booking for a planned tour of Europe is underway with first dates to be released in a couple of weeks.

and the pop hilarity blues

the coal face calls

the coal face beckonings

calls to stand

the soul faced reckonings

baxter pulled us out of bed

the usual broken morning dread

and led then on this jk hunt

for feast fed famines to cross examine

stigma staccato battering ram

vigorous vile

ever in style

he never knew polly ester

though polly’s sister he’d see’d

never the world wide web he’d met

with wonderment laced with scorn i’d bet

never serfed the greed fueled toil

the brutal brainless brawl

the grind of the blind led blind

on poisonous ravaged soil

ambled instead intent

the far off mountainous hue

flightling inspired

torrid tirades

gainst the right winged circling buzzards crass

with their crevass encanyoned stumbling sight

and their fumbling ways alas

walked barefoot at times and poignant

bound by naught

a knot a frayed

bound only by thought and it’s tyranny

in its tryst with the un tamed

it was a stupendously enjoyable show organised by Toitoi Music Management and yours truly..

support act, The Nobody Girls, from Hamilton came on and wooed the crowd with some beautiful songs and vocal harmonies followed by the mighty Dave Khan playing a no-holds-barred set of Dave Khan-isms wielding guitar, fiddle, mandolin with some great singing and presence to burn..

the sun slowly set as Glow Worm and Cat’s stunning lighting set-up slowly came to life. Erin (from The Nobody Girls) and I kicked things off with a newbie – 4.am. Train.. after that the lads hit the stage and the rest is a blur of music and dance. As Glow Worm’s meteorite slowly shattered the earth the moon rose slow up over the stage the beautiful night that had been promised by Cathy of Kiwi Valley descended whole heartedly ending some time later exhausted and danced out yet ready for more.. Massive thanks to Toitoi Music Management, Glow Worm, Kiwi Valley and all who came along.. mayhaps see you at Piha for more of the same-ish.

d

We wroll north to the east and to York. Huddersfield welcomes. To York to a show. 800 year old tapestries backdrops and ghosts so we’re told. A spot of cricket so English and fine. Knocked for a six not unlike pick up sticks old war wounds aworry we set sail south.

Dover to Dunkirk, Dunkirk to Den Bosch where the gathered enjoyed, ‘specially the 2 year old mosh pit queen. The road educates it enlightens, elates. It gives and it takes with its elucidations. Beers at the bar, history, politics, ethics and reason.

12 hours in a car in dear Poland we are..  A stroll by the lakeside, dusk spiders pitch camp quiet in the trees while little fish make ripples reflecting and fleeting. Whiskey and icecream, streamingly conscious. Words on a page speak of life and its stages.

d

Meanwhile back at the coal face pre-production for another album is the order of the day.. Song writing and delving into the archives to see what can be layed down on the tracks. Plan is to have it done by the end of summer with The Band and assorted allies in the mix of tings, so save yer coins good people.

A couple more shows before I leave the shore line heading for distantville, bless..

d

sad to hear of the passing of the great New Zealand master musician Yogi Martin. although the squeeze box has never been a favourite instrument of mine, in Yogi’s hands and with his amazing talent and dexterity of mind it was something entirely different.. RIP Yogi, many a good yak and a good tune or two back in the day..

d

Taumarunui, noice on the main trunk line and a stop in at Ohura of all places many a mile from the nearest beaten track, in a sense. tranquil, the mid nite mouse eats my bag of chips how dare ye!?

Whanganui deserves it’s own paragraph.. Paul Symons’ band mellow and groovier than i’d thort nicely so. great to see the guys and to meet Des the drummer dude.. what a place wow wow wow!! a great New Zealand blend.

Mainland, Picton and the hospo brilliant.. midnite ramblings and twisted talkinglings.. the Malborough swim and Moroccan tea, oh yeah! the Kaikoura coast and the whining camel bless.. Christchurch broken yet resolute.. rumblings and a unification a mixed pair..  Tekapo Lake a swim cold, perfect neath the mountains white sawing at the blue day..

Wanaka a friend lends a house for the stay, soo happy.. nice.. space.. time to chill. Okarito, gold in the creeks. Donovans incredible.. Pipi bolognese thanks Richard & Ed.. a truly great show. Kayaks in the morning sun to forests of Kahikatia.. Franks Greymouth and the global village.. Onwards Nelson and the house of fairfield wow.. another truly special night for reasons only the gathered will ever know..

and on it goes..

d

d