Basel, Switzerland

Three countries, two plane rides and a gig all in less than 12 hours! Bond's the name.

We de-camped from The Hotel Arts in Barcelona where after a week I managed to have the entire contents of two large suitcases strewn everywhere, a real challenge getting it all packed up again and it didn't help that I was up half the night finishing off a little tune that I'd begun earlier in the day. Bags packed at last and it was off to the plane where Susi had a paella and chicken Caesar salad waiting. I'm still off my kibble so it was a nap for me, waking on landing in Basel, Switzerland.

A slightly smaller gig tonight in St. Jakobshalle, about 7000 and sold out. It was a seated audience so more of a listening crowd than the stand up's we've become accustomed to this past week. I had a little difficulty staying focused after the day off, maybe the break in the momentum, still tired, under the weather and not eating much, who knows about these things. Anyway, there were a few monumental blunders from yours truly tonight and it was one of those gigs where everything I played went clunk instead of zing. Well maybe not quite as bad as all that, but still there are nights when you have to work very hard to get anything happening. I proudly accept the drag of the day award for standing on my volume pedal while I was in the middle of playing Boom Like That and turning my guitar off. And just how long have you been doing this? It was one of those nights.

With the aid of polizie escort we performed our usual runner after the gig back to the Legacy and a quick half hour flight to Stuttgart, Germany where we'll spend the night and play tomorrow. Our tour manager Tim Hook says there's a wonderful musical instrument museum here and I'm going to make an effort to see it. Stuttgart is also the city where Mercedes-Benz and Porcshe autos are manufactured and if that's not enough it's the home of Hugo Boss clothing. We've been invited to go to the factory on Monday morning for a little shopping spree. Gentlemen, start your MasterCards. I've made this pilgrimage the last couple of times I've been in the city coming away completely overwhelmed by acres of warehouses full of every imaginable suit, coats, shirts, shoes, pants, cuff links and cologne and can't wait to go again. Guten nacht from Stuttgart.

So long,

Richard