And we're back.
Teenage Fanclub just played a run of shows in good ol' Europe.
BARCELONA - ah, the splendid Primavera Festival. I caught up with some pals, experienced
Sleep for the first time and visited the Picasso museum.
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| Soundcheck |
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| Gig |
ORLEANS - first time here.
I loved how at the venue they laid out dining tables and served lunch after soundcheck. They cleared the table away for the punters and then laid them out again for dinner after the show. Band, crew and venue staff all sitting together to each and drink.
Egalité and Faternité right enough. Our guitar tech George proposed a fitting toast to the chef.
BORDEAUX - beautiful city.
I took in
Le Miroir d'Eau:
I also visited the Museé des Beaux-Arts for a a bit of soothing, cultured meditation. I hadn't reckoned on the Miracle of Saint Justus or Mozart Dying.
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| !? |
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| !?! |
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| Ah, that's better. |
PORTO - loved it. The old city sprawling down to the Douro River. Fresh seafood and 10 year-old port. Laundry hanging out of windows two floors above posh-ish restaurants. The dark, soulful eyes of seemingly every other portrait in the
National Museum Soares dos Reis. There's a kind of invisible melancholia lurking, threaded throughout the place. And don't get me started on the custard tarts.
Here's a wee taste...
And another...
The gig was fun too.
NIMES - another beautiful, historic place where I'd never been.
We drank mojitos and got a recommendation for a restaurant - L'Écusson - where the owner served his pal's wine. Local knowledge is the best.
I visited the Museé Des Beaux-Arts (surprise!)...
...and discovered that if they ever make a film of about Jonathan Richman, they could get Rubens' Francesco Marcelliano de Barea to play him:
...and Roddy Frame could play the young Liszt as painted by Jean Vignaud...
Gig was good too.
On the return flight I caught upon with
Better Call Saul.
Back home I watched Howard Goodall's
Sgt Pepper's Musical Revolution (recommended) and Dr. Who (family viewing).
Last night I watched
"Billy Connolly Portrait Of A Lifetime".
Billy is a hero and this was a lovely watch. I was *so* chuffed when two pieces of my music popped up:
"20 Sep" played when Billy visited his John Byrne portrait in the People's Palace in Glasgow; and then I gasped when some notes from "
Antoine Duhamel" started up as Billy visited Dali's Christ Of St John Of The Cross at Kelvingrove Museum (that piece was named for the man who created the soundtrack for Franco-Glaswegian curio
Death Watch - but that's another tangent). A snatch of Teenage Fanclub's "Broken" was in there too. And I was a bit of a puddle by the end. I do love Billy.
This is me since yesterday.
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