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UK tour blog Part 1 - All points of the compass - October 2014

The UK tour kicked off with a hairy ride as Jo and I drove to Ipswich from Norfolk through driving rain, high winds and flying leaves in the tail end of the hurricane that had just torn through Bermuda. The gig that night was equally lively, and we all felt the strong vibe... Great to be back together again with the touring team...

From bustling port to seaside resort, our next stop was Brighton. Right on the seafront, the Brighton Centre is an impressive building with a great view outside of both the ornate Palace Pier and the burnt out West Pier, which I think of as the 'skeleton' pier. Joined by family and friends, we had a great evening, and it was a fab crowd.

We had to travel to London that night to be in situ for visa interviews at the US embassy 8am the following morning! Luckily it worked out and we were all soon on our way flying up the M1 in the batmobile to Nottingham. It was a relief to have time off that evening in a lively Indian restaurant. The centre of Nottingham is pretty interesting with it's imposing castle and numerous Robin Hood references. It was great to have my brother John join us on flute at the gig that night.

Quite a journey the following day to Glasgow, but well worth it... A fantastic crowd and standing ovation in the amazing Armadillo venue that looks a bit like the Sydney opera house. I dedicated the show to the legendary Jack Bruce, who had sadly just passed on. I always admired his powerful singing and playing. Cream were an important part of my early years.

Our next show in York was equally fab and what a beautiful place it is... An amazing history dating back 2000 years. I just had to squeeze in an early morning brisk walk through those streets before jumping into the van for Southend, and the next leg of the tour...