SHOW - in Copenhagen on Friday. Can't wait. I need my cold to go away pronto. Poor Clive is stricken this morning as well....
On behalf of the band I have to say a big thank you to everyone who worked on the show behind the scenes. Couldn't have worked with nicer or more professional bunch of people to whom nothing was ever too much trouble. It was a very, very happy company - and that is a rare thing, I can tell you. I have included some pics of them all below. The only people I didn't get was Adrian, our tour manager, and Ian, the front of house engineer, because, of course - they were BUSY!
After the show we were treated to a slap up meal by the promoters - Flying Music. Very nice of them and much appreciated, even though it meant that we didn't get to bed until 2.30 and had to be up at 9 this morning to travel home.
Food notes: I had a bottle of the same wine as last night, and at the meal had a very good mushroom soup, roast beef with veg and a piece of cheesecake. All cooked by the Holiday Inn chef in the middle of the night and everyone said how good it all was!

I haven't finished yet - I will report from Copenhagen at the weekend!

DL - SALFORD

ARCHIE (truck driver) and DAVE (lighting designer)

GEORGE (monitor mix) and GRAHAM (stage manager)

JOHN TAYLOR (DL's manager) and TAYLOR (band driver & merchandising)

GEORGE ABOUT TO DANCE (possibly!)

GIG GRIMSBY 21/04/07
Grimsby - not the prettiest town in the world - but not as bad as Hull (that's a joke, by the way - before all you Hull types start emailing me!) The venue was part of a sports hall complex and didn't look that wonderful on first viewing. Just shows how wrong first impressions can be. At the soundcheck it became obvious that the hall had a great acoustic, so we all perked up a bit at that!
When we came out onstage the hall was full, and after the 1st number it was obvious that we were going to have great gig. And that's what it was. The audience were brilliant. Plenty of good natured banter with Dennis! And we played like men posessed. Only one more gig to go in the UK and if it is anything like tonight we will all leave the stage on a high. No particular highlights - it was ALL good!
I seem to have inherited the band cold and will now carry it to the final show. What a bugger. I feel like sh*t, but I played really well tonight in spite of it. Just hoping the voice will hold out for another 24 hours.
Great to be back in a Holiday Inn tonight. They were ready for us (at 1am), greeted us with friendly smile, and all we had to do was to sign in and they gave us our room keys. All in seconds. That's what a tired muso wants! (This hotel used to be a Moathouse and I have stayed here several times before on other tours.)
Food and wine notes: M&S again - so reliable! The interestingly named Pheasant Gully Shiraz Cabernet Bin 201 2005 Vintage. Very, very good at £4.99 I think. Also a selection of salads, smoked fish and fruit salad - in a vain attempt to get enough vitamin C to keep the cold at bay. Small portion of Chinese veg noodles on the way to the hotel. NO ELEPHANTS TRUNK!
Goodnight.....

GIG DARTFORD 20/04/07
We had an afternoon and evening off, and then it was Dartford! It was good gig in a very nice theatre. The audience were great - even to the point of singing the last high notes in 'Only 16'. A first on this tour.
We were staying in a different hotel chain tonight. We have been staying in Holiday Inns which have, by and large, been fine. Tonight we are in a different chain, probably most (in)famous for a certain video by the young heiress to the family fortune.
First of all the check-in was staffed by someone who didn't seem to have a grasp of the english language. And I'm not talking eastern european - they normally speak english better than some english people do! So that took forever (at 12.30am - great!). Then the toilet in my room didn't work and also the thermostat on the air con was broken. All of this in a hotel that charges more than £100 per night for a room! F**kin' joke at that price. You might expect problems like that in a £30 B&B. So I had to change room - but no apology or anything approaching that! Not good. Oop north to Grimsby tomorrow. Back to civilisation!

GRAHAM CLOW - OUR UNFLAPPABLE GUITAR TECH &
STAGE MANAGER

GIG SOUTHPORT 18/04/07
Back in the hotel in Newton Le Willows where we have been staying for the last 3 nights. It's 1am. We set off down south tomorow morning - with one evening off before the very final 'push'. This tour has been a blast for me. I have enjoyed it all, and have hopefully made some new friends - both in the band and also in the audience. Nice to meet Catherine and June with their respective partners after the show.
We are all quite tired I think, but will give of our best for the final 3 nights on this UK tour. Poor Martin is the latest to be feeling under the weather. He has picked up Andy's snorter of a cold. Andy is just about recovered now.
The theatre at Southport was the 1st one (I think) that was all on one level. The downside is that the people at the back are a loooong way off! The acoustic though was particularly fine.
We played very well again, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Dennis has sooo much energy - it's unbelievable. He's noticeably thinner than when he started the tour, and he was pretty trim then anyway. In contrast I have put on about 1/2 a stone. Bad eating and too much grog!
Food and wine notes: M&S again for the wine. Some Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon (can't remember what!). Food today was chips in the afternoon - and chips after the gig! So nutritious!!!! I'll be at home tomorrow and will probably eat a whole head of broccoli to make up for it... Goodnight..

