La vie en rose - October 11
In the heart of Montmartre
Rob in Compiègne
We had an ecstatic welcome for both French shows. It's fantastique to be gigging in France again now and to share in the joie de vivre...
My ears are still ringing from the Compiègne show at the Ziquodrome, as those little devil boxes at my feet certainly scrunch up the thundervolts! But it was a blinder of a show and we really enjoyed the warm hospitality of our hosts too.
Paris was burning... it was like all my previous visits compressed into one. As we checked into the hotel the unbelievably sweet strains of piano music floated through the air from the next door ballet school - a far cry from the flashing lights and music of the red light district that never closes just around the corner. Montmartre is as alive as ever. It was a thrill to see her ever contrasting face from Sacré Coeur to Moulin Rouge, to walk through the tiny streets in Toulouse Lautrec's footsteps and to explore the old cemetery, chasing down ghosts of Degas, Truffaut and Berlioz.
The show at La Cigale was electric in more ways than one. Merci beaucoup Paris for your resounding applause. What a fantastic finale to a magical two days in France. Bonsoir, bonjour! I'll be back as soon as poss. Paris je t'aime...
My sincere thanks to Gerard Drouot, Eric Winnebroot, Neil O'Brien, Olivier Garnier, and as always to Brian Coles, all the band and crew.
The Steve Hackett Band in Paris
Happiness is a warm guitar!
The boys are back
Art nouveux metro
Houses of the spirits
