^

The weather probably wouldn't stop me, but lack of funds and a current passport might. One day...

So happy for you, David! Looking forward to hearing all about the new adventures.

you are right sir

I have to "tiger up" and rethink my priorities

the dollar and the blue booklet are not issues... leaving to check Feb calendar...

SK

And... KT has been telling the press she really wants to have a baby. I'm sure she'd love to "do it all" but everyone says having children is always more effort than you can imagine. So the next album and tour could be a while. Personally, I'm happy with my two dogs...also KT fans, of course.

really wish I could join you but can't get away in February

you are gonna have a ROCKIN time

write to us and can you take some pics or vids dude?

SK

Ok, the itinerary is set for 5 shows in 6 days

20 Feb Cork
21 Feb Dublin
23 Feb Dunfermline
24 Feb Newcastle
25 Feb Manchester

Oooh wicked you're doing Manc as well, and very cool you're coming over in the first place! There'll be a BIG crowd of nutjobs in Manchester, not to be missed!! See ya there!!

I'll see you at 3!!!

Changing planes in London on my way to Cork! I plan to crash at my hotel for a few hours and then off to concert #1. Stay tuned for review assuming I don't sleep through my alarm.

So I was in my hotel bar drinking…what else?...a Guinness…a bit above room temperature…just right for Ireland. The Cork Opera house is a five minute walk from my hotel so I had zero excuse to get lost no matter how many pints I put away. The Opera House is a seated venue, uh oh. Would the Irish of Cork be as quiet as the Brits in Ipswich a few years ago? I recall at the outset comparing the Ipswich audience to a group watching a Nature Chanel documentary, “The Secret Lives of Bees.” KT brought them to life in Ipswich song by song and did so again tonight in Cork. In fact, “Cork 2011” ended with the most forceful rendition of “Suddenly I see” I’ve ever seen. Of note, KT introduced a new song…even newer than Tiger Suit material. I won’t spoil it but will tell you it’s "classic KT." Which brings us to tonight’s super-lightening-round question: How much is Tiger Suit truly a departure for KT? Where does the album fit on your “1-10” scale? 1 = Tiger Suit reveals the thoughful evolution of a talented artist; 10 = Tiger Suit reveals the real KT has been by abducted by aliens from the planet Kazoo. My thoughts may surprise you but I’ll wait to read yours.

On to Dublin.

Cheers,
David

great to hear gig #1 was a BLAST

how many pints did you have at the hotel

now to answer your question on a scale of 1 to 10: ZERO

KT will never stop evolving as an artist and that is one of the many, many reasons we all love her music - new and old

SK

Looking forward to hearing about Dublin (and the rest)!

So the train from Cork to Dublin was uneventful. Lots of scenic views and Irish ponies. The people across the aisle talked the entire time so I was glad to close my eyes and listen to “Live at the Wiltern” on my mp3 player. Amazing album. Still a bit jet-lagged and hung-over from my Guinness, I decided to wait to say hello until Wednesday in Scotland.

The Dublin show was awesome from start to finish. First, the Olympia Theater is a beautiful venue with terrific acoustics. Check out photos online. Usually along the way KT or a band member signals for the sound people to adjust this or that but I didn’t see it happen once during this gig. Also, turns out KT’s lighting guy is a Dubliner so she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to give a shout out to him…and his parents who were in the audience.

The energy level in Dublin was high from the first note to the last. The audience seemed genuinely excited to see KT after a few years and responded after every song. I also noticed that more people in Dublin than in Cork were familiar with Tiger Suit lyrics. This may have contributed to my feeling that new and old songs flowed together better than in previous shows. Not because of anything KT was doing but the sense that more people in previous audiences were waiting politely for KT to play her tried and true material.

Note to one of KT’s crew... if possible best not to come on stage to tune guitars during the pause before the encore. Sort of takes the suspense out of it…even if the lights staying off is a dead giveaway anyhow.

On to Scotland and another UK rental car adventure!

Cheers,

David

“Mr. and Mrs. Tunstall are in the house.” How cool KT gave a shout out to her parents in the audience. Another good set tonight. Here too a seated balcony but lots of floor space on the lower level. Surprisingly even the folks on the floor didn’t get too excited until the end of the show. Maybe everyone was in awe at seeing their hometown superstar??? This may also explain the long line, 2 persons deep, stretching around the corner and down the street, to get in when the doors opened! I’ve never seen so many people so early to a KT gig. Huge cheers for an encore and KT delivered with energy and enthusiasm. Which reminds me to mention that Lucky Luke is THE MAN. He always seems so “in the zone”…totally in the present moment…completely immersed in the music. It’s just plain fun to watch him.

Driving on the wrong side of the road today? The highway are no problem. The single lane roads with stone walls on both sides...these are a problem. But no flat tires! I shoud make it to Newcastle in one piece.

Cheers,
David

That dude obviously has free reign through the whole show and yeah, he seems to come into the picture at precisely the wrong moments. Did you notice that he also sits partway on the side of the stage, as if he was a member of the band? Only he is just sitting there quietly polishing the guitar.

^ Are you talking about Dave? I didn't think he was obtrusive at all, but I suppose it depends on the venue. As for tuning before the encore, well, I just consider it a break for the band these days. I mean, they've planned the songs on the setlist for goodness sake! Brandi Carlile sometimes says, "This is our fake last song before we come back out and do a few more".

I love hearing about the differences between gigs, what makes each show unique, and all your travel experiences. Watch out for those roundabouts!

Did we have the evolution/alien conversation in Seattle? I think we did, but Guinness may be fogging my memory.

Keep the reports coming, David!