Sara Petite

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Arrived and in good form, well kind of.....

 
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The Take Three Girls Tour has  begun!

4/25/2010

Tired and wiped out, but I am in Paris!  The last 4 days of the trip were great.  Thursday, we played with Edwina Hayes in Wakefield, where we drank Shropshire beer.  Thursday we played at a loud and roudy bar called the Cider Shed.  It was a lot of fun, maybe way too much fun. It was Ange and my second to last night together party.  Cider Shed had it's own homemade ciders and locally made beers, hmmmm hmmm good..... and Brooke Sharkey are third girl had the most beautiful pixie voice.

Our last night was at an Irish bar, full of Veronica's Irish hospitality.  We played our last night at PJ McGintys.  It was difficult not thinking about the whole trip throughout the last night and getting teary eyed.  I have had so much fun with Peter and Ange. I love Ange's song and by the end of the tour we were singing on each other's songs. Every morning we would have each other's songs in our heads.  Ange had to leave quickly and get a train, which may have been better because long goodbyes are always hard.  After Ange left we stuck around with Veronica our Irish host and made cheesy sandwiches and drank gin and tonics.  This trip has been really great.  I cant believe I made it through 18 days and didn't get sick, well only for two days I ahd a cold, but it was the 5th one I have had this year.

Now I am in Paris one of my favorite cities going out today to see the Eiffel Tower, my favorite place and get some ham and cheese crepes and maybe walk to the Sacre Coure.  Ou soleil ou le plui.  Paris is gorgeous right now, everywhere there are flowers blooming.  Tulips everywhere, which remind me of Sumner, WA and my first boyfriend the tulip farmer.



4/21/2010 - Brighton - Prince Albert Pub

On the way to Brighton today, Peter took me out for a big surprise.  He took me to a farm where you can feed the orphan lambs.  I got to feed a baby lamb that was only 4 days old... Peter has made fun of me the whole trip because I get so excited when I see farm animals.  He was making a joke to

Tonight we played with Amy Hill at the Prince Albert Pub.  Our friend William Morris, and old Beat Farmers fan, had booked us.  It was a fun gig and Will and I talked about the Beat Farmers and how great they are....  He told me one time at a gig in the UK, they were playing upstairs and the bar was below.  And there were so many people in the venue that the ceiling was shaking and the bar started to worry that the ceiling was going to cave in because the band and the fans were going so crazy upstairs that they had to make everyone leave.... 

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4/20/2010 - The Luminaire tonight - opening for Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles and Two Fingers of Firewater

Drove back yesterday from Limerick to Dublin, to the ferry, to WAles, drove through Wales.  When we got to England we were in Shropshire..... That is where my great grandfather was from. My grandma Jackie's maiden name was Shopshire, they had dropped the first r.  It was gorgeous country and wonderful to see where part of family are from, I think that makes me 1/16 English? 

Woke up this morning and made a mad dash for the Tube, the Underground.  Out to see as much as London as possible.  Due to the weather I was set back a day, since yesterday we spent 13 hours traveling.  I have no clue how many miles I walked today but enough to see the Tower of London, the Parliament, West Minster Abbey and Buckingham Palace and then to arrive in Kilburn for my gig.

Gig was exciting I was opening for Sarah Borges, one of my favorite Americana bands in the states.....

4/18/2010 - Limerick - Dolan's Pub

Woke up in - home of Siobhan O'Brien....  The show tonight was great! It was our last night with Siobhan and we also got to meet up with the O'Brien clan. Great fun! Now it is off to bed for the journey back to London again.


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4/17/2010 - Cobblestone Inn in Dublin and Galway

We drove through Wales this morning, absolutely hilly and gorgeous and caught a ferry over the Irish Sea.  We met up with Siobhan O'Brien and played the cobblestone Inn to a packed house in Dublin.  It was great fun and so were the vodka and tonics.  We woke up the next morning and met up with the boys, Steve and tom and did balcony tv.  It comes out on the 26th of April, Ange and Siobhan's are on the 27th and 28th.

Last night we stayed at Siobhan's after our show in Galway.  I think 3 giggly girls may be driving Peter crazy....