CURTAIN CALL - SOUTHPORT

GIG BRADFORD 17/04/07
The largest audience ever in this hall was 5000 approx - and that was for Charles Dickens reading 'Bleak House'. The theatre manager of the time decided that it was worth ripping out all the seats in the stalls to accommodate the crowds who wanted to see him. It is now all seated and holds about half that number! Harry Houdini also performed here in 1905. I'm talking about St George's Hall in Bradford. both of them certainly trod the same stage as us, and may have even shared the same dressing room - who knows? Good to have some serious 'chart action' preceeding us onstage!
It was great gig again, and the audience were lively and appreciative. Plenty of highlights - but I was moved by 'Lucy Jordan' tonight. There was woman in the front row who was biting her lip all through the song, and when we reached the final verse and playout I could see a tear running down her cheek. I have played it 30+ times now, but tonight I really listened to the words. What a f**king great song. And it was written by a MAN. Someone who really understood women - I think. I raise a glass to you - Shel - wherever you are. It's a privilege to play your songs.....
Almost forgot the food and wine! Both from M&S (again - it's becoming a habit!) Los Nucos 2005 Chilian Cabernet Sauvignon, and two salads - the Oriental bean one and the pasta and pesto one. Both delicious! Gonna have a 'proper' meal tomorrow as Griff knows a nice italian in Southport...

HOUDINI POSTER - ST GEORGES HALL
pic - Taylor Murphy

GIG STOKE ON TRENT 16/04/07
I have been feeling rubbish all day. Very nauseous. No doubt a result of last night's kebab in Liverpool. No Andy at breakfast, but finally met up with him in the bus on the way to the gig - and he feels the same - on top of his terrible cold! We both had the dreaded elephant's trunk last night - so it's our own fault! Much as I love it - that's it.
Twice out of the 3 times I have eaten kebab on this tour I have lived to regret it!
So we both did the gig quite under the weather, but surprise, surprise - it was actually very good!! Great audience - and Dennis was on his very top form with his banter. We all played great too. I completely forgot my churning stomach once the adrenaline kicked in, and actually felt far better at the end of the gig than when I had started.
My apologies to anyone who wanted to say hello after the show - but I was still feeling ill and wouldn't have been very good company.
Hopefully I'll wake up tomorrow refreshed and feeling fine. Really hope so. Should have taken notice of those of you that warned me about the dreaded 'death' kebab!
Forgot the food & wine notes last night: Wine was M&S Blue Night Cabernet Shiraz 2004 - about £6 I think, and after show snack was fishcake and chips. NO MORE KEBABS! Feeling much better this morning, thank you....

GIG LIVERPOOL 15/04/07
We got up here from Skeggy in double quick time, and were here at the hotel before 2pm. The guys went into the city, but I stayed in the hotel until late afternoon and travelled in with Dennis. The gig was brilliant with lots of good natured banter and so on. We played really well again. Great audience singalong on 'Little Bit More'.
I had been looking for a cheap bass guitar, and in town Griff had found me a beauty which he had bought - knowing that I couldn't resist it!
I also met John Gorman ( The Scaffold) an old mate of Andy's - who is a real comic hero of mine. I wasn't dissappointed. Even though he was getting over flu - he was still great value - and seemed to be a really nice guy. Hope to meet him again sometime.
Had a great meal in a French restaurant across the road called Bistro Jaques. The Crepe with wild mushrooms and spinach comes highly recommended. Wine tonight is Hardys Shiraz 2005 VR. Excellent!!
At long last - a KEBAB on the way home!!!

GIG SKEGNESS 14/04/07
Long drive up from Brighton. We arrived in the middle of the afternoon and went straight to our hotel, which was on the outskirts of town. A bit like the Southfork ranch out of Dallas! I was pretty hungry as we hadn't stopped for lunch on the way up, so I had excellent fish and chips in the hotel restaurant.
The sun was out as we drove into Skegness proper, but there was the beginning of a sea fog, which by the end of the evening was to engulf the whole town!
Went for a walk through the town, bought a silly tee shirt that says 'Porn Ruined My life' which made me chuckle. Went to M&S for grog and a snack for after the show.
The gig was great fun. A really warm audience that made us feel right at home. Tina was in the front row as well, which was nice to see. Didn't expect to see a face that I knew in Skeggy! We played really well, and enjoyed ourselves even though Dennis broke a string early on. (1st one of the tour for anyone).
After the show had a chat with Tina, and got the guys to sign her programme.
Food & wine notes: (And someone actually ASKED ME what I was drinking tonight!) Los Nucos 2005 Chilian Cabernet Sauvignon from M&S, and after gig food was a Oriental Bean Salad. Back at the hotel bar Andy, Griff and I had a couple of Laphroaig whiskies (one off the top shelf - as we like to say) and Clive had a Baileys (not sure what shelf that comes off).
Poor Andy thinks he is getting a cold, and my throat feels a little scratchy. Maybe the whisky will do its work overnight - as its Liverpool tomorrow!!
There's been a wedding at this hotel, and even though it's 1am there's a hell of a lot of noise from various drunk guests........ great...

