A wonderful week in the middle of nowhere in the company of the masterful Mr Trotter at Creative Vacances, and many friends mostly old, and some new, getting ready for what was probably the worst gig I've ever played, but such fun and pleasure in doing so..
We had 4 days of rehearsal in small groups, 3.5days of which were spent doing 1 particular persons song...giving us precious little time to get the 2 songs I was performing just right...but despite forgotten chords and no idea how to end..we muddled though with smiles of our faces. The audience didn't seem to mind...or were stunned. Not sure which.
There's something deeply calming about being around people whose sole aim is to share your own obsession and to get better at it.
The week of course was a workshop/rehearsal under the tutelage of Mr Eddie Martin, an extremely accomplished blues performer who showed us a lot of useful tips and tricks, which I might be able to get into a performance one day. I'm not really into slide..but I really liked the sound he was making and might put some 16's on my tele one day to see how it sounds.
I look forward to watching his video, which he was hawking with unashamed glee after the event.
Always one to support good music I coughed up my sole 20euros spending cash for the DVD...which I had planned to buy a few drinks with in the pub...which turned out to sell only its own beer, not even coke...leaving me drinkless... a state very kindly resolved by Tony, the only newbie on the course, who shared a few G&T's with me in far more civilised fashion. Thanks Tony, I needed that.
It was lovely though to see Chris again and the old faces from past courses gathered for this performance event, and memories of past holidays with them with Chris and the lovely Jenny were never far away.
Its a shame these things don't always fall into my normal summer holiday window, I am really grateful my bosses allowed me to get away before the actual student teaching weeks. I think it has prepared me much better for the change in our work processes,.
So as I say, feeling calm, relaxed and ready....it was a wonderful week, aside from the absolute hell of the mosquitoes who found an inexhaustible buffet in me , and of course the tail end of the cold which became a cough (fortunately they have decent cough meds in France). The drive back was also mad....my sat nav decided it wanted to go on a tour of Paris and Waterloo....for no reason I can imagine....it made the trip back far longer nearly 11hours. And I HATE driving anywhere near Paris.
Probably won't be able to make it for another couple of years, but I will be back.... oh yes...I will...and I'm still fat...as the photo shows....and thats after losing 10kg....back on the diet...70kg by Xmas or no turkey for you.
Ahthankyew
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