4/15/2010
Green Note Cafe Played the Green Note with Ashleigh Flynn tonight.  Please check her out she is amazing

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and V-V-V- Volcano in Iceland?
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Did you know that pretty much every time I leave the country there is a natural disaster or one of my best mates gets food poisoning or divorced?  
The Wildfires in San Diego in 2003, I was living in Paris and the 911 I was in Poland. 

The volcano in Iceland has caused all of the airports in most of Western Europe to close.  We were to get on a plane from London to Ireland. 
We are now waking up early to drive 5 hours to the West Coast and catch a ferry over the Irish Sea to get to Dublin....

Tune in later for my high sea adventures, we are off to Ireland tomorrow.  No volcano can stop us!



4/14/2010
Portsmouth - Cellar Bar

It was a wonderful night of wine and fun at the Cellar with Aitch.  Afterwards we went round to her house for pizza and wine and girl talk. Peter, our tour manager, blushed when we were telling our girl stories.  He is used to managing a group of guys, I guess its totally different, who knew?

4/13/2010
Charlies Bar

Last night we played a strip club, seriously A STRIP CLUB, NUDIE BAR, a place where girls show there ta-tas. Luckily for us, it was the off night and I guess they rent the venue out for other things.  Luckily they liked our songs, no pole dancing for us! I think that venue takes the cake on strange places I have played.  There was that night in Arizona where I went to get paid and the bar tender was passed out cold, head on the bar and the cash from the bar drawer was spread out all of over the bar?  

Night was great, Ange and I played with Ella Edmonson.  she was great and funny too, which I think she got from her funny funny parents (Jennifer Saunders - from Absolutely Fabulous)





4/12/2010
I GET A DAY OFF

Ventured into Winchester, Stonehinge and Salisbury.   Peter, my tour manager, laughed at me, because he said the most excited he had seen me since I have been here was when I saw the pig farm.  of course he stopped so I could see them.  I climbed the fence and tried to get them to come up to me. The only one brave enough looked like she was carrying babies.  I didn't get to see any piglets in that field, but saw some on the way home from a distance.


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Peter said he would take me to a lamb farm on the way to Brighton so I can get up close and personal with the baby lambs.  He said I might be able to hold one, bahhh....


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Peter said he would take me to a lamb farm on the way to Brighton so I can get up close and personal with the baby lambs.  He said I might be able to hold one, bahhh....

4/9/2010
Grub Bar - East Grindstead

Nursing hangovers and jet lag, luckily I got the front seat in the car, we headed out to East Grindstead for our gig at the Grub Bar

Gig was great tonight. we had another night with Danni Nicholls.... it was a wonderful venue and a wonderful crowd.  We said goodbye to Danni and she is off to the Nashville, Tennessee on Monday


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Stag on the River
Last night was Myself, Ange Boxall and Danni Nicholls at the Stag on the River.  

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and Danni Nicholls
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We had a great gig last night at the Stag on the River.  Afterwards we met up with the boys from Two Fingers of Firewater at the studio where they are recording there new cd.  Made friends with Woody, a Cocker Spaniel, want to take home with me or at least have him on tour with us.  

Woke up to a slamming headache, I swear it couldn't have been the wine, I couldn't even see straight. But it is sorted out now, I think for the time being..... maybe it is just jet lag.   Tonight all three of us will be play at the Grub Bar in East Grindstead.  I think I will be drinking water.....







Obsession with Everything Steve Earle - 10/13/2009

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged. It seems I barely have time to pee lately. But last night I was inspired to do so (blog, not pee) after seeing Steve Earle, one of my all-time favorite songwriters, at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, CA.

I was butter in his big ol’ Texas hands (actually, I think he was born in Louisiana, but grew up in Texas). Anyway, I not only sang and swayed to nearly every song, I headed for the merch booth and went nuts! I bought Steve Earle tote bag, a live DVD and a T-shirt! I would’ve bought hair from his beard if they were selling that too! (That’s saying a lot considering I buy socks and underwear at Walgreens!).

My great love for Steve's music started when I first heard “Guitar Town” when I was a kid. My favorite songs are: “Hard Core Troubadour,” “I Feel Alright,” “Goodbye,” “Valentines Day,” “The Mountain,” “Mystery Train Part II,” “Sometimes She Forgets,” “Copperhead Road,” “Telephone Road,” “I Still Carry You Around,” “Galway Girl” and “Harlan Man.”