GIG TUNBRIDGE WELLS 12/04/07
We had to do a bit of tv for the local BBC 6.30 news prog when we arrived. Watched it as it went out and I can't say it was the best or most accurate piece of tv reporting I have seen.
Quite a rowdy audience to start with (and this was Tunbridge Wells! - not what you might expect) but Dennis dealt with them like the the pro he is, and they settled down and we had a great gig.
Funny moment right at the end of the show backstage - Dennis still full of energy rushing past us in the corridor - and also right past his dressing room! We thought he might walk straight out of the building and all the way home he was buzzing so much!
Good news for us - we thought we had to travel to Skegness tomorrow for the gig on Saturday, but it seems now we have a day off (at home for me, but not for Clive, Griff or Martin). So I'm going to see the Bajafondo Tango Club in Brighton instead.
Food and wine notes (which I know is what you read this for really!) All from M&S again - the wine is Chilean Fairtrade Curico Valley Shiraz 2006 - £4.99 I think and very good. Food was M&S Spaghetti Carbonara - not bad, but also not great. The other guys had a Chilean Pinot Noir Secano Estate 2006 at £6.99 which they said was 'excellentt'.
A good evening and now an unexpected day off before the final week or so of back to back gigs.... Can't wait!

GIG NORTHAMPTON 11/4/07
Cor blimey! (old english expression for our north american friends!) What a gig. I think it was probably the best we have played the set as band. We were on fire. 'Hearts Like Yours and Mine' a highlight tonight, with all of us adding new things, and Dennis leading us to climax after climax throughout the instrumental playout section of the song. It's just so great playing in this band. We are REALLY hitting our stride now. Martin wants you all to know that he really enjoyed the gig tonight (he's in the dressing room with me as I type this).
Food & wine notes for tonight: The wine is from M&S - Australian 2005 Pheasant Gully Shiraz Cabernet Bin 201 at £4.99 (I think). Very drinkable and highly recommended as an after gig tipple. Food today also from M&S Foodhall - a very good pasta & and pesto salad, which I have had before and enjoyed.. Readily available at all outlets!
On to Tunbridge Wells tomorrow - and we have to do a tv thingie for BBC South East new prog. So all of you in that region watch between 6.30 and 7.00 - if you aren't on the way to the gig.....
Posted from the dressing room at 23.15...

GIG BIRMINGHAM 10/4/07
Huuuge, huuge hall. Birmingham Symphony Hall. At the soundcheck, we weren't sure of the acoustic, but we hadn't factored in the arrival of the audience. A massive auditorium (I guess 3000+ seater) and it was pretty much full - even in the upper circle. From the moment we started playing the sound had changed from the soundcheck (very much for the better) and I knew we were going to have great gig. We played with some real fire, and personally I felt I played the show better than I had done anywhere else. Dennis was amazing - as always. A round of applause for his harp solo in 'Queen of the Silver Dollar', and Lucy Jordan waa so good that even I had shivers down my spine. The audience were very appreciative, and we were rewarded with a standing ovation.
I met a lot of the GB ers, which was fab. It seems that most of them are coming to almost all of the last gigs on the tour!
It's a huge responsibililty for us in the band to make each show as good as it possibly can be. But one that we will not shirk! I was saying to Martin, in the dressing room after the show, that I'm really going to miss this when it's over. So I'm going to do my best to enjoy each and every gig left on this tour.
It has been a 'big thing' for me personally, as I was just about in retirement as far as gigging was concerned. Nothing I wanted to do 'live', and no 'fun' left in it after so many years playing with 'crap' acts.
This tour has totally turned that on its head. I now remember why I signed up (in life) to be a MUSICIAN.
I won't forget this tour, and it has totally rekindled my interest in playing live music again. It helps a lot that the guys in the band are such good musicians and are very good company. BIG thanks to Clive for having enough faith in me to ask me to do it - after not having seen me or worked with me for 25 years - and Dennis for being a no 1 frontman, who makes it such a pleasure to be part of this!

Food notes: After gig wine - Hardys Shiraz Cabernet 2005 (very good - and on special offer at Tesco), and pre show meal was a really great pizza at Strada in the ICC complex (although they did add service to the bill before paying - which I really hate!) So I paid EXACTLY what was on the bill. If they hadn't added service the waitress would have got more...
NO (post show) KEBAB!!!! Shame....

ONSTAGE AT BIRMINGHAM
(pic by Maria Lewson - thanks!)

BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY HALL - DL's VIEW!

