So, the 2007 Ferry Tour is over. Ireland, Shetland, Orkney. Three great festivals, all required ferry trips. Odd how that all came about, but there you go.
As always I had a great time in Orkney. All kidding about seasickness aside, I love getting to the ferry terminal and the natural conversations that happen with people getting set to make the crossing. And once there, it's so much like being home for me that I find myself just relaxing in ways I'd forgotten about.
The festival was a great time. Two gigs, one at the Stromness Hotel and the other at the Ferry Inn. It was a chance to try out all the new material from my solo CD and check reactions. Also had a chance to hang out with Gerry Jablonski and Kate, Dave Amos and the tribe and a raft of other old friends.
Gerry, in particular, was in killer form. I think the gig of his at the Standing Stones was one of the best I've seen. Got a chance to see a couple of other bands as well- BlueBelly, Mean Business. Great weekend of music, sad to leave. Thanks to Walter, Graham and all the organizers for all the hard work in making this happen. If you see them, pat 'em on the back because they sure do deserve it.
Oh, on an odd note- take a couple of aging die-hard guitar players like Gerry and I and put them together over beer, and what do we talk about? Women? Wild Parties? Nope. We talked for a long time about how heavy our PA's are. If that's not a sign of the times, I don't know what is. I'm still laughing......