It was like I was under a spell (maybe it’s a Halloween thing?). The only other time I was this much of a groupie was when my girlfriend Shannon Fuller and I gave flowers to a security guard to send backstage to the New Kids on the Block! (At least my taste in music has evolved!). Oh yeah, there was one time when I somehow ended up at the front of the line to get an autograph from Shelby Lynne at Amoeba Music in L.A. I told her that I named my new electric guitar after her. She looked at me a little funny and said, “Are you serious?” Damned if it ain’t true! Now you know the name of the Tele on the cover of my upcoming CD, “Doghouse Rose.”

Speaking of doghouse rose, there’s more to the Steve Earle story. I have a very good musician friend (she has an amazing voice by the way!) that has ended up backstage at seemingly everyone's concerts (including Bob Dylan and U2) and given them her cassette or CD. The joke is basically “Who haven't you given your cassette or CD to? Me, I have never done this; a little too shy and just not that ballsy I guess. But last night, after a vodka tonic and two shots of Jagermeister, I gave the guy at Steve Earle’s merch booth my Doghouse Rose EP. The merch guy told me he would give it to his road manager. (You’d think he’d at least like the title, right?) So, do you think Steve Earle even got my CD? On the other hand, after I read Steve’s book, “Doghouse Roses,” I wrote the song “Doghouse Rose” that’s on the CD I gave him. Does this make me a total crazed fan? God forbid, maybe I’m a stalker? Oh well, gotta enjoy every moment! What do we have to lose?

Cheers until next time.

Sara




NOVEMBER BLOG


Patchwork Quilt  - 11/9/08

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Finally the weather has turned cold, as I am bundled up in my Great Aunt Isabella's old jacket. My mother gave it to me after she died, she lived in a little pink house
Photobucketin Bellingham, Washington.  Before I moved to San Diego, I lived next door with my Great Aunt Blanche, I rented out the basement. Aunt Isabella grew all kinds of fruits and vegetables in the spring and summer, and then she would also can them in the fall.
 
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Aunt Blanche and Aunt Isabella and I composted everything, between three people and two households, the garbage picked up our trash once a month and we would barely fill one can. They were raised in the Depression era, and they learned to not waste anything.

Aunt Isabella's parents my Great Grandma Kate and Great Grandpa John helped out a lot of people, during the Depression.  There were signs at the Train Station in town that said you could come to there place for food. They fed and clothed a lot of people who were homeless, helpless and hungry. Living with Aunt Isabella and Aunt Blanche I learned not to waste anything, I don't practice what I learned as much as I should these days, but I do my best to reuse, reduce and recycle.


I recently wrote a song in honor of my Aunt Isabella called "Patchwork Quilt".  Aunt Isabella made all of the nieces and nephews quilts out of scraps she had, fabric she had bought or had been given to her, she used old curtains and coats, sheets, pants, whatever she could find. I think my sister Jenny is the last one in my immediate family to still have one of the quilts she gave us.  Each had our names stictched on the top. 
PhotobucketPhotobucketPatchwork Quilt
written by Sara Petite

She had a little pink house, little pink stairs,
pink carnations in the evening air
Izzy made me a patchwork quilt.

She canned, she'd knit, she gardened and sewed,
We all reaped the food she'd grow,
Izzy made me a patchwork quilt.

She made me a patchwork quilt,
Made it with honor, burlap and silk
Calico, cotton, denim and felt,
She made me a patchwork quilt.

She took scraps from the neighbors,
Scraps from a vest,
From the curtains, from a coat
From a party dress,
Izzy made me a patchwork quilt.

She took scraps from the sheets,
From old hand-me-downs,
Shirts and blouses
And evening gowns,
Izzy made me a patchwork quilt.

She made me a patchwork quilt,
Made it with honor, burlap and silk
Calico, cotton, denim and felt,
She made me a patchwork quilt.

As she sewed she'd go on and on
About my Great Grandma Kate and Great Grandpa John
Izzy made me a patchwork quilt

She said "We were brought in the Depression you know,
They fed, the hungry, the homeless the cold."
Izzy made me a patchwork quilt.

She made me a patchwork quilt,
Made it with honor, burlap and silk
Calico, cotton, denim and felt,
She made me a patchwork quilt.