STANDING OVATION - BIRMINGHAM

GIG ST ALBANS 7/4/07
Going for a 1st tonight! I'm typing this in the dressing room only 15 mins after the show. Full house here in St Albans. A great crowd who seemingly had a fab evening. Dennis was on top form after his lunchtime 'gig' on Radio 2s Jonathan Ross show. We played a great, relaxed set and there were lots of really good moments. Thoroughly enjoyable for both the audience and the band - I think!
On the food front - which I know is what a lot of you read this for - I ate at a little bistro around the corner from the theatre called Darcys. Not cheap - but pretty good. Pea and ham hock soup, followed by pan fried sea bass, with sauted new potatoes, pesto and mushrooms. After show wine tonight is 'Cono Sur' Pinot Noir 2005 from Chile. I raise a glass to you all now....
Not sure whether a small kebab might be on the cards on the way home........ Posted at 23.02!
No kebab :-( we didn't pass a kebab shop on the way out of town...

GIG CROYDON 4/4/07
Less than an hour's drive away for me, so I decided to drive up in my own car, so that I could get away quickly after the show.
The highlight of the show was Dennis' superb guitar solo in 'Hearts Like Your And Mine'. I think it helped that we (the band), also hit a new high on the song as well, but you can't take it away from DL. He played a beautifully constructed solo that was rightfully greeted with an enthusiastic round of applause from the audience.
No kebab on the way home, as it can make a terrible mess of both your clothes and car upholstery if you try and eat it in the dark whilst driving!.... Just baked beans on toast with bacon when I got in, with a glass of Jacobs Creek Reserve Shiraz 2004....

GIG PORTSMOUTH 3/4/07
An irritating drive along the coast from Brighton to Portsmouth. The flippin' traffic just gets worse and worse - and it wasn't even the rush hour. Queues at Worthing and then at the roundabouts in Chichester.
It was a good, tight, solid performance from the band and another high energy one from Dennis. I don't know how he does it, night after night. The audience were very appreciative, and my youngest brother, who was in the audience seemed impressed (and it's hard to impress HIM!)
A death kebab after the show (sorry, did I say 'death'? - I meant DONER) and a much quicker drive home. Seem to have got away with the kebab this time - no ill effects this morning - you'll all be glad to hear...

GIG LONDON PALLADIUM 1/4/07
The last time I was in this theatre was in the late 50s, when, as a youngster, I was taken to see a panto there. It starred Frankie Vaughan, Joan Regan and Jimmy Edwards. As a kid I thought the theatre was huge, but as an adult I now see that it's not quite as big as I remember! All those years ago I would never have dreamt that one day I would actually be lucky enough to perform there. So the evening was very special to me, and I was determined to play as well as I could, and to take it all in.
When we arrived onstage through the wings we had to step through the Von Trapp family's french windows - very bizarre! The Sound of Music is doing a run there.
We had a great time. The audience were up for it from the word go, and before long people were dancing in the aisles. There was a proper party atmosphere. The sound onstage was great, and I was told by several people that it was excellent in the auditorium as well. I really enjoyed myself, and (I think) played the set the best I have done on the tour.
I managed to meet a few of the DL GB ers - including Dru who had flown over from the USA for the show. Now, that's what you call dedication! (Hope you had a good flight back).
After the show we had a little party in the dressing room with a few friends. Champagne courtesy of Flying Music - the tour promoters - thanks! Then fish and chips in the minibus on the way home in Croydon. We know how to live....

MARTIN & CLIVE - PALLADIUM

DL & ANDY - PALLADIUM

STANDING OVATION - PALLADIUM

GIG PETERBOROUGH 30/3/07
The Broadway Theatre is a beautifully restored art deco Odeon Cinema (see photo below). It still operates as a cinema, as well as being a very nice theatre. It has an extensive bar area as well as a classy looking restaurant. And at last - a bar that stayed open after the show! Oh yes, met Tina, from the GB. It's nice to meet these people that have been long term fans. It seems that most of them are coming to the Palladium tomorrow. It should be huge party. I can't wait!
The acoustics were perfect for us. We played a blinder and Dennis was on top form. Friendly responsive audience - although someone did yell out 'where's the eyepatch?' - but I'm certain it was just a wind up! Anyway, that's the 1st time that has happened and we are more than halfway through the tour.
Long drive home. Finally got in at about 2.30am.

KEYBOARD VIEW OF DENNIS SOUNDCHECK
BROADWAY THEATRE, PETERBOROUGH

GIG YORK 29/03/07
A fun gig in a beautiful theatre (Opera House, York).. Those theatre designers some 100+ years ago certainly knew how to create a great space for music. They should make all modern theatre designers look at these wonderful old theatres. They might learn a thing or two.Absolutely perfect acoustics.
We played really well, and the gig was thoroughly enjoyable. Even my amplifier seems to have mended itself - but we'll see. On to Peterborough tomorrow - and the Palladium on Sunday.

