From the Hogweed Express to Beyond Loch Lomond - February 2012

Pointing North for lift off!

Lee Pomeroy at the Gateshead Sage
Photo © Ben Fenner

Passing a Scottish loch

There was a Harry Potterish start to the second leg of the UK tour starting from Platform 0 at Kings Cross Station. All aboard the Hogweed Express... moving swiftly into the countryside and on to the wild open spaces of the North, with the imposing turrets of Durham Cathedral looming like some kind of Gothic fortress just before our stop at Newcastle. Adrian Holmes met us with his magic bus which whisked us off to our venue, the Sage, for a sell out show with a great local crowd.

In the following days, as well as selling the merch, Mr. Holmes managed to steer us as far as Aberdeen (Elementary Watson...) through spectacular scenery including the Firth of Fourth (remind you of a song?) and several Scottish Lochs with the Hills of Lomond near that most famous loch...

In Aberdeen I hooked up with old school pal Reno who lives nearby. It was lovely to see him again for the first time as a grown up. At school he wrecked my three month attempt at making a lamp stand in a woodwork class with an over zealous mallet blow to fix my dodgy dovetail joint. He accidentally split the base in two! Reno still has that twinkle in his eye which got us through many a scrape with authority at school...

Following the lively Aberdeen show our next stop Edinburgh was equally enjoyable in the Queens Hall. Good to be there again, a truly impressive city, with an extraordinary vibe and its amazing castle towering on an ancient volcanic plug.

From there through both Holmfirth and Buxton the scenery was spectacular. These two towns are equally picturesque and by night the shows exploded like sparkling Buxton spring water.

Finally on to the Floral Pavillion in New Brighton, an equally warmly received show in a well appointed new theatre. An absolute delight...

The day at home after that was welcome to re-charge batteries and overcome the tour lurgy... Out, out damn cough!

And on to Southampton...

Firth of Fourth

Rob and Steve at the Lemon Tree, Aberdeen

Steve and John, Buxton Opera House

Boyz in the back