She said,
"It ain't wealth and money
It's the good deeds you do,
It's a heart full of love,
It's your family too
And even the old ones still need love from you."
Izzy made me a patchwork quilt.

She made me a patchwork quilt,
Made it with honor, burlap and silk
Calico, cotton, denim and felt,
She made me a patchwork quilt.
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OCTOBER BLOG


PhotobucketOctober 11th - THE GREAT OWL RESCUEPhotobucket

We had a great night at the Red Barn Wynola Pizza Restaurant

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  On the way home we saw 4 deer on the hill near Lake Cuyamaca, leaving Julian.... Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket and then 2 babies and a mother on the side of the road.  Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket

As if it wasn't enough wildlife spotting, when we got home, there was a little bird that looked like a penguin hobbling across the street and one of its wings looked hurt.  We cornered it  Photobucketand then tried to pick it up with gardening gloves and a towel, it made a loud screech and for being only about 8 inches tall scared the crap out of us.  So we grabbed Ricky's cage and  cornered him and he ran straight in.   Photobucket It was midnight by then so we took him to the vet. We found out it was a Burrowing owl, and it's wing was definitely broken...Photobucket  The vet would put a split on his arm and hope that it would be saved, if not, they would amputate the arm and use him for education purposes.  Either way if he doesn't go back to the wild, he will be safe.

MY DOG RICKY
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This is the little guy who lent his cage to the owl.  We call him the Not So Reagle "Teddy Bear" Beagle!  We got him at 6 months, he is part Beagle, part Bichon Fraise, and a little terror....

SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER

Lead the Parade
was nominated for
best Americana / Country CD
in the San Diego Music Awards

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Thank you everyone for all of your support, and I especially want to thank my band the Sugar Daddies and the Tiger Mountain Boys: Wade Maurer, John Kuhlken, Alex Watts, Rick Wilkins, Shawn Rohlf and David Banjoski.  

SUGAR DADDIES TOUR INDIANA, KENTUCKY and TENNESSEE
Sara Petite and the Sugar Daddies went on a small tour through Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. First stop was Louisville where we played at the Hideaway Saloon and slept at the band house, whew hoo there 7 bunk beds!!!
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Has anyone tried Bullet Bourbon? I wasn't brave enough to bite the bullet, but a few of the band members did, yikes! By the end of the night, some people weren't walking straight and were talking about "Getting Lucky in Kentucky and Naked Twister" which none of it happened, but I think it was the Bullet Bourbon and Ambrosia (Moonshine) beer talking....
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Next stop Bloomington, Indiana for a house party with Aaron Persinger, everyone in Kentucky and Indiana likes hot dogs, wow! Everywhere we went they had hot dogs and you didn't have to pay for them.
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Next morning to the Upland Brewery where we were honored to be asked to play the Sycamore Land Trust fundraiser. We had a great show and hung out all day and listened to great music: Larry Crane, Jason Wilber, Aaron Persinger and the headliner was Todd Snider! Thanks Doug and Dee Dee for having us!
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After we left Bloomington, I got a speeding ticket right near the Indiana border, the speed limit goes from 70 to 55 and I didn't see the sign. I would say it was a speed trap, but then again I was spared by 5 miles, had I been in Kentucky, I may have been in bigger trouble. I haven't figured out if I am wanted there or not yet, I usually proceed with caution or let someone else drive through that state. Long story having to do with driving too fast wtih Moonshine in the back... Back at the hotel there were more problems that night, we couldn't get an extra bed and Wade and Johnny K didn't want to sleep in the same bed so Steve Peavey(guitar/mandolin player) solved the problem and stuck an ironing board between them, guys are so weird man....
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Last stop was Layla's Bluegrass Inn in Nashville, my sisters kids were so cute they had made signs requesting Dead Man Walking, Uncle Irving and Old Friend, and we love Aunt Sara.


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ONE MORE NEWS FLASH!
Someone you should know, but may not yet!
CHUCK CANNON is playing at LeSTATs at 7pm, Sat. Sept 27th or Sunday September 28th at 6pm. DONT MISS THIS SHOW,he has written numerous hits for people in Nashville, and he is amazing to watch. Request If I were Jesus.
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www.myspace.com/chuckcannon

Sara Petite and the Sugar Daddies will be playing the Roots Rock Stage at Adams Avenue Street Fair, Saturday, 6pm, the 27th.