GIG CRAWLEY 28/03/07
Nice to be back at work after the day off. The gig was fun, but the auditorium had a very 'dead' sound which made it hard work at times. It's nice for us musicians to have a little natural reverberation in the room (not too much though!) but there was precious little in The Hawth.
My amplifier seems to have developed a slight problem which I'm going to have try and fix today at the gig in York.
After the show last night we drove to Rugby, so that we wouldn't have such a long drive today. We didn't get there until 2.30am! Sooo glamorous on the road.....

GIG SOUTHEND ON SEA 26/03/07
Long 5 hour drive down from Wakefield. By the time we arrived in Southend the sun was out and it was a beautiful day (by the sea). Went for a walk along the prom before the soundcheck. It was a late show, and the long wait to go on compounded our tiredness.
Once we hit the stage though, all feelings of lethargy dissappeared, and we played a good, tight set to a very appreciative audience. Dennis was on top form and gave his all (as we all did), but by the time we had finished the 2 hour show we were spent!
Home to Brighton after the show. Got in just after 2am. Today is our one day off. It's a beautiful day and I'm making the most of it. Defintely have a walk along the beach this afternoon - after I have dealt with my 2 week mound of washing!
Crawley tomorrow, which is local, and then back ooop north again. Just time to draw breath then, and see if I still have a home life and a partner!

GIG NEWCASTLE 25/03/07
Fantastic gig. The audience was a real mix of ages, with some teenage girls at the front, and Josh - a 6 year old in the balcony! The legendary geordie 'party time' was in evidence, with people dancing in their seats, or getting to their feet.
Was nice to meet up with our old mate John Tobler - rock journalist extraordinaire.
Dennis had a great dialogue with Josh, the 6 year old boy, that set the tone of the whole show. It made the City Hall seem like our front room.
Someone even threw what looked like a furry bikini onstage... for Dennis we guess - much to the amusement of the band.
We played really well. I'm writing this up now at 1.30 in the morning because we have an early start to get down to Southend for our show tomorrow evening. Then we have A DAY OFF!!!! Wheeeewww......

GIG BUXTON 24/03/07
Buxton Opera House is a beautiful Victorian (I think) theatre. Lovingly restored and maintained. The stage is very deep and steeply raked. When we arrived, we realised that we were set up too far back on the stage, so we had to move everything 3 feet forwards and then re adjust the lighting - which took a bit of time. But hey - nothing is too much trouble for our audience!
The theatre was full right to the top of the upper circle, which seemed to us to go up almost vertically. I am full of admiration for the brave souls who sat up there. I hope they had seatbelts!
Another great show with Dennis on top form with audience banter.
Met Pauline (from Dennis's GB) after the show, which was nice.
Longish drive back to Wakefield after the show - and even worse the clocks went forward and we lost an hour's sleep.....

BUXTON - MONITOR MIX DESK IN FOREGROUND

GIG DARLINGTON 23/03/07
Great gig in Darlington. The theatre is Victorian (I think) and has a very steeply raked auditorium, which means that no one in the audience is very far from the stage. It was pretty much full - even the top tier balcony, which was so steep and high up I hope the theatre roped you into your seats and provided you with oxygen! You must be very brave to sit up there... I gave you a wave of appreciation!
We (the band) hit all our marks perfectly this time, thank goodness. Great evening.

GRIFF & MARTIN ONSTAGE

TRAVEL DAY 22/03/07
Long, tedious journey from Dundee to Harrogate in Yorkshire. 5 and a half hours. Ipods were in full use in the minibus. Still, we had a welcome evening off, with everyone well aware that after this evening we do a show every night (with travel) until Tues. So a quick chance to recharge the mental batteries - and get some washing done! (It's just soooo glamorous being a musician on the road!)
Tomorrow we have about an hours drive to Darlington. Nice theatre, from what I remember. Should be fun...

CROSSING THE PENNINES ON WAY TO HARROGATE

GIG ABERDEEN 21/03/07
Tonight was the last of our Scottish shows, and the furthest north we travel. I'm nearly 600 miles from my home in Brighton. Tomorrow is a travel day, and we will end up in Harrogate in Yorkshire.
The show in Aberdeen was a fitting end to the Scottish leg, with a enthusiastic, packed house of Aberdonians (been dying to use that word!). The band played really well, and managed to hit all the new changes and accents apart from one.... AAAARGH!! No one in the audience would have known, as it's not a mistake as such. Just a little something we are trying to add.
See you in Darlington on Friday.

VIEW ACROSS THE TAY - DUNDEE

GIG DUNDEE 20/3/07
A 2 hour drive from Glasgow found us in Dundee. Nice hotel room with a view across the Tay.
The Caird Hall is a big barn of a place with, shall we say, a less than ideal acoustic! Nevertheless, we had a good gig there, and managed to hit all the new accents and changes that we had been rehearsing. A good, tight show, and a kebab afterwards..... which I hope I don't live to regret...! (I did, unfortunately)

GIG GLASGOW 18/3/07
Well, what a show! I have heard all about the legendary Glasgow audiences, but have never played anything other than small venues here before. They were fantastic. My magic moment was when we played 'More Like the Movies' - and I suddenly realised that 2000 people were singing along without being asked.
It was the biggest venue we have played so far on the tour ( 2000+ seats) and it was 98% full. All credit to Dennis. It was a brilliant evening and one that I won't ever forget.
We had some horizontal snow flurries this morning, but nothing too terrifying. I gather it's all moving south now... Still chuffing cold though! Off to bed now..

