gazlington

BECKY 1

And so we arrive in another big one…………Paris. Once I’d gotten over the concept of a water sealed train, all was good. The trip was great. Didn’t see one bit of water. We are seated at a table opposite other people. Met a nice couple heading in the same direction. She was the head of the UK Naval Training Board. Pretty senior position. We’ll have someone to contact if we come back to blighty again. Nice fromage and biscuits for afternoon tea.  Brilliant. Getting out of the Eurostar station we were offered a taxi, and before we knew it our bags we being  put into the boot of a car. Bad mistake. Too many Euros for a 10 minute drive to our hotel. We were caught off guard in the exit area of the station. Never again.

Paris is pretty full on. The language side of things is manageable. No such thing as skim milk, a dietary requirement for Sue. Only low fat milk. Can’t get over the smoking. Clearly the French economy is going to struggle in the future as all of its workers will die prematurely of lung cancer.

4 things about Pari

1. Hypersmoking rates

2. Motor bikes and Vespas

3. Endless conversations and coffee in cafes

4. Frenetic traffic. Think Sydney on steroids.

I discover that the concert venue for Becky tonight is only 1o mins away. Bang. Sue and I step it out. The Grand Rex Cinema.

Back to our hotel, I have a shower and freshen up…………then I’m back on the road again. Sue not interested in Jeff’s new Middle Eastern textures. I said she should have a foot massage or something.  At the venue, I purchase a Beck T- Shirt. No French touring information on it, but I’ll have it. Very lazy managment by Harvey Goldsmith, Jeff’s main man. I speak to a guy about wanting to catch up with Jeff’s guitar tech for someone in Melb who has had a development breakthrough in relation to Fender Strats. Wait until after the gig is the modus operandi apparently.

Into the venue. I find I have front row seats. Can’t believe it.  A young guy does an interesting blues set as support, moving between English and French. Sounds aggressive. The French love it.

Then the big boy comes on. A brilliant band playing really powerfully. Jeff plays some of his new stuff, as well some older parts of his catalogue. Great covers of early Mahavishnu and Billy Cobham stuff. Extraordinary to witness Jeff at around 15-20 ft away. He was really pulling some great guitar sounds. The evening just keeps on getting better and better. All of a sudden, its over. Jeff does 2 encores and I start to head outside. I arrange with the woman sitting next to me to email me her photos, as my iphone camera  struggled with the lights. After hangin for a bit I catch up with Jeff’s tech. I get some contact details for my mate in Melb. Well done. Autograph? More hangin. I end up talking to 2 delightful young french girls. Very convivial. I point out to one of them Jeff’s manager. She goes straight over to him with her copy of the set list saying take me to Jeff. He bloody well does. She comes out with a photo of Jeff drapped around her like a summer scarf and her set list signed. I wait a little longer. Jeff appears but straight into the bus. Boom. All over. I make my way back to our hotel, after taking a few nervous detours. End of the day.

becky set list