SEPTEMBER SCHEDULE
September 1st -3rd - Nashville
September 4th - Louisville, KY at the Hideaway Saloon
September 5th - Bloomington, Indiana - HOUSE PARTY
September 6th - Bloomington, Indiana - Americana Festival
September 7th - Nashville, Tennessee - Layla's Bluegrass
September 17th - San Diego, CA - Attending SDMAs
September 19th - Nashville, TN - Americana Conference - 12th and Porter
September 21st - Julian, CA - Julian Bluegrass Festival
September 23rd - Belly Up Tavern - OPENING for RAILROAD EARTH, 8pm
September 27th - San Diego, CA - Adams Avenue Street Fair
October 4th - El Cajon, CA - Canyon Folk House Concert


You don't have to be age 20 and size zero to be sexually viable or viable as a woman.
Belinda Carlisle

Every dog has his day, unless he loses his tail, then he has a weak-end.
June Carter

We didn't have any instruments, so I had to use my guitar.
Maybelle Carter

If I can get Me out of the way, I can do anything.
Steve Earle

If I'm going to Hell, I'm going there playing the piano.
Jerry Lee Lewis

When I first came to Nashville, people hardly gave country music any respect. We lived in old cars and dirty hotels, and we ate when we could.
Loretta Lynn

I like rules that are broken.
Shelby Lynne

That's what I so admired about Johnny Cash and June Carter. Their music wasn't a big influence on me. It was their character, their individual styles, what they were like as people. They weren't afraid to stick out.
Shelby Lynne


"Peace, Love and Honky Tonks!" - sarapetite.com



JUNE NEWSLETTER

Hey there,

I got to Nashville on Sunday and have been spending time with my sisters kids at the Water Works park swimming in the Wave Pool and going down a big slide we named the Super Wedgie.


Other than waterslides, tons of giggles, wedgies, handstands, bear hugs and watching Dumb and Dumber AGAIN with my sister and her kids I have been working on some demos here. I have been coming out to do cowrites since last August. Oops I had a few mandarin vodka and sodas when I ran into Lisa Sanders and Annie Dru on Wednesday in East Nashville at the Alley Cat, I swear Nashville has the best night life.


I woke up this morning in Indianapolis, Indiana. Last night we played a gig and went out for some fun on the town and ended up at a place called the Wild Beaver Saloon; please don't read that much into it.
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Steve Peavey has joined us on the road. We will be in Bloomington, Indiana tonight at the Upland Brewery with my friend Aaron Persinger, and then off to Dewitt, Michigan. Afterwards back to Nashville for a few days and then back to San Diego to open for Shooter Jennings. I will be posting travel blogs next week on my blog site so check back... www.sarapetite.com/blogs.cfm

Sara Petite and the Sugar Daddies are opening up for Shooter Jennings at the Belly Up on Wednesday, June 4th. Doors open at 8pm. For more information on Southern Rocker and Wolfman Shooter Jennings you can go to www.myspace.com/shooterjennings



Shooter Jennings
at the
BELLY UP TAVERN
in Solana Beach
Wednesday, June 4th, Doors open at 8pm

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Check back to my website for more travel blogs. They may not be as interesting as Steve Poltz' Sausage Run (go to www.poltz.com) but we did go to the Beaver Saloon!


Also check out Gregory Page's new hit country single http://www.myspace.com/realcountrysongs

Latest News on Siobhan O'Brien from Ireland - SIOBHAN just released her SONGS I GREW UP TO in Ireland. Starting on the 9th of May she has done an Irish Tour from Limerick, to Dublin, to Galway and Cork and more... appearing on radio and tv shows. She says she misses the States and San Diego and can't wait to get back over (Siobhan-please come back soon I miss you!) She was also nominated for Best Female in the Balcony TV Awards which will be on the 20th of June.


