The Sunday gig
was at Fibbers - I think it's the first time John has played there but
it is another typical bar with a stage. John was great - the sound
was crisp, clear and loud and he did six of the "Havana" songs and a good
sprinkling of older and newer ones. He used a twelve string Taylor
and a Godin nylon strung [Acousticaster?].
We bought Havana and the book and he signed them
and did a little drawing for a few of us who hung back at the end, he
looked a little tired but the set was good.
It was great to see Bloodliners there including Dan and his wife Olivia
who had come from NEW JERSEY for two at Dalry AND two at York.
On
Monday it was back to the Winning Post, the scene of many great JS gigs
in the past. It was full but not as packed as last time [he could
get to the stage without climbing over bodies]. Terry from LA was
there and a couple from Holland - International fandom. We got there
early and queued but they opened the room earlier than I remember
at 7.45 for an 8.30 kick off so we got good seats. John has mentioned
the "dressing room"???? at the Winning Post many times before when he has
appeared here [I think it was a stair well with a dog called Otto, who
is dead now] - this time there was a problem even with the stairwell [someone
said - "the light bulb has broken" - maybe it was an excuse for something
else]. Anyway John did not appear until 8.50 p.m. and began by apologising
that he was having to take his coat off and set up right on stage.
After plugging in the stomp boxes the guitars
came straight out of the cases and of course, as twelve strings tend to,
the tuning was difficult. But he started, then stopped when someone
with a flashing light on a tape recorder disturbed him, then again on 'Wingless
Angels' when a tech tried to alter the stage lights from the side of the
stage in mid-song.
After three songs John said, "I feel like I am
in the band on the Titanic." I feared the worst, but hey, this is
the Winning Post and the audience is always 100% with him.
Despite some more minor tuning hiccups things
began to pick up and the second half was brilliant. The show was
quieter than at Fibbers but we joined in more and after a rousing 'Daydream
Believer' someone requested 'Botswanna' as an
encore. John said, "do you really want
that type of song to finish?" We said yes and he did a medley of
quieter songs to end the night, with the audience mesmerised.
IT WAS GREAT.
Eric Johanssen
Photos : Eric Johanssen
