England 2.0

Just wrapped up the 2019 UK tour; Cardiff, Wales, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, York, Newcastle and Glasgow.

Edward VII is still watching over things.

The Beatles down on the Royal Albert Docks in Liverpool.

There's something cool about walking down the same narrow streets in the part of Liverpool where the original Cavern Club is, along with all the fish & chip and coffee shops that these guys hung out at as teenagers, honing their sound, not yet knowing how much of a lasting impact they were about to have on the world. Parts of that area remain pretty much the same.

Liverpool Cathedral, which is about a block from where John Lennon attended art school as a teenager.

Same cathedral looking the other way.

Next to our venue in Media City, which is part of Manchester. The main studios of the BBC are located here, thus the name.

Symphony Hall in Birmingham. Getting ready for soundcheck and another sold-out show!

One of my favorite towns on the tour would be Newcastle. Amazing architecture going back as far as 800 to 900 years. Sitting high above the River Tyne, residents would enter the fortified medieval castle through the Black Gate, which was a draw bridge over a moat which could quickly be raised and lowered. Built in the early 1200’s, parts of the original castle and walled fortress remain.

The Black Gate.

The tower with the Black Gate and just behind to the left is St. Nicholas Cathedral, built in 1448.

A few more random pictures I took while walking around Newcastle.

Mixed in with the ancient city is probably one of the coolest venues I’ve ever seen; The Sage, which sits just across the Tyne from Newcastle. Check it out.

The Sage.

...and the interior of the Sage.

Our final show was in Glasgow, Scotland.

Paul Beard, our keyboard player and I wait for a ride to our hotel after riding and sleeping overnight on the tour bus.

Once the tour was over, I traveled back down to Brighton and stayed a few days with Colin Walker and his lovely wife, Rachael at their house just up the coast east of Brighton. Colin is Art's soundman and road manager. The area they live in is Sussex, which is breathtakingly beautiful.

High atop a hill at Devil's Dyke, South Downs in West Sussex.

On another hilltop in Sussex.

Amberley Castle in West Sussex.

Amberley Castle

Amberley Castle.

White chalk cliffs along the English Channel coastline near Colin & Rachael's house.

Colin and I grabbing a bite in the village of Rottingdean. The English Channel is just beyond.

Next on the agenda is upstate New York for one show in Troy. We then head to the west coast for 6 shows starting at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills, Lake Tahoe, Napa, Spokane, Portland and Seattle. Onward and upward!

Thanks for checking in!

-Tab