My new favorite from Bruce Springsteen

"Terry's Song"


Well they built the Titanic to be one of a kind, but many ships have ruled the seas
They built the Eiffel Tower to stand alone, but they could build another if they please
Taj Mahal, the pyramids of Egypt, are unique I suppose
But when they built you, brother, they broke the mold

Now the world is filled with many wonders under the passing sun
And sometimes something comes along and you know it's for sure the only one
The Mona Lisa, the David, the Sistine Chapel, Jesus, Mary, and Joe
And when they built you, brother, they broke the mold

When they built you, brother, they turned dust into gold
When they built you, brother, they broke the mold

They say you can't take it with you, but I think that they're wrong
'Cause all I know is I woke up this morning, and something big was gone
Gone into that dark ether where you're still young and hard and cold
Just like when they built you, brother, they broke the mold

Now your death is upon us and we'll return your ashes to the earth
And I know you'll take comfort in knowing you've been roundly blessed and cursed
But love is a power greater than death, just like the songs and stories told
And when she built you, brother, she broke the mold

That attitude's a power stronger than death, alive and burning her stone cold
When they built you, brother

"Peace, Love and Honky Tonks" - Sara Petite

www.sarapetite.com
www.myspace.com/sarapetite

Sara Petites Journal

Ireland Blog

October 3rd  - Galway

I was up in Galway putting up posters for mine and Siobhan O'Brien's gig at the Crane Bar on the 17th, when I walked in the pub I recognized the song they were playing but couldn't figure out what it was, they were playing my music, it was quite funny. I stayed for a few pints, and had to get out quick after that because they kept trying to buy me more. They turned off the music and made me sing acapella, but I told them that I would only sing if they made animal noises. They made a bunch of clucking noises and I sang the my chicken song called Uncle Irving.

"There's chickens in the window,
there's a chicken on his head,
There's a chicken in the kitchen,
5 a clucking on the bed.
I know you don't believe it but Uncle Irving said
'that chicken house is freezing cold!'
And now there's chickends in the bed."  -J.K. and S.P
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October 4th - Limerick

Sang at the wonderful White House pub in Limerick on O'Connell Street.  Great listeners, and good beer.  I recognized some familiar faces, and Siobhan's family came, Olive, Brian, Rhonan and Podraic.  Will have pictures soon.  Will be hopping a bus to Cork tomorrow to play at  Cyprus.

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 October 6th - Cork

Last night I played the Cyprus Avenue, opening up for Richmond Fontaine.  I took a bus back to Limerick.  I don't sleep on buses and airplanes and it must have been the time change, but I fell asleep and woke up to an empty bus.  Nobody told me when we arrived in Limerick, luckily the bus had taken a 30 minute break or I would have been on my way to Galway.  I woke up confused with slobber down my face, the bus was stopped, there was nobody on it, no bus driver and it looked like I was in Limerick (I think), I couldn't figure out if I was still dreaming......  it wouldn't be the first time this sort of thing had happened to me.

October 8th - Limerick

Taking a break today.  Slept in, can't get rid of death dreams with square dancers dancing under fairy circles, but that will soon end I hope.  Siobhan and her friend J.D. and I are going to Miltown Milbay and her house in Quilty to record a song for her album.  She is doing a folk album.  The song we will be doing is the L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore.

October 10th - Clonakilty

Today I took a bus to Cork and then hitched another bus out west to a town which is boasted to be the 'Tidiest Town' called Clonakilty.  I have come down with a sort of flu or cold, don't know which yet, but usually can shake it off in a day.  I played a pub with a venue in the back called the DeBarras Folk Club, which is very well known for its music.  I played with Gavin Moore, our host and two guys, who are also friends with my friend the Great Hank Wedel, called the Action Boys Tom Clark and Craig Tressler.  The gig was fun, but had to really try to concentrate on which chords and which lyrics were going where, the cold and flu medicine had me a bit high.  Wil Saar from San Diego showed up in Clonakilty to see the show, he had been fixing a house in Kilanol, it was nice to see a familiar face.  DeBarras is such a great venue and the crowd was really great too, I can't wait to come back.


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October 11th and 12th -  Limerick major cabin fever


Still sick, had to stay home and miss Siobhan O'Brien open for Tir Na Nog.  Metta the Realist Painter and photographer has arrived in Ireland and is staying with us.

Have you ever heard of Bog snorkeling?

Bog snorkelling is a sporting event that consists of competitors completing two consecutive lengths of a 60-yard water filled trench cut through a peat bog, in the shortest time possible. Competitors must wear snorkels and flippers, and complete the course without using conventional swimming strokes, relying on flipper power alone. Wet suits are not compulsory, but are usually worn.

