Fresno-Manchester-Liverpool (Fri., May 20th & Sat., May 21st)
Here's The Pineapple where we stayed in Liverpool.
Neptune with the Tesco Pig.
Our first day was really two days long. (time zones and all that jazz).
We woke at my house at 3:32am (gagh!) Long flights, but good company.
Lauri had packed me a sandwhich (ah, love!). Leland had loned me his mp3
player (whats this 21st Century?). I remember listening to Nilsson’s “Harry” album
on the trip, and some early Who just as we were coming into Manchester (seemed
appropriate!) courtesy of the in-flight movie/music selections
one could make on the little screen on the back of the airplane seat.
Terrible long line for passport control, but easy passage, even after admitting that
we were musicians.
Relief and happiness abounded when we met Neptune (the only band member not flying the same schedule as the rest of us) at the train station adjoining Manchester airport.
The only worry remaining was my cold-ruined voice for tomorrow’s Cavern shows.
We stopped at our home-away-from-home The Pineapple (pub and hotel) as soon as we got into Liverpool. It was great to be back. These people treated us so well on our first trip here 4 years ago and we were glad to get reservations here (along w/ Fresno friend Jaime Holt [and her mom] and Lancaster,Lancashire friend David Summers—all due tomorrow—yes, we practically took over the joint.)
We took a taxi over to Lark Lane—a sort-of Tower District-like area where there were lots of places to eat, cool little shops, and most importantly–not the tourist-ey/price-eyness of the city center.
Since it was so early….about 1 in the afternoon, most dinner places weren’t open, but we had a great lunch at a cafe’ called Pistachios. I had haddock chowder and Chicken & Mushroom Pie. We also found a pet shop for John to look into as well as a small music shop that looked a little more like a hang-out than a business for the lone worker (“How much are you selling that Les Paul Jr.?” “Oh, I’m not sure I’m selling it; I might just play it for a while.”).
The rest of the gang went into the town center to say ‘hello’ to IPO festival head David Bash, show Neptune Matthew Street and the Cavern, etc.
I stayed in the pub, drank tea , wrote in the journal, and generally rested my voice before going early to bed.
and here's when we met up with Neptune at the Manchester Airport train station