UK and Ireland tour 2008 (part 1)

This is part 1 of the many disorganized posts that I'll be throwing together in the next few days. I'll be chronicling my month long tour with everyone's best friend, Billy Bragg.

The tour started out with United Airlines losing my luggage (it ended the same way). This is but one of many times that they've lost my luggage over the years. This made it impossible for me to change clothes for the first few days of the tour. I'm sure that I was pretty unpopular in the bus.


I snapped this shot of the audience just moments before taking the stage in Leeds.


With my luggage lost, I asked the hotel clerk if they had a tooth brush and some paste. This is what they gave me. I think that this came straight from a Barbie Doll play set.


Drunk man chatting us up at 10 a.m.


Sound checking at St. Alban's Arena in Manchester.


This was in my hotel room in Leeds. I'm afraid to ask what it's for.


I dig this little energy saver. The power in your hotel room only works when your key is inserted.


I fell in love with this theater in Treorchy, Wales.


The theater was built by money raised by local miners. They gave 1/100 of their wages to build this theater. Its beautiful without being pretentious and it has a wonderful vibe.


I fell in love with these old tea cups that were backstage in Treorchy. I decided that I needed to bring them home to Amy. Using my lame negotiating skills, I convinced the very kind promoter to throw in this set as part of my settlement. I'm drinking coffee out of one of them as I write this.

Thanks for giving a damn,
-Otis

More to come......