The pictures below are of Julia Galvin Listowel, from Kerry, and also friend of the Obrien's.  She was the 2005 World Champion Bogsnorkeler...


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For a You Tube Bog Snorkelling Show go to the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k19QGds3-KA


Saturday, October 13th

Like three Thelma and Louise's, Siobhan, Metta and myself hit the road for a gig out in Mitchelstown at the Bodrahn.   David Murphy, from a band named Murphy Lane, helped set up this gig, he is going to be visiting San Diego when I get back home.  Rowdy San Diego Wil showed up with his friend Donie, and Donie was worried when Wil started dancing that it may cause mayhem in the bar.  they had never seen moves like that before.  I am sure a few bog snorkelers went home and tried to mimic his magical moves in the mirror.  Wil is a staple at a lot of San diego gigs, he is usually in front of the band or act dancing up a storm with his own original choreographed moves.  it was a good night, of course it was a noisy pub and we had to do deal with some hecklers and do some heckling of our own.  But it was fun.  Siobhan told me hot whiskey's would wet my whistle and take away the bad bug from my throat but it doesn't seem to be working, but they were sure good!  Maybe you ahve to be Irish for it to work.

Sunday, October 14th

Tonight we were in Miltown Milbay, it is in West County Clare and considered to be the capital of West Clare Traditional Music.  We were at a pub named Clancy's.  Siobhan was doing a practice round for our show in Galway with her new band. 

We have just had late breaking news it is one in the morning and the phone rang, it kept ringing over and over again.  The baby is coming!  Suzanne and Aden, Siobhan's brother and sister-in-law, our on there way to the hospital right now.  I can't wait to see the baby, we are headed to Dublin tomorrow to film Balcony TV and to go to the John Prine concert, but hoping to see the baby when we get back.  Hope to have some pictures soon!

October 15th - Dublin

We made it to the Oak Bar to meet our friend Pete Cummins.   He has played with Nancy Griffith, the Chieftains and many other people.  Siobhan, Pete and I each sang a song on Balcony TV with Tom and Stephen.  I will let everyone know when it airs.  After the taping we hustled over to the National Concert hall to see John Prine.  It was a wonderful concert.  John Prine is another person on my top ten favorites of all time list.  He played some of my favorites, Speed of the Sound of Loneliness, Jesus the Missing Years and She Is My Everything.   We even got to meet him after the show.  Pete had played on a show with John Prine and Nancy Griffith so he introduced us to him.  he was a really sweet guy and let us take his picture with him.  We finished the night at Whelan's Pub, which we all ended up dancing like crazy fools, maybe from the drink, but maybe just from being crazy fools!  Who knows.......probably a little of both.

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October 16th - Dublin to Roscrea to Limerick

Came back from our road trip to Dublin to Siobhan's house in Limerick.  We were tired so the three of us Siobhan, Metta and I crawled into bed and watched Thelma and Louise.

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"We sang Petty, sang the Stones
We sang LOVE LIVE ROCK'N'ROLL!
Like two gypsies we were burning up the road
Siobhan and me." - excerpt from Siobhan and me


October 17th - Galway - Crane Bar
We took a sight seeing trip to the Cliffs of Moher on our way up to the Crane Bar.  
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A lot of the acoustic venues in Ireland are seperate rooms ajoining to a pub, different to the coffee shops in States.  The show was a beautiful intimate environment.  We had a nice little crowd, the Galway Advertiser had done an article for the show so it brought in curious people to our show.  Siobhan and Martin played first, she did some of her songs from her last cd Beautiful Bodies, but most of the songs were off of her up and coming cd, Song I Grew Up With,  which is a collection of folk and old songs ranging from the Lakes of the Ponchatrain, Black Veil to Harry Chapin's Shooting Star.  It is going to be a georgous album.  We got an encore and so we all did my song Dead Man Walking and Johnny Prine's, Speed of the Sound od Loneliness, and then we were asked to do more, so I did Townes Van Zants  Tecumsah Valley and much begging and pleading from myself, Siobhan did her song called Indians.  To hear it go to the following link www.myspace.com/siobhanobrien

October 18th - Crane Lane - Cork

We ended up at the Crane Lane with the Infamous Quirky Corkian Hank Wedel.  We played a few songs together Dylan's Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You, Folsom Prison and then Siobhan, Hank and I did my songs Dead Man Walking and Little House.  Siobhan and Hank did Siobhan's Beautiful Bodies and a fantastic version of Dylan's One More Cup of Coffee and then we ended the evening with Dylan's You Gotta Serve Somebody.  Can you tell the three of us are all Dylan Fans?

