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North America Genesis Revisited 2013 tour part 3 - October 2013

Montreal was as vibrant as ever... following Chom rock radio station interview along with guitar recital, I enjoyed meeting up with the Musical Box guys as well as pals Tom Lord-Alge and LillyWhiteLilleth. The gigs in both Montreal and the extraordinary fairy tale Quebec City felt like a rocket to Mars with the explosive crowd!

Gatineau was an interesting casino location with a fantastic lake and the gig was fun. Our friend Andrew Brash joined us on the bus the following day and showed us his photos and films of his extraordinary expeditions to Mount Everest. The first time he rescued a guy who would otherwise have died, and the second time Andrew reached the summit. I've often seen Everest as a metaphor for achieving extraordinary musical goals, but here was the real event.

Next stop Belleville... A lovely venue with a warm atmosphere backstage. We all lingered on after the show!

Our final Canadian destination was Oakville, a charming town beside beautiful Lake Ontario that's so huge you can't see the opposite shore. We also visited Toronto and enjoyed funkie shops near the massive CN tower we braved last time. The two Oakville gigs had a really special vibe...

The following morning we all just had just enough time to drink in the breathtaking view of the Niagara Falls. Extraordinary! Truly one of the wonders of the world... You can actually stand within a stone's throw of the edge of the falls.

Across the Rainbow Bridge we then re-entered the States, and embarked on the ride to Munhall, just outside Pittsburgh. There you see huge monuments to a bygone age of steel, rusting metal structures beside chimney stacks towering like ancient pillars. The region though is much much alive... We played to a riotous audience that night - a fab atmosphere.

After a 300 mile drive through heavy rain to Glenside near Philadelphia we arrived just in time for soundcheck. It was good to catch up there with pal Annie Haslam who joined us with her band Renaissance the last time we played the East Coast. We met several special friends who also came to the show. The sun came back out in its full glory during the days and the gigs at night were thunderous with fantastic crowds.

And so on to our last US show in Collingswood, NJ. The Scottish Rites Auditorium is an old Masonic building, part of it dating back to the 1850s. It's atmospheric and is said to be haunted by the ghost of Mr Hurley who once lived there. You could say we "had a visit that night..."

It's been a fantastic tour and everyone is in great spirits. Thanks from Jo and me to Wayne Forte and all at Entourage Talent, Brian Coles and all the Hackett band and team and everyone who came to the shows and made them so special!