TOURIN’ WEEK 3!

Monday 25th, May 2009

After a couple of days relaxin back home the first gig of the week was at the Barwon Club in Geelong.  This venue has been around forever and everyone has played it before.....except me!  I don’t know how I’ve managed to dodge it over the last 13 years but somehow I’ve never played a gig here until now.  I know that doesn’t sound that exciting but to me it is rather a thrill.

Whilst back stage before the show I get a phone call from me ol’ pal Timmy Rogers asking me to play in his football team.  I’ve always been envious of Melbourne’s Community Cup football match that pits rock dogs aginst media folk in a game of football and raises money for the homeless and under privileged.  It’s awesome that now I live in Melbourne I can get involved.  I tell Tim I would love to play but my chances of running out a four quarter game are slim at best and absolutely non existant at worst.  Here’s hoping for a defensive role on a flank or a pocket!

The Barwon Club gig is rowdy and drunken but good spirited.  After the show I wander down to the Merch desk to meet people and witness a mini brawl break out.  I’m astonished that my tender acoustic balladry could inspire such an aggressive reaction from an element of the crowd.  It’s rather an unsavoury end to the evening but at least Poltzy gets to see his first real Aussie brawl up close and personal.  I think he even took video footage.

The following night is my big “home town” show at the Corner and it was so much fun.  The place was packed and the crowd were up for it.  I was so happy, even though I was still shaking off my damn cold.  It didn’t matter.  It means so much to me that the city I have made my new home is kind to me when it comes to gigs.  It would be pretty sad if no one came to my Melbourne shows.  As it’s turned out the Melbourne audience was my biggest for the tour so thank you!

The next show is at the beautiful Palais in Hepburn springs where we play a stripped back dinner and show type affair.  After the show I manage to witness the final seconds of the Geelong/Bulldogs game that ended in a narrow loss to the Doggies.

By the time I get home it’s 2am and I am back up at 6am to head to the airport to fly to Tassie.  I’m doing this show by myself and by the evening the lack of sleep is starting to catch up with me.  Luckily the crowd is amazing yet again and I end up having one of my favourite solo shows in a long long time and definitely one of my best shows on the Apple Isle.  Hearing everyone sing along to the songs was a real buzz.  I think I may have walked off stage that night with a slightly big head.

The next day I spend 5 hours sitting around at the airport in Hobart waiting for my flight back to Melbourne.  Seems Qantas don’t do too many flights out of Hobart on a Sunday.  Just as boredom starts to really set in I find the Qantas Club lounge, which is tiny and not at all where you would expect it to be and to my delight I see that you can pour your own drinks!  No people serving behind a bar in Hobart!  Lovely!  After a few Gin and Tonics with a dash of lime I’m back on a plane to Melbourne/home.

And so another week on the road ends.  Tomorrow I’m doing a free in store show at Billy Hydes in Flemington here in Melbourne so would love to see you there!  Then it’s off to Adelaide and Perth for more shows.  I will also be doing the Billy Hydes thing in North Perth on Saturday afternoon and I’m hoping to catch Little Birdy on Saturday night.  When I was in Hobart I heard a big chunk of “Confetti” in store at Sanity while I waited to go to the airport.  I really liked what I heard!

It’s raining in Melbourne.  I was supposed to be going out tonight to see a film, (a premiere no less) but I think the weather has got the better of me.  That’s the West Australian in me I think!  Oh well.  Thanks to all the folk who made it out to a show and made this last week such a good one!

Cheers to us

XXXBOBXXX

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