Lobster toilet...

One of the world's most beautiful cities and I didn't leave my hotel room, I couldn't find the door! Just kidding. By the time I'd surfaced, ordered breakfast, edited photos, written and posted the diary, It was only an hour from bags. Bag collection I mean. Tour manager and general logistics genius Pete Mackay, organizes suitcase collection from each of our rooms usually half an hour before departure (an hour if we're flying) so that all we have to do is percolate downstairs rolling our Briggs and Riley carry-ons behind us.

Back to the breakfast. At Le Royal Monceau, one could assume that breakfast might be an 'experience'. Oh yes. I ordered Eggs Benedict (tricky to get just right) Cafe au lait, Fresh fruit salad, Orange Juice, and a mixed bakery basket. What came was perfect Eggs Benedict with crispy bacon, not correct but sumptuous, the king of all Orange juices, a fruit salad that I simply inhaled, Coffee (proper, not Eurostar) and a bakery basket of delights that had to be admired as much for it's beauty as taste. Also a jam selection which included Confiture du Framboise Violette...OMG.
I didn't take a photograph as some things simply must remain unseen.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention the fact that each of our rooms has a Lobster in the toilet.



After I'd checked out I noticed Richard and Jim in what appeared to be a hotel bookshop. It turned out the be the wonderful La Librarie des arts, which claims to be the first contemporary art bookshop in a Parisian Palace, an emblematic element of art at Le Royal Monceau.



Dirk had parked the band bus right outside the hotel and we were soon all aboard for the drive through typical Paris traffic to the Bercy.



Bob was onstage sound-checking and running through some tunes with his merry band of men, I broke through a mild security situation to go and get my acoustic guitar as I felt in need of some practice (my pads are thinning!) I saw Bob on the way back, coming off the stage with his PA and minder. As much as I'd have liked to, I didn't feel it was appropriate to introduce myself.

As for this band, a brief visit to catering where the beef stew thing was the popular dish of the day, then it was on stage for a thorough sound-check. Clearly a bass friendly stage, certainly from where I was. This proved to be the case during the show too. Sometimes you come across a stage where the bottom end is not overpowering but doesn't disappear either leaving the in-ears to do their work... and this was one of them. The Bercy is always a much anticipated gig as the audiences here have traditionally been fantastic. We weren't let down, what a reaction. You'd never believe we were the support act. After our 70 minutes of pure unadulterated fun, we waved our farewells for another tour and wandered back to the Bercy dressing rooms leaving the stage to be turned around by the crew boys and for Bob to work his magic. Sure enough, 20 minutes later we hear the Bercy roar as Bob's band strike up their first rocker of the evening 'Leopard-Skin Pillbox Hat'.

My hotel room view...






Back on-board the twin buses and set for the 208 mile journey to Brussels which is where we'll be spending the day off in one of our old favourite hotels.


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AS PROMISED -

My onstage rig for this tour in more detail



and the rack...