"Well we never played The Lobby but we sang with Hank at Charlies, 
Siobhan and me" - from a song called Siobhan and me

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Hank Wedel, Siobhan Obrien and me

October 19th - Cork to Limerick to Shannon and Limerick

It was already a few hours past October 20th when we ended the show at 2:00am.  We needed food and coffee in a bad way for the drive back to Limerick.  At 4:00am we took off from Cork to Limerick to drop off the guitars and load up the bags.  We arrived home around 5:30am and loaded up the car to go to Shannon Airport.  Siobhan would be leaving to California to go to a wedding and Metta would be going back home to Virginia.  I waved good bye and drove back to Limerick to finally get into bed at 6:30am.  I was supposed to go to Dublin for the night, but decided to sleeeee......p, still coughing a bit and do some laundry to pack for home on Monday. 

October 20th - Bray and Dublin - 106.8FM and Cherrytree

Woke up to an annoying alarm clock at 6:45am, enough time to run downstairs and start the kettle for some honey and lemon tea, and a quick shower.  On the road to Bray at 7:30am and arrived at 10:20am to do a radio show with Stevie BolgerPete Cummins joined us also.  First we went over the morning papers discussing such issues as Immigration in the integration of new immigrants in Ireland, Jerry Hall's new tell all book about being married to Mick Jagger, which promises to be very juicy, and Neil Young's new cd Chrome Dreams II, which promises to be in the same vain as Harvest and After the Goldrush.  Pete sang his new song, which was lovely called Delivery Man and I did Little House because "You can't even let your belly hang out, when your living in a little house"

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Stevie Bolger and me in Cork last year

After the radio interview I drove to Walkinstown which is a bit west of Dublin.  My friends Patick and Rita McGrellis live there, I stayed for lunch.  The first I came to Ireland, 10 years ago, I woke up the first morning and walked to a coffee shop which was right across the street from my gig that night at the Cherry Tree.  I went to pay for my coffee and realized I had not changed my money over.  They laughed and gave me a free coffee and welcomed me to Ireland.  Irish people tend to be very friendly and welcoming and I have always loved coming over here for that reason.  

The gig at the Cherry was literally 12 houses down from Patrick and Rita's, I opened for a folk band called Tir Na Nog, who had a lot of radio hits in the early 70s and 80s.  Tir Na Nog means "the land of youth".  Check out there myspace link:  www.myspace.com/tirnanogduo there song Daisy Lady is fabulous.
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October 21st - Limerick -  the White House

Last but not least, was my final gig on the tour at the White House in Limerick.  I was tired and sick, but you always do what you have to do to get by (note to self- GO TO DOCTOR's when you get home).  At this point I was coughing my lungs off everytime I took a deep breath.  The crowd was lovely, besides being a bit sick, my guitar was sounding horribly midi, and so I borrowed Siobhan's, and her tuner's calibration was off, I probably did it, yikes!  Wasn't my best gig in the world, but the crowd is always so nice at the Whitehouse and people don't know or hear as much as I do, plus my ear is getting pickier and pickier the more sick I get.  My ears were ringing the entire show, and it was wonderful and sad at the same time to be packing up when it ended.  I got home at 12:30am, packed and was snug as a bug in a rug by 1:30am.

October 22nd - Limerick to Shannon to Dublin to LAX

The longest day, woke up at 7:00am to the doorbell, it was Pacraig (Patrick), Siobhan's brother, to take me to the airport.  I slept through the alarm, must have been tired, I am not good when i am tired, left my Ipod, left some of my money and my journal, thought I packed them but they are nowhere to be found.  I can not remember anything when I am tired.  I have a hard time remembering things when I am not tired.  I got to the airport in time to catch the plane to Dublin and then from Dublin to LAX.  I took a taxi to my friend's Brax and Lynn's house and then headed home as fast as I could, I had gotten news that there were 5 different fires in San Diego and that the 5 freeway may be closing, I really just wanted to get home, snuggle my doggie and go to bed.