Auxerre, France
We arrived earlier than expected in Auxerre and got checked in to our rooms with time to organize, take leisurely showers and prepare for the day’s work. We also reunited with Gaelle Court, our support person for much of the French leg of this year’s tour. The support people on this tour have been great. They’ve not only provided much needed translations, but have also shown us some of the ways of our host countries. Big Respect due!!
Tedo and Dave are about to leave their hotel rooms and head to the venue to create some more of their magic in the kitchen. It’s impossible to overestimate how important it is to have familiar food in unfamiliar places. Big thanks have to go out to these two for making the sacrifice of rest and relaxation to insure that we enjoy this gift… not to mention the fact that the food would be welcomed even at home in the States or Jamaica, it’s so good.
The venue is open air in a park near a quiet channel used by some of the locals for kayaking and other sports, but somehow not overused… the fish are still swimming when there aren’t kayaks moving quietly along the water and you can actually see a few feet down.
The dressing room is a refurbished 1930’s houseboat that has been incredibly well restored. It has all the comforts of home and some not found in typical working class homes. Things like three bathrooms, two bedrooms and lots of community space. It’s a real treat to just relax there after sound check. Sound check introduced us to yet another tune from the new album… sorry, but you’ll have to catch the show to know which tune. The show went really well. Everyone was on the same page and we could feel the band coming together again. It seems that on each tour, it takes some time for a band to come together in a way that makes everything easier. People get to know or remember the habits of each other and can feel when someone is about to do something that they can complement. It’s a great feeling… probably comparable to being on the winning team and knowing that long before halftime. Everyone enjoys watching the team play. Tonight was no exception. The Burning Band came on behind Mr. Rodney just the way we should.
Said goodbye to Gaelle and the crew from Garance for this year. They have been really good to us. It was good to be together again.