CURTAIN CALL GLASGOW

DRUMMER'S EYE VIEW GLASGOW

THE STAGE SET GLASGOW

TRAVEL TO GLASGOW 17/03/07
We left our hotel at Taunton at 10.30 in brilliant sunshine. We had heard the reports that we should expect cold, high winds and snow. It started raining north of Manchester - but no snow. We got here just before 6 after a sterling 400 mile drive by Taylor, our driver.
I'm now in the hotel in Glasgow and still no sign of any snow - but plenty of wind and rain! We'll see. The hall we are playing in tomorrow is literally across the street. Very convenient. A quiet evening in maybe.... or maybe not!

GIG TORQUAY 16/03/07
Another thoroughly enjoyable show in Torquay. After the show we all went out for a curry in the town. We found a very nice Indian restaurant - and of course all the people already in there had been to the show. Dennis was with us, and as usual was happy to sign autographs for everyone. After that, they were kind enough to leave us to get on with our food, which was delicious! It was a pleasant end to our two shows in the west country.

GIG TRURO 15/03/07
We had a long drive down from Brighton to our hotel in Taunton on Wed evening. The traffic in the UK is approaching gridlock, but nothing seems to be being done about it. you only have to cross the channel and drive in France to see how things should be!
The following afternoon we drove the 120 miles to Truro for the show. At least the weather was nice!
The Hall for Cornwall is a lovely venue with really good acoustics. There's quite a steep rake in the auditorium which means that no one is too far away from the stage.
I think we were all itching to play after our 3 days off. We had a really good, fun gig - and the audience was probably the most good natured and responsive we have had so far. The audience singing in 'Cover of the Rolling Stone' was deafening!
The hall was sold out, and the standing ovation at the end was heartfelt and genuine. A great evening.

ANDY LOSES IT AS HE IS ASKED TO
MOVE HIS GUITARS YET AGAIN.....

GIG FOLKESTONE 10/3/07
We played in Folkestone at the legendary Leas Cliff Hall. I think I last played there in the late 70s with a band called Headwaiter. My memory of that day was that it was that it was dark, cold and rainy - so it was nice to arrive there this time in the afternoon sun and see the view across the channel from the top of the cliff.
We are still tightening up various parts of the set at the soundcheck, and as Dennis says in his blog, we'll probably still be doing it at the end of the tour! In fact I'd be dissappointed if we weren't. But we are talking about minute detail here. It's great that it's the kind of band that WANTS to do this. It would be so easy to just say 'we've got it nailed now, and we can leave it as it is'.... not in THIS band we don't. And that's what makes it a great band, rather than just a very good one (even though I say so myself).
The gig itself was another good, tight show with another standing ovation at the end.
After the show I was able to meet up with Chris Parks whom I played with in Any Trouble with Clive and Martin. I last saw him 26 years ago! Where does the time go? Here's a pic of the Any Trouble boys (unfortunately minus Phil Barnes, the bass player - so not quite a 'full house')

MARTIN, CLIVE, CHRIS, MYSELF

So now we have 3 days off before we set off for the West Country on Wednesday. I'm certainly going to miss the buzz of doing a gig each night - even though it's nice to be home with my partner for a few days. But when we leave on Wed we won't be back home for nearly 2 weeks, so I'm going to make the most of my time at home.

GIGS HIGH WYCOMBE 8/3/07 & WORTHING 9/3/07
Both great gigs for us. The Worthing show was the closest one to me, so my partner, her family and friends came along to it. Also I was able to go home for dinner between the soundcheck and the show - luxury!! At the Worthing show I noticed that some of audience shed a few tears in 'If Not You'. We changed 2 numbers around in the set at Worthing. I'll find out today at Folkestone whether that will be the new set order or not!
After Folkestone we have a welcome 3 days off to regroup, before we head off to the West Country and then on to Scotland.

GIG NORWICH 6/3/07
We had a leisurely drive up from Brighton in beautiful sunny weather. We even had time to stop for lunch at a 'greasy spoon' transport cafe at a a place called Red Lodge not far from Cambridge. It was as though nothing had changed since the 60s there - in the nicest possible way! It was so warm we sat outside to eat our food. Nothing cost more than a fiver - and it wasn't bad at all.

