July | 2011 | Stuart O'Connor

Hey All,

My UK tour Starts today. So far over 40 shows are booked with many more to come.

The dates in place are as follows:

5/07/11	Rougham, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP30 9ND	Hes Fes (Home Educating Festival)	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Age restrictions: All Ages. Address: Directions By Car The postcode for the area is IP30 9ND Rougham is situated 2 miles east of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. To get to the venue,take junction 45 off the A14 which is sign-posted for Rougham Industrial Estate and follow the signs from there, alon. It is a great pleasure for me to be returning to play Hes Fes 2011 Home Educating Festival. Tickets for the event can be bought from the site Acoustic Marquee
26/07/11	Rougham, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP30 9ND	Hes Fes (Home Educating Festival)	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 7:00pm. Age restrictions: All Ages. Address: Directions By Car The postcode for the area is IP30 9ND Rougham is situated 2 miles east of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. To get to the venue,take junction 45 off the A14 which is sign-posted for Rougham Industrial Estate and follow the signs from there, alon. Main Marquee It is a great pleasure for me to be returning to play Hes Fes 2011 Home Educating Festival. Tickets for the event can be bought from the site
27/07/11	10 New England Road Brighton, East Sussex BN1 4GG	The Cobblers Thumb	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 7:00pm. Venue phone: 01273 605 636. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=192792957437619&ref=ts
31/07/11	529 Christchurch Road Bournemouth BH1 4AG	Chaplins Cellar Bar	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01202 251 953.
03/08/11	St. Thomas Street Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8EQ	Boho Bar	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01305 759 940.
06/08/11	Victoria Pier, St Helier harbour,	Jersey Festival	Jersey
Add	Time: 2:30pm. Age restrictions: All Ages.
06/08/11	Victoria Pier, St Helier harbour,	Jersey Festival	Jersey
Add	Time: 8:00pm.
07/08/11	Badgers Holt, Route des Genets, St Brelade, Jersey, Channel Islands, JE3 8DB	Reg`s Garden (Amphitheater)	Jersey
Add	Time: 8:30pm. Age restrictions: All Ages.
08/08/11	South Coast Cruises, Albert Quay, St Helier	Coastal Cruises Boat Show	Jersey
Add	Time: 6:30pm.
13/08/11	Beuvelande Camp Site La Rue de Beuvelande St. Martin, JE3 6EZ	Tilleys Restaurant & Bar	Jersey
Add	Time: 8:00pm.
14/08/11	La Route de Noirmont, St Brélade	The Old Portelet Inn	Jersey
Add	Time: 5:00pm. Venue phone: 01534 741 899.
17/08/11	18 Mulcaster Street St Helier, Jersey, Channel Isles JE2 3NG	Tanguy’s Bar	Jersey
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: +44 (0) 1534 721949. info@tanguysbar.com.
20/08/11	Beuvelande Camp Site La Rue de Beuvelande St. Martin, JE3 6EZ	Tilleys Restaurant & Bar	Jersey
Add	Time: 8:00pm.
21/08/11	La Route de Noirmont, St Brélade	The Old Portelet Inn	Jersey
Add	Time: 5:00pm. Venue phone: 01534 741 899.
30/08/11	10 East Street Town Centre, Bridport DT6 3LF	No. 10 Cafe Bar	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm.
31/08/11	St. Thomas Street Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8EQ	Boho Bar	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01305 759 940.
01/09/11	60 New North Road Exeter, Devon EX4 4EP	The Oddfellows	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01392 209 050.
03/09/11	8 Cistern Street Totnes TQ9 5SP	The Bay Horse Inn	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01803 862 088.
04/09/11	5-6 Braddons Hill Road West, Torquay, TQ1 1BG	The Cider Press	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01803 212 338.
09/09/11	12A Plymouth Road Tavistock PL19 8AY	Down The Hatch	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01822 610 464.
10/09/11	27 Fore Street, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7AD	The Phoenix	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01579 386 964.
12/09/11	Quay Cottage, North Quay Hill, Newquay, Cornwall, TR7 1HE,	The Red Lion	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01637 872195.
16/09/11	21 Westgate Street, Launceston, Cornwall, PL15 7AD	The Westgate Inn	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01566 772 493.
17/09/11	Calstock Road, Gunnislake, Cornwall, PL18 9BX	The Rising Sun	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01822 832 201.
22/09/11	52 High Street Falmouth TR11 2AF	The Star and Garter	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01326 318 313.
23/09/11	1-2 Chapel Terrace Town Centre, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 3BQ	Jacobs Ladder	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01326 311 010.
24/09/11	Whitchurch Road, Horrabridge, Yelverton, Devon PL20 7TP	The Leaping Salmon Inn	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01822 852 939.
01/10/11	35 Fore Street Town Centre, Newquay TR7 1HD	Belushi’s	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01637 859 111.
02/10/11	4 Market Strand Falmouth TR11 3DB	The Prince of Wales	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01326 311 114.
03/10/11	1 Killigrew Street Falmouth TR11 3PG	Finn McCouls	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01326 318 653.
05/10/11	St. Thomas Street Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8EQ	Boho Bar	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01305 759 940.
07/10/11	6 South Street, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 3NQ	The Beach and Barnicott	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01308 455 688.
09/10/11	529 Christchurch Road Bournemouth BH1 4AG	Chaplins Cellar Bar	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01202 251 953.
10/10/11	141 Gloucester Road Bishopston, Bristol, Avon BS7 8BA	The Halo	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 0117 944 2504.
12/10/11	111 Main Road Goostrey, Crewe CW4 8PE	Crown Inn	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01477 532 128.
13/10/11	111 Main Road Goostrey, Crewe CW4 8PE	Crown Inn	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 12:30pm. Venue phone: 01477 532 128.
16/10/11	14 Station Street, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 4RG	Loft Lounge	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01323 733 353.
21/10/11	69 High Street Town Centre, Hastings TN34 3EW	The Jenny Lind	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01424 421 392.
23/10/11	43 Southover Street Brighton BN2 9UE	The Dover Castle	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01273 688 276.
25/10/11	60-62 Terminus Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 3LX	Via Bar	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 8:00pm. Venue phone: 01323 430 482.
30/10/11	Victoria Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 3TE	Horn Reborn	United Kingdom
Add	Time: 9:00pm. Venue phone: www.thehornstalbans.co.uk.

