Three Years Ago

It was nearly 3 years ago that I moved to a caravan in rural eastern Germany near the Polish border to become a full time musician and to find myself again after being lost for so long. I moved in on Christmas Day with my Canadian cat Reece and 'Caravan Magdalena' was supposed to be our home for 6 months but our time there stretched into nearly 1 1/2 years until finally we made our home in Berlin. During my time in Mecklenburg Vorpommern I wrote songs and practiced my instruments in a tiny space, read a lot, learned about and collected wild herbs and grew 35 plants from seed. I learned to relax properly for the first time in my life, learned how to live without a toilet and how to insulate an old caravan that was literally falling to pieces. I got to know and like myself and came to terms with the bits that I didn't like as much. I finally got my depression to a manageable place without the use of pharmaceutical drugs, or doctors through a change of diet, lifestyle, and mindset. I also became vegan and often shared my bed with my cat and 2 cats from the neighbouring house to keep warm during winter. What an amazing and challenging period of my life that was and even though it wasn't always easy I am grateful for the lessons I learned and the quiet moments I had with myself and nature.

Magic and Friendship

Today a dear friend will arrive from a tiny island in Canada to visit me. She is a singer/musician with a beautiful soul and will join me to sing back up vocals for a couple of shows this week in Berlin and Hamburg, so I hope some of you get to meet her. She was there for me through one of the hardest winters of my life. We often spend so much time searching for magic but fail to see it when it is right there in front of us in the form of loyalty and friendship. If we could just open our eyes.

May in the Springtime

3rd May - Tonfink Kulturcafe & Bar Luebeck

Ooh what a lovely find this place is and people actually listen to the music. Tonfink is relatively new and the organizers were so hospitable, preparing me a vegan dinner, organizing an amazing e piano and     generally just being very positive and welcoming. I think Luebeck really needs a place like this that is a bit more sophisticated, offering a space for singer songwriters and more acoustic bands to play. I wish them all the best and I hope I can bring my band with me next time I go there.

5th May - Cakes n Treats Dortmund (lunchtime show)

Always a treat to visit and play for these folks. This time no PA so it was pretty acoustic and intimate but the audience were lovely and I left stuffed full of goodies. Till the next time.

5th May - Kulturcafe Litchung Koeln

I have to be honest and say that I expected something completely different from this venue as for me it was more of a bar and less of a Kulturcafe. I felt a lot of the audience that night were quite conservative and perhaps my music was too intense and challenging in a way. I think they probably would have been happier with upbeat easy going music, not songs dealing with depression, sexuality, animal rights and honesty. The owners were very nice though and took care of me.

17th May - Kino Atelier / Cafe Haag Tuebingen

Hurrah, what a joy it was to play for you Tuebingen!
This cinema/cafe bar looks like you have stepped back in time to the 50's and audience ranges from young students to men in their 50's and middle aged couples and they all come to listen to the music, respectfully and with an open heart. A very welcoming place and a beautiful town. I spent the evening strolling through the old streets in the warm summer air with friends and got to try more than one or two of the local drinks. Can't wait to return.

19th May - Vegan Street Day Stuttgart

I really love this festival. The people who organize it are dedicated to animal rights and a little bit mad. Unfortunately it pissed down with rain so this year I didn't get to see much but I am always glad to be part of it and look forward to the Dortmund Vegan Street Day in August.

Eastern Germany Tour Part 1

Thursday 25th April - Marshalls Mum, Leipzig

A very intimate show with a very nice listening audience with the tables decorated with painted teacups full of tea and plates of apple pie, cheese cake and cupcakes, all vegan! If you're in Leipzig check out this lovely little place. It's worth a visit!

Friday 26th April - Secret show, Leipzig

Biggest living room show ever in a fantastic old house in a cool area of Leipzig.
I started off the show by kicking over a glass in the crowd. After that no one tried anything silly with me ;P
Great audience, nice feeling and fun to share the show with Berlin band Susie Asado who did great stuff with an acoustic drum kit and a ukulele.

Sat 27th April - Wohnzimmer Klub, Dresden

Living room esque show in this very friendly club in Dresden. We battled a bit with the sound but the folks who came up afterwards were nice and we danced the hours away with the DJ later on including meeting the German Louis Theroux on the dance floor. I hope you're not offended Dave.

Sun 28th April - House Concert, Magdeburg

A very nice living room show in Magdeburg with participation by the house cats.
It was nice to come back to Magdeburg and play a positive show after the last one which was a bit weird.
See you again in June Magdeburg at the Vegan Festival!