update time!!!
http://www.guyfletcher.co.uk/index.php/2012dylan/Rehearsals_September_2012Rehearsals - September 2012
Here is one of life's little mysteries - So much has happened in the last ten months, in London, let alone the world. With the Queen's rain-soaked diamond Jubilee celebrations, the heady euphoria of a month of Olympic and Paralympic games; closer to home, the Privateering sessions, the amazing Vicente Amigo sessions, BluesClub gigs and various other events....why does it seem like only yesterday that we were here?
We write, record, produce, mix, engineer, arrange, perform....and tour! There's a certain irony in Mark's album cover art as I often think back to my 'apprenticeship' and the mid 1970's, driving up and down the M1 in the back of a beaten up Bedford CA panel van with a three speed gearbox, (maybe one was broken) no tax, insurance or MOT and a part of me misses the sheer excitement and camaraderie of covering ridiculous mileages to some dodgy club in the North West and playing our set to sometimes as many as 4 people. The camaraderie is in actual fact still there, as strong as ever and the allure of touring hasn't diminished in the slightest. A large part of what makes something so enjoyable is the people with whom you work and over the years a team of professionals (and friends) has evolved and emerged which make the whole experience something special. Knowing of course there are people willing to fork out hard earned cash and come to a show is heartening and having such a well known catalog and a continuous stream of new songs from our imperious leader which shows no sign of slowing is the source of most of the energy and enthusiasm. So to another tour of North America....
The familiar rumble that is London post-Olympic traffic can be heard through the very same windows that fifty weeks ago failed to silence the howling gale that greeted us to our London hotel way back then. The weather this month in the UK is doing its level best to make up for an appalling Summer of rain, wind and chill. It really does seem like only a few weeks ago we were assembled for rehearsals for our intrepid outing with the 'poet laureate of rock 'n' roll. The voice of the promise of the 60s counterculture. The guy who forced folk into bed with rock. Who donned makeup in the 70s and disappeared into a haze of substance abuse. Who emerged to find Jesus.......etc...etc... Mr. Bob Dylan!'
Since our last show at the prestigious Hammersmith Odeon back in 2011, Bob has hardly stopped gigging and recording having toured South America and parts of the US pausing only to record his new album 'Tempest', which I listen to as I write this. Now a year on, we look forward to re-acquainting ourselves with Bob's band and crew who were so accommodating last year. We had many great times backstage, before the shows not least our jam sessions with fiddles, banjos, whistles and accordions. The European tour was obviously a success and I would even venture to say that Bob enjoyed having us around even though I could never say for sure since we never got to meet. Since our last show of course
We are now in our second full week of rehearsal, the set-lists are pretty much all decided and as usual we have many 'option' slots in the list where we will substitute one song for another etc. so expect a varying set each night. The only down side being the limited time we have on stage but we'll be as much music as we can into each performance. The new double album 'Privateering' is out worldwide with the ironic exception of the U.S. and as I've mentioned in the forum, I am unable to comment on the reasons for this. Needless to say, this is frustrating in the extreme. The reviews so far have been extremely positive and the fan reaction, nothing short of amazing. It seems it's a bit of a winner...well we like it too.
