Hey folks,
I am sitting here tonight, very chilled out and thinking that maybe I have the best job in the whole world. I have so much I want to write but am going to try and give you a flavour of the last few weeks in a short blast.....
The US tour was fantastic - we travelled to amazing places - Vancouver, Seattle, Bothwell, San Fransisco, Berkley, LA, Santa Monica, Denver and Durango. I have to say the flight out was pretty good (despite a week of sleepless nights in the run-up to leaving due to worrying about it) and check out this beautiful view over the Rockies.
We landed in Seattle Airport in great form and ready to take on the West Coast. We met a fella at the luggage belt who saw my instrument case on my back and asked if I was "taking any good music" to Seattle. I said yes. He said, "who are ya anyway? Maybe I will come check you out...." I said (in my Scottish accent), "My name is Julie Fowlis" and he said, "Julie Fabulous? That's a great name. I'll google you." I didn't have the heart to correct him.
The opening night in Vancouver was fab, even crossing the border to Canada was an experience. We had the good fortune of having the gorgeous and light footed Danielle Enblom with us for the first two shows, and her dancing added an extra dimension to the show. Thanks Dani - you're a star.
We had fun hanging around San Fransisco for a few days. An amazing melting pot of cultures, vibes and outlooks. I loved it. Here's me and Jenna hanging out in Union Square.
Ask any musician - once you have toured for a certain amount of time, one main way of remembering a gig is through identifying the food you ate shortly before taking to the stage. Illustration:
Éamon: Hey remember that gig we did in "X"?
Julie: Em, nope.
Éamon: Yeah you do - that one we did in September. That nice theatre...?
Julie: Nope.
Éamon: You do - the one with the Duncan's defaced solo poster in the dressing room. And the hecklers from Lewis in the audience.
Julie: Nope.
Éamon: When we rented the silver Zafira for two weeks?
Julie: No.
Éamon: Yeah you do, when we met your friends after in the bar?
Julie: Eh, still no.....
Éamon: When we had that amazing takeaway Thai dinner beforehand with the spicy monkfish?
Julie: Oh, THAT gig. Yeah, totally.
The US tour was shaped alot by the food. We ate often, in large portions and even sometimes healthy.
Plus food points for US tours:
1. You can eat anytime of day. And if it's after 10pm it doesn't have to be a sausage supper (for anyone reading this who has not been to Scotland, this meal involves battered sausages (2), a large portion of chips, an incredible amount of salt and vinegar, all of which are usually to be eaten out of old newspaper and accompanied by a can of Irn-Bru).
2. People taking your order are always really nice, they smile and are polite to you.
3. There is always tons of choice.
4. You folks do
good salads.
5. You do too-big portions for breakfast. but they're good
Now -
minus points for US tours:
1. You cannot get a good cup of tea. EVER. EVER. Does no-one ever drink properly boiled tea?
2. You folks really can have
too much choice. I had a small stress out every day trying to choose one main option off the menu, the type of salad (if any), sides, dressing, size, extras, drinks, type of bread, colour of tablecloth etc. I can barely choose one thing from the menu at the best of times.
Em, that's actually it for the minus points. You guys are actually really good.
OK here is my food run down:I ate the hottest ever sweet and sour soup in Seattle, the next hottest sweet and sour soup in Vanouver, tapas in Bothwell (we went to a cool market during day by the way - anyone tried Fireweed honey? - wow), a small family run Italian in San Fran, (plus Hard Rock cafe during day), a health food place in Gourmet Ghetto in Berkley, a cool Mexican place in Santa Monica and no dinner but chips and salsa in Denver (by chips I mean crisps). Missing dinner was worth the bluegrass session though. And great steaks in Durango.
We met Jayme Stone, a friend and super talented banjo player living in Colorado, and he came and played a few tunes with us in Denver which was cool and we even managed to gather half of the band Dòchas together in San Fran (me, Jenna and Kathleen) and we took a trip to Alcatraz. What a spectacular place! They even let us out which was good.
I must mention the amazing crowd of Gaelic speakers who came to all the shows, but especially the show in Seattle - guys, so sorry I didn't get to meet up with you the next day. The jet lag hit hard and we suddenly had tons of interviews to squeeze in that day! Tha mi 'n dòchas gum faic mi a-rithist sibh ann an ùine nach bi fada.
Here was our travelling wagon. It was big.
The audiences were, without exception, enthusiastic, appreciative and really good fun. And also - particularly interested in Gaelic music which was so encouraging. We managed to squeeze in lots of interviews, some live radio sessions (check out Jenna's blog about the tour - she mentions this -
www.myspace.com/jennareidfilskadochas) and from there head to Jenna's website if you were one of the many looking for some of her gorgeous recordings, which she sold out of half-way through the tour.
Poor Tony struggled through the tour, having postponed an operation on his foot to come with us. What a soldier. Good luck Tony next week with the op!!!!!
Playing the pipes at an altitude of 6,500 feet in Durango was pretty interesting. I need to get into some serious training before attempting that again.
The plane journey home can only be described as a word I can't type on a public webpage. 5 hours of turbulence non-stop. I don't have to say anymore. But I didn't cry.
Myself and Jenna came straight off the Durango-Denver-Heathrow-Edinburgh flight path after about 30 hours without sleep to find my "unbreakable" Samonite case in pieces and gaffa taped together on the luggage belt, to then find my car with a puncture at the airport car park. In the absence of my long suffering husband Éamon (who is still on tour in the US with
Danú) me and Jenna gave it a good attempt (well, we looked at it for about five minutes, tinkered with it, then started looking around for someone who looked like they might know what they were doing). Thank you to the lovely mannie who saved the day and sorted us out at the car park. We owe you.
Typically for me, it was straight from one project to another, and I headed to any musician's dream gig - the Transatlantic Sessions series 4. The last three days have been amazing, holed up in a rural area of the Highlands playing music all day with some of the best musicians and singers around, and I am thrilled to be going back next week, and Jenna will be there too. I met the legend that is James Taylor this week. A dream come true. And what a gorgeous and nice man. He is really tall.
Wow. Still can't believe it.
It's late now, so I should sign off. I have two songs and three tunes to learn before Wednesday, three essays to start for college and a puncture that needs fixing early tomorrow morning.
Thanks to Brian, Doug, Richard, Rachael and all the gang who helped us organise the trip across and of course all the venues who looked after us so well, and gave us such a warm welcome. Thanks also to Rudy Ramsey from An Comunn Gàidhealach Ameireaganach (The American Scottish Gaelic Society) for his help in spreading the word about the gigs. Special thanks to all of you who came to see us and support our second tour in the US. It wouldn't have been any craic without you
More soon.
Love
Julie x