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The long road north 24-09-2008 19:01:02

Wondering whether this blogging is simply an in-joke for the members of the tour... but we've hit Glasgow after a couple of crackers in Rochdale and Manchester.

We got to say goodbye to our hosts-with-the-most in Manchester where we've been staying for the last three nights. Howard Mills of Humble Soul put up me and Ben W (even last night Ben W's missus Laura). And The Red Deer Club's own Dunk Le Chunk put up Liz and Essie. We have much to thank them for. 

Rochdale saw the touring artists take over from me in a tour managing capacity as I got rather drunk. I have also to thank John Fairhurst for playing a quick set and his mate Moo for running the door so well. Rochdale's show was very much in the vein of Phoenix Nights, with the decor and the clientele fitting the bill perfectly. Joking aside this is the kind of show that reaffirms what it is we're trying to do. A bunch of people are now fans of liz ben and essie who weren't proviously. We're going back to this venue for sure. I even got to see some old school friends. Thanks Facebook.

Manchester (Matt n Phreds) got very busy and we had a belter. The crowd was very much up for it and sophisticated enough not to giggle throughthe more challenging bits,and again, John Fairhurst did a special set at the end. It was a great night and I do hope to be back at the venue again.

We also have to thanks Phil Jones - sound engineer extraordinaire - for coming out in Liverpool, Rochdale and Manchester for much less than his normal fee, and making us all sound good. We're missing him now he's gone back to London.

So now we're up here in Glasgow. Essie is about to go on... Jo Mango just played a very lovely set and I have to go... someone is calling me...

Back now and Essie has done a set of extraordinary magnitude. She's just sold a truck load of cd's and now Ben's plying his own brand of new weird english pastoral folk. There's an annoying thing happens each time a person wlaks in or out, as the music from the pub next door bleeds in... you'll not believe this... jut now, while Ben was playing.. it was Ben, by Michael Jackson...

We've been sent a decent review of this tour, from the very fine Bearded Magazine.

I think it's pretty apparent that Liz can drink for England, but it turns out that Essie could probably eat for England too. Ben, despite running an organic fruit and veg shop in Leeds, has a penchant for Chips and cheese in Pita. The dog.

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