I'm rubbish at updating my blogs but had such a great time in America I felt I should get it all down before some of it slips away.

So I arrive in JFK after the immigration guy in Canada giving me a hard time, using the phrase "I'm trying to help you here", no you weren't mate you were being a jobsworth but that's all right, just don't act like like you give a ish. I get picked up from JFK by Aunt Theresa who gives me all the news on their place out in the Catskills and what my New York family have been up to.
We hang out at their place in Queens where my cousins Theresa, Diane and Joe join us with Uncle Joe and second cousin Joe, then they take me to a local dinner for more catch ups and some lovely pancakes. I was once again reminded of the differences in American culture and the UK when cousin Theresa asks for something that wasn't on the menu, in the UK if it's not on the menu as an option then you can't have it. End.Of. Story.

So then Cousin Theresa and I head into Manhattan to meet up with Posh Nick, Dre and Melissa. Nick has chosen and English pub (!?!) based on online reviews. So we do the catch up thing, I show round the pictures I've brought of my kids then we head off to the Coffee House. Each and every time I'm in New York I'm trying to work out why I don't live there, it's always brilliant there and I feel so much at home compared to when I'm in the UK, and at this time I'd not even hit any records shops..
So next morning Cousin Theresa takes me into Chinatown where I'm to catch the bus to DC, we get there early so grab a coffee and a pastry and chat. Cousin Theresa is like the nicest person you will ever meet in your life. No contest. So we head to the bus about 9.20 as it leaves at 10, we fight our way through the screaming women trying to sell tickets and banging signs, like the mating call of some urban banshee, get to the bus, load my bag on and I'm just swapping mobile numbers with Theresa when the doors close and the guy starts to drive away 30 minutes early. So I jump on.
Instead of heading out of town, the driver drives around the block then stands back where we started. He does this every half hour up to 11.30. Either they don't have a license to park there for too long or the company advertises that a bus leaves every 30 minutes, not saying that it's the same bus. Now I know it's only $20, which is hella cheap and you get what you pay for but I heard at least three people who weren't sure where the bus was going when it left NY, the driver really needs to up his people skills.
So the bus stops in Philly and Baltimore before we get to DC where the mighty Gaskins and Eclectic meet me. Now these are the guys that I owe this whole tour to. VA legends for parties and have guested at NY's Turntables on the Hudsons, that's how they roll. Straight up bombs. We check our bags into a very nice and I mean very nice hotel, after I get to see the Whitehouse that is, well a drive by, not in the gangsta spraying uzi sense, if only. Then we head out to buy some records, Eclectic shows us a cool shop up in the Fives called Crooked Beat where I pick up a jazz poetry lp called "Are you running with me Jesus" amongst others. A good find then it's off to get something to eat.
I get ID'd as I'm drinking coffee, must be my youthful looks, waitress must have thought 'is he old enough to be drinking that caffeine?', then spends the longest time staring at it. So anyway food was good and we head back to the hotel far to full. I go for a walk to try and walk it off, which I've been doing a lot lately, old age creeping in I reckon.
That night we are playing at the Science Club, a very cool place with really nice people, I got talking to some people there who seemed generally interested in the music I play and seem knowledgeable, usually in clubs you just get "so where you from" type banter. Gaskins and Eclectic warm up for me, now up until this point they had no idea what I was gonna play, I might have turn up rolled a big fat one then put on some downbeat music, luckily for them I'm Plymouths 14th best dj and know how to party. I do my usual soul funk party vibe and it seems to go down very well, the place wasn't packed but those there had a good time. After we finish we sit around chatting to the owner Steve and some of his friends, if you are ever in DC I very much recommend this place. Everything is right about it, people, drinks, vibe and music all spot on.
So as Gaskins is drunk but hungry we drop off the records then head to find something to eat, the only choice is a late night seven eleven where we advise the staff to keep an eye on that guy with glasses ( Gaskins ) as we think he has been stealing..
I get up about 9 and take a walk around DC, nice clean place but where we were staying didn't have a whole lot of earthy character so I check out some book shops and grab breakfast.
Eclectic and Gaskins get up about 11 so we check out and head for Blacksburg. While driving we talk music, life and all that and it feels like I've known these guys for ages, we stop at Cracker Barrell which is a real chavvy place, like the Argos of diners, I love it. They have grits on the menu, which I've heard of but never had, so order a side dish with my pancakes. I'm not bowled over with the grits but glad I've at least tried them.