CLIVE & ANDY WAITING FOR LUNCH

We got to Norwich very early, which was just as well as my stage shirt had been left behind in Brighton, so I had to go clothes shopping. Luckily there was a Primark handily placed very close to the theatre....
So of you might like to know what we do when we arrive at a venue. Well, after we find the dressing rooms, we normally go onstage and do the last bit of setting up. The roadcrew do most of it - and in my case - all of it. We are very, very lucky to have great crew, who know exactly what they are doing - which is sometimes more than we do...!!
From about 4.30 we play through songs that we think need some attention. Dennis normally joins us onstage at about 5, and then we do a soundcheck proper - normally for about an hour. To be honest, we are not really soundchecking in the conventional sense. No '1 - 2 - 1 - 2' so beloved of roadies. It's all up and running by the time we get there. We just run through a few numbers to check monitor balances and so on. Also, we are still attending to little details in the songs. We finish the soundcheck at 6 and then Chris Norman does his. Then we just wait in our dressing rooms until showtime - which for us is generally 8.20.
The show went very well again. The little details that we rehearse in the soundcheck are all helping to make it better and better. It looked like another full house - and we had another (very enthusiastic) standing ovation at the end.
We have a day off on Wed (time to get some washing done and see whether we still have a home life!) and then it's High Wycombe on Thurs. See you there...

GIG BOURNEMOUTH 5/3/07
Very limited time this morning to get up early, go into Brighton and replace the mobile phone that was nicked last night. It's impossible to be on the road for even 24 hours without a mobile phone - although we seemed to manage in the old days!
As we drove down to Bournemouth the weather deteriorated, and shortly after we arrived there was a full on storm happening. These didn't deter the Bournemouth populace, and we had another very good house in a very large theatre. It was a massive stage, and we were all miles apart. We are going to have to find a way to keep closer together in future as it helps the playing - and also stops one feeling isolated. Dennis was miles away from me, and it was sometimes difficult to read his body language - which is so important when we are 'blowing'. Another good, tight show though with a standing ovation.
My friend Phillip Goodhand-Tait came to see the show. You may remember him as a singer songwriter from the 70s. He was very impressed with the gig. It was good to have a chat with him afterwards.
Absolutely diabolical weather on the drive home!
I have been told that I can't use my music stand anymore and have to know the songs off by heart. I'm ok on all but 4 of the songs - so I'm going to have to have an intensive learning session sometime tomorrow before the gig! Goodnight...

GIG WOKING 4/3/07
The best gig so far. We really hit our stride on this one. Appreciative if somewhat subdued audience. 'Lucy Jordan' again the highlight for me. It just keeps getting better - and the audience LOVED it. Another standing ovation at the end.
Unfortunately the evening was spoiled for us by the wanker who decided to steal Martin and my mobile phones, and Clive's hard drive and Psion organiser - while we were playing. Nice. So.... any other acts reading this blog - if you're playing the NEW VICTORIA THEATRE in WOKING - LOCK IT ALL UP!!
Additional posting after reading Dennis' blog and in the cold light of day! We don't know whether the thief works at the venue or whether it was an outsider who somehow got in..... and probably never will. And when I said that audience was a bit subdued - it was only a comparison with the audiences at the 2 previous shows. The reaction was still great!

GIG SALISBURY 3/3/07
A less hectic day for us. We left Brighton in the early afternoon for the 2 hour drive to Salisbury.
From the stage it looked like another full house. Brilliant. The was some very funny good natured heckling throughout the show which kept us amused in the band. One lady kept yelling out 'I love you' to Dennis presumably. He had some very funny, quicked witted responses.
The band were a little more relaxed having got the 1st show under our belts. There was another standing ovation at the end of the show . 'Lucy Jordan' was a highlight again. You could have heard a pin drop while were playing it.
Still a few little details to sort out for us to make it 100% brilliant, but it's 99.9% there. Roll on Woking!

DL ONSTAGE AT SALISBURY

'TV SHOW' & GIG BASINGSTOKE 2/3/07
We arrived at the hotel in London last night at about 10pm. A couple of drinks in the bar and early(ish) to bed.
This morning we were up at 7.15, and were driven from the hotel to the TV Studios on the south bank near the London Eye. A lot of hanging around at the studio. A couple of run throughs and insert slots before we performed 'In Love with a Beautiful Woman' at the end of the show at about 12.20. It went very well - to the point where some of the technicians and guests were dancing while we played! It's a tv show with good viewing figures - so it won't do us any harm at all. Then back to the hotel for an hour to relax before driving down the M3 to Basingstoke for the gig.
Well - the 1st gig - I'm sure that's what you all want to hear about. We had a full house pretty much. It all went very well for a 1st gig. It's the 1st time I have done a gig with Dennis and was blown away by the guy's energy. He arrived onstage like a whirling dervish - spinning around the stage playing the harmonica. Brilliant start! I'm not going to spoil it for those of you that have bought tickets by giving you a blow by blow account. My favourite of the evening was our reading of 'The Ballad of Lucy Jordan' which I think showed what we are capable of as a band. It was great to play - and from the reaction - great to listen to.
We were all elated after the show that it went so well. We have a few details that we need to attend to at the soundcheck tomorrow in Salisbury, but hopefully it will be another good show. It's a great band - even if I say so myself!
I hope you all appreciate my dedication to writing this blog. It's 2am on Saturday morning!!
A good review on Dennis' site from Andy.