So with my tour taking me out west away from Tokyo I head to Kansai area where I will play a fortnight of shows in Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto. This can only really be a good thing as the 2 weeks of shows I had in Tokyo and Chiba were hugely effected by the 8.9 earthquake/Tsunami that had hit 3 weeks before I arrived. However in Kansai they were another 7 hours bus ride away from the epicenter and on the grand scheme of things there was very little sign of impact there. Infact the first thing I picked up on was the out spoken anger towards the government and the Nuclear Power companies who were struggling to overcome the chaos left in Fukushima plant that was nearing meltdown. Many locals to the Kansai area believed the rain-clouds to be overhead dropping toxic rain on their city. Personally the change of location was going to be positive thing if not just for the distance from the chaos but also for the Kansai food which I’ve very much come to love.

Okonomi-yaki - Osaka is famous for food.

With regards to my shows I had my first in the area as a part of an outdoor event to raise funds for the people effected. The event was in the centre of Osaka and having taken the overnight bus I had slept very little. But the show itself went by without any problems. Next was a festival in Kobe. Put together by Wax who manages a great venue called Varit. I felt honored to be the only foreign performer of the 50 odd acts involved. The shows played that day went really well. The crowd were full of life and I responded accordingly to the upbeat vibes. Audience whooping was a-plenty and so my loops got caught up with upbeat falsettos sounds rotating in the mix. Somehow it worked.

The following day was a show in Kyoto. My first infact despite having visited the area previously. The show was a noise experimental night and I discovered upon arrival that I was not the only foreigner on the billing as a bunch of guys from Tenerife arrived. It was there second day in Japan and their first show; and I could see they were bewildered by the initial unfamiliar organised chaos that Japan presents. All the acts got on well and I have to thank Go for his help with getting me shows in Kyoto. Two nights later I was playing a 2nd show in the city and low and behold my friends from tenerife were playing this night also. For the second time I got Rodrigo from the group to join me on Tenor Sax. A mighty fine player he was too bringing back shades of later day Coltrane and Pharoh Sanders with his high pitched squeals intensely effected with envelope filters and delays. That show ended up being probably my favourite in the Kansai area. It was also a geeky moment of glory to discover Jim O’Rouke (Sonic Youth and many other projects) had played the same venue 4 days prior.

Crashland - Glued LP - 100 Yen - Bargain

Speaking of geeky moments of glory; I did plenty of checking out of vinyl shops whilst in these area and managed to track down some pure geek joys. The first (and only) Crashand LP for only 100 yen. I think a pure geek moment comes from such joy personally for something that is so irrelevant to almost everyone else. Part of my youth this record 🙂

A further run of shows returning to Kobe and Osaka and then back to Kyoto took there toll and illness started to set in. By the time I played my final date in Nagoya I was somewhat exhausted and bewildered by the physical exhaustion I was facing. I thought I could push on through but unfortunately I later found out it doesn’t just go away. (more on that in the next blog)

On the whole the Kansai leg of the tour had been frankly awesome and I was relived and happy to feel like things were back on track.

A return to Tokyo followed….

Archive For

0 Full UK Tour Starts Today

0 Japan Tour 4 (Part 2 – Back to Kansai)