US Foxtrot 2024 Tour blog 2 - From shining sunlight to sparkling snowdrifts - March 2024
Following the cruise, we all spent a short while longer in Florida. Pals Jack and Alejandro met Jo and me off the boat and along with other friends we all visited a beautiful Japanese garden, not far from Miami. The sunny landscape surrounding a lake had a wonderful feeling of serenity. Passing ornamental gateways and statues, you could almost imagine you actually were in Japan, until an iguana suddenly appeared from behind an exotic semi tropical plant!
Alejandro then drove us to Fort Myers where we rejoined the team, along with pal Jim, long time promotor for lots of festivals, who has kindly offered to drive those long distances...
Following the Fort Myers show, which went well, we drove the journey of more than ten hours up to Mobile, Alabama. It was a fascinating place, with similar buildings to nearby New Orleans, with their wrought iron balconies. Apparently, even the Mardi Gras began in Mobile! The show was just as fun as the Mobile show with another great crowd.
As we continued north, the weather became much colder. Sunshine had already given way to rain and by the time we reached Nashville, Tennessee we were all firmly wrapped up in our coats! Jo and I had a lovely evening meal the following night with Chester Thompson and his wife Roz. Chester and I always enjoy seeing each other and remembering old times together.
Back with the team, we then made our way coincidentally to the other Nashville (Indiana) where we played the next show to another hugely appreciative audience.
Both the Fort Wayne and Kalamazoo shows were equally exciting with both band and crowds on fire in two beautiful old venues... Following the long drive to Minneapolis, we were grateful to discover all the interior corridors and skyway bridges linking shops, hotels and restaurants, as there was a huge snowstorm going on outside, the temperature plummeting to several degrees below freezing point!
It felt good to play to another fab crowd in the atmospheric Pantages Theatre. Apparently it had been haunted, but during renovations a few years back, the ghost hitched a ride in a car heading further north, and was never seen again! It's fascinating to see all the changing scenery with huge weather differences, but all the venues and ecstatic crowds are equally welcoming...
Many thanks to Brian, Adrian and Jim as well as to Wayne Forte with his team for making this fabulous tour possible... and looking forward to the next exciting part with Madison tonight, followed by Chicago, and then onwards from there...