DENNIS SOUNDCHECKING AT BASINGSTOKE


GUITARIST ANDY ROBERTS AT BASINGSTOKE WITH
GEORGE - OUR MONITOR MIX MAN

REHEARSAL DAY 6 28/2/07
It was our last day of rehearsal today in the theatre in Hastings. We had to record the backing track for the tv show on Friday first. Then we sorted out the all the 'special' lighting cues. After that we ran through the whole set. You'll all be glad to hear that it's sounding great - I think we have a good show for you all. It's a great band with some exceptional musicians (myself excluded of course - you'll have to make your own minds up about that!). There are some exciting re interpretations of the Dr Hook classics, as well as readings that stay faithful to the originals. Something for everyone I think.
This evening the band went out for a meal in Brighton (where some of us live) and where we are all staying during the tour. It was a great evening - and we had a chance to relax for a moment before the hard work starts.
We have a (sort of) day off tomorrow, but we all meet up tomorrow night in a hotel in London in the evening in readiness for the tv show early on Friday morning. Then we are off to Basingstoke for the 1st gig of the tour in the evening.
The band all want to know what happens to Ray if we DON'T play 'Years From Now'........

REHEARSAL DAY 5 27/02/07
So today we are finally on a stage. It was nice to be in a larger space - although, as always, it takes a bit of adjustment after 4 days in a small rehearsal studio. We didn't really get to play until after lunch, which meant that we didn't get quite as much practice as we would have liked. Griff, the bass player, has hurt his back, so any back specialists at the 1st gig in Basingstoke please make themselves known to the management! Tomorrow is our last day of rehearsal, and we also have to record the backing track for our appearance on Good Morning on ITV on Friday morning. So it's an early start for the troops!
Dennis told us all today about Ray from Salisbury.... and how it's ESSENTIAL that we play 'Years From Now'. All I can say is.... Ray - it might be your lucky night....!

H&H TOUR SET 27/02/07

REHEARSAL DAY 4 26/2/07
We are all exhausted! It's quite a task to learn 20 or so songs in 4 days. Today we went through some of the detail on the songs that weren't sitting quite right, and have hopefully sorted it out. The crew turned up at the end of the day to load our gear and take it to Hastings for tomorrow's 'production'day. We will set up in a theatre with all the sound equipment and lighting, and run through the set and develop a lighting and sound plot. It will be good to be in a bigger space. The rehearsal studio was very small. The songs should 'breathe'a bit more in a proper theatre. Onwards and upwards!

REHEARSAL DAY 3 25/2/07
A very long day at the office today. We ran through all the songs again, dissecting the arrangements and tightening everything up. We were all exhausted at the end of the session. But I do think we have some cracking arrangements that I hope everyone willl find exciting - but also true to the original material. I'm proud to be part of it.
To anyone out there that still thinks this rock n' roll business is glamorous - try spending 9 hours in a sealed room, with no windows and an air con unit that is only capable of producing either extreme heat or cold - and see what YOU think! WE SUFFER FOR OUR ART!!

rehearsal - Brighton - 24/02/07

REHEARSAL DAY 2 24/02/07
I didn't sleep well last night! Spent hours awake with the music going around my head. I woke up this morning feeling pretty tired rather than refreshed.We worked through the rest of the songs today, and are really beginning to work as a band now. Dennis is keeping us amused between songs with a series of completely unrepeatable stories about various famous (and infamous) musicians. Very, very funny! I'm still feeling a bit like the 'new boy', but not as much as I did yesterday.
Surreal moment of the day had to be playing 'Sylvia's Mother' with the guy who originally sang it! I remember seeing Hook on the Old Grey Whistle Test playing this song more than 30 years ago. I loved the song. Little did I think then that one day I would be in Dennis Locorriere's band.

REHEARSAL DAY 1 23/02/07
Well, the day finally arrived! After hours spent learning the songs playing along to the records in my shed / studio it was time to meet up with everyone and do it together. We are rehearsing at a studio complex in Brighton, only about 5 mins drive from my house. I was incredibly nervous - like the 1st day of a new job - which I guess is what it was.
After a shaky start (for me!) I settled down and started to play properly. It was sounding pretty good 'straight out of the box'. The other guys had obviously done at least the same amount of preparation as me, and we fairly rattled though the songs. They are all fantastic musicians and a real joy to be in a band with. After 6 hours or so we had worked our way through 9 of the 22 songs that we are to play. Pretty good for the 1st day. We also found out that we are to be on TV on 'Good Morning' next Friday (2nd March). That's also the day of the 1st gig. Roll on tomorrow! I'm enjoying this!