Is it just me or can everyone feel the winter coming on ? Okay so today is overcast & a tad miserable & okay we actually have had some sensational autumn weather here in the Byron Shire so I cant complain but winter shall be upon us in no time. I think my last update was banging on about our New Zealand tour that Steve Passfield & myself embarked upon. WOW, what hoot that was. It was so lovely to connect with my Kiwi family & see little Rabbit my Godson who I hadnt seen since I went there last year to birth him. He is such a cutee & his big sister Matilda is a funny little character indeed. We started our lovely ground roots tour with an intimate house concert at the Nook Grandeur. A picturesque property located in Lake Hawea just outise of Wannaka at the home of Jamie & Vikki Urghuart. Kindly sponsored by Anna van Riel it was a sweet night that turned a little awnry when a guest brought out the Tequila shots ( did'nt it Passy?) Being a ground roots tour organised by Anna, we truly experienced an amazing time & played in far out places like the Last Light Backpackers in Tuatapere right down in the south west of the island where the road simply ends, holding the oldest living dinosaur at the Invercargil museum where we played a daytime set, being wined & dined at the Barnyard Backpackers on a deer farm in Te Anau with my talented NZ music partner Anna van Riel doing support, visiting the epicentre of the big earthquake Littleton & playing the whacky Wunderbar nightclub, rocking the markets at Queenstown not to mention the West coast adventure of a house concert for Dan & Cath - owners of the Wildside Backpackers ( & wild it was) & playing a hunters pub on none other than the evening of the world cricket finals NZ v's Australia. We couldnt help but wonder how things would go if the Aussies won as there were about 80 deer antlers & assorted goats heads displayed on the walls as trophies with the hunters name proudly displayed next to them. Well the Aussies did get up but luckily its a shooters town not sport & the local cattle sale was on the next day so half way through our gig in tramps a bunch of cattlefolk to liven things up..luckily no Aussie musos were hurt in the process.
We played a great show at Gore the country music capital of NZ & met a whole bunch of great people there. Thanks again to the Gore country music club for donating their club house for our show, very generous indeed. Oh,I had forgotten the house concert at Tim Taylors sheep station in Kingston. There we were high up a hill with stunning views overlooking the Queenstown Lake with a bunch of wonderful folk. Tim spoilt us with fresh lamb & 5 great big whopping lobsters at midnight cooked up in a cream & garlic sauce. Oh man, we were spoilt rotten & truly treated like rockstars. We stayed in peoples homes like Gore folk Rosemary & Eun who again fed, housed & watered us & made us feel like family. Another gorgeous host was NZ folk star Liv McBride from the award winning duo Into The East, also Kath & fam in Christchurch who risked her life to get us to the bus on time to Wannaka and we had a delightful stay at Willemina van Riels gingerbread cottage after our gig at the Luggate Hotel.What have I forgotten? Probably lots, it was a HUGE 16 days but one I will never forget. We sold lots of albums & met so many wonderful people & it felt good to be back in NZ where I feel one day I will live. Massive thanks to Anna who threw this tour together last minute with two wee babies ( NZ-ers say "wee" instead of little or small..cute hey) & gave both Steve & I an amazing tour that was so rich in so many ways. Thanks Miss Annie, we love you lady.
SO- here are some gigs coming up if you wish to catch us soon.
Fri 24th April - Courthouse Hotel Murwillumbah 6pm
Sat 25th April - Cherry st Bowling Club Ballina
Sat 9th May - Wagner Awards Sydney
Sun 24th May - Tyalgum Hotel NSW
That's about it for me at the moment folks, I hope you are all well & don't forget if you wish to purchase a copy of Lil Gypsy then go to the music tab on this website & its available digitally or hard copy.Take care & I hope to see you at a show somewhere.
xxx KJ
We played a great show at Gore the country music capital of NZ & met a whole bunch of great people there. Thanks again to the Gore country music club for donating their club house for our show, very generous indeed. Oh,I had forgotten the house concert at Tim Taylors sheep station in Kingston. There we were high up a hill with stunning views overlooking the Queenstown Lake with a bunch of wonderful folk. Tim spoilt us with fresh lamb & 5 great big whopping lobsters at midnight cooked up in a cream & garlic sauce. Oh man, we were spoilt rotten & truly treated like rockstars. We stayed in peoples homes like Gore folk Rosemary & Eun who again fed, housed & watered us & made us feel like family. Another gorgeous host was NZ folk star Liv McBride from the award winning duo Into The East, also Kath & fam in Christchurch who risked her life to get us to the bus on time to Wannaka and we had a delightful stay at Willemina van Riels gingerbread cottage after our gig at the Luggate Hotel.What have I forgotten? Probably lots, it was a HUGE 16 days but one I will never forget. We sold lots of albums & met so many wonderful people & it felt good to be back in NZ where I feel one day I will live. Massive thanks to Anna who threw this tour together last minute with two wee babies ( NZ-ers say "wee" instead of little or small..cute hey) & gave both Steve & I an amazing tour that was so rich in so many ways. Thanks Miss Annie, we love you lady.
SO- here are some gigs coming up if you wish to catch us soon.
Fri 24th April - Courthouse Hotel Murwillumbah 6pm
Sat 25th April - Cherry st Bowling Club Ballina
Sat 9th May - Wagner Awards Sydney
Sun 24th May - Tyalgum Hotel NSW
That's about it for me at the moment folks, I hope you are all well & don't forget if you wish to purchase a copy of Lil Gypsy then go to the music tab on this website & its available digitally or hard copy.Take care & I hope to see you at a show somewhere.
xxx KJ