Paris, France 26 June 2013

A day off in gay Paree Tuesday.  What a city.  It has to be the most beautiful, expensive, art-style-fashion-food conscious, self aware city in the world.  Did I mention expensive?  I spent the afternoon walking her streets, no agenda, just taking it in.  Later in the day Guy and I ended up in a terrific cafe with the unassuming name Le Bistrot de Paris.  My dinner, perfectly grilled lamb chops, fried potatoes with cloves of whole roasted garlic still in their husks and a couple of bottles of wine.  The food couldn't have been better.  Between dinner, drinks, dessert and the five croissant I'd eaten through the day I must have consume 7,000 calories and spent nearly as many euro.  What one does when in Paris.

Wednesday found us returning to our usual venue here, Bercy, to a full, packed-to-the-rafters house of 12,000.  It was also the return of Ruth Moody and her band to open another series of shows for us.  I sat on the side of the stage for part of Ruth's set last night and the audience was so into it, you could hear a pin drop when they played.  It can be difficult for an opening artist with people filing in, milling around trying to find their seats and most rudely, talking through their set.  Not last night, the entire house was in and hung on every perfectly sung word.

It was our turn up to bat and from the crowd's response, we'd hit a home run from the downbeat of the first song.  A show that was enthusiastic, up on it's toes and well played by every man.  Ruth joined us with sublime harmony on I Dug Up A Diamond and Seattle.  By the time we'd hit the middle part of Speedway At Nazareth, the house was on it's feet and made it's way to the front of the stage and stayed that way 'til the end of the gig.  Merci Paris.

A runner back to the hotel.  Most of us popped around the corner to a wonderful French bar and grill for a couple of pints and plates of frites before calling it a day.

So long,

Richard