Before we hit Blacksburg they takes to an excellent diggin spot, Happy's flea market, a huge selection of vinyl mainly $1 or $2, brilliant stuff. We only have about an hour and a half but I find some great Enoch Light lps but my favourite is what looks like four latin preachers playing guitar, proper dollar bin finds which I can't wait to plunder.
We leave as they are closing up I'm already gassed to the full about this place and they tell me that tonight will be packed. We head into Blacksburg which is kind of a small university town, but seems to have nice bars and coffee shops. We drop off our stuff then head down to do their radio show where I'm being interviewed. As I'd spent the last day or so with them it didn't feel like an interview, more just chatting about music, what we'd done mostly since we met.
Then we head down to Cabo for the gig, a cool spot which Boogieburg turn into a club after 10. The rest of their crew are already there setting up, Subklue, Cerna and their homie Flo was driving down / up / whatever from North Carolina. Pretty much as soon as they start djing the people start dancing, which is rare, the place was filling up as well.
So after the Boogieburg crew warm things up nicely on comes Flo doing a funky breaky set and the place is busy and starting to get sweaty. I was dancing away and some girl points to the stage and says "do you know which one is Aldo Vanucci", I was tempted to say ' the good looking geezer on the left' but fessed up it was me, she's embarassed I laugh then go back to dancing after a quick chat.
I start my set with a cheesy 80's classic then quickly move into some av8 action, then some hip hop, party breaks, latin, northern. Game. Over. By this time the place is sweating the first few rows all have their hands in the air and singing along with me. I start to juggle with the percussionist, dropping the beat for a bar letting him rock out then bringing it back in, each time to a massive cheer, except the time he gets caught out cos Gaskins is talking in his ear.
The night finished far too quickly, it all seemed to be over before either the crowd or us were ready, still, always better to leave them wanting more. Everyone heads back to Gaskins and Eclectic's for the come down.
Next morning I head into town to check out Crossroads, Blacksburgs only record shop. Pick up some chart cd's like the new Kanye West, Talib Kweli and Ben Harper as well as some super nice vinyl, things like the Upchurch / Tennyson lp, a Rotary Connection album and Turtles album with a Fatboy Slim break on, all at not too shabby prices. A quick latte then head back to Gaskins when I meet Eclectic out looking for me as it's time to head off to Atlanta. A few goodbyes then we are on the road.
We stop for petrol and grab some munchies, then ten minutes later pass a Krystols burger drive in, Eclectic and Gaskins reckon I should try them. I wasn't hungry in the least but as they were like mini burgers I got in a couple of double cheeseburgers, stodgy but still super nice. On the way we listen to Opium Andy on the radio which is excellent stuff. We get to Atlanta, check in and hit the pool, it's a bit cold but I don't care cos now I feel like a jet set dj who has a pool in his hotel. Gaskins bombs the pool and hurts his back. Good move.
We get changed then head out to eat with Eclectic's homie playing tour guide. Earlier we'd been in his apartment and I was asking about really tourist things to do, after a while they tell me there is a museum for coca cola there, I say "you have a museum for coke bottles?". They say yes. I say " you people are f**king crazy" and mean it in the nicest possible way. We eat at Chipotle which is nice and very filling, though Eclectic had asked for something reasonably healthy. It was but only compared to what we'd been eating until then.
We head down to Bazaar and meet Chris Nicholson who has arranged tonights proceedings. The Dj box has been moved especially for us and into the VIP section. Now that's what I'm talking about. We all take half hour slots , Chris rinsing exclusives blends and boots, Eclectic dropping some super upfront b more tracks and Gaskins playing the 'better get it out quick' anthem "flights of the gaskins", look out for this has real potential. The place is super posh compared to most of the places I play and to be honest I was fading fast by the end of the night.
The cab ride home is super funny but I'm not blogging that kind of behaviour, I'll tell you in person when I see you. The next day we hit a couple of ATL's finest records shops, after the first one I have to limit my purchases as I can't fit any more vinyl in my suitcase, so I switch to 7" instead.

Has to be up there as one of the most fun trips I've ever done, so much love goes out to my boogieburg brothers and everyone that made me feel so welcome. I am coming back just as soon as I can. And with a much bigger suitcase.