Brisbane “Lets get ready to Rumble

Brisbane was going to be the second place on the tour that we where going to perform the Hendrix set as well as The Bach & Ellington music. The difference here was that whereas in Sydney we had played two nights with just the band at the Basement club doing the Hendrix Music, then performed the Bach/Ellington at the Opera house with the Orchestra. Instead we were now going to do both concerts in the same venue the huge Queensland Performing Arts Centre. This would provide some different issues for our sound team of Gary and Piotr.

When we arrived In Brisbane on entering the hotel Nigel exchanged greetings and shook hands with a friendly couple who had just checked in as well! It turned out following further discussion that they were booked in for the weekend to celebrate the Husband's Birthday and were on their way to have a special meal in one of the Hotels restaurants! So Nigel then invited them up to his suite for a birthday drink after their meal! I didn't think they would come up to the suite but they did pop in later willingly joining in with the banter and having a few drinks with the band. In fact it turned out that the gentleman was a dentist and in the true manner of the Australia tour and the increasing bizarre happenings around the tour, they hung out for hours and were totally comfortable with all the mucking about and ribbing that the band get up to! he even offered on hearing us joke about how Saxophonist Tomasz had got stitches in his Thumb to take the stitches out thus saving Tomasz a trip to the local Hospital the next day on condition that we had the hotel find some surgical scissors,Gloves e.t.c the Head of security who had dropped by the suite to see if Nk was ok and needed anything, was then sent off to find some sterile gloves and a pair of scissors which duly arrived and unfortunately or should that be fortunately an unsuccessful attempt was made to remove the Stitches.Turned out that the scissors were much too big thus saving Tomasz from the screams we were sure he was going to let out at any moment as the expression on his face was now changing rapidly to a bright Red crimson colour either from the effect of the Vodka he was taking to dull the pain or the thought of the actual event taking place,especially as we were all crowding around for a closer view!Needless to say the party went the way of all others on this tour fading out at sun up!

The day of the last Bach/Ellington had finally arrived this was sadly going to be our last date with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Led by Concert Master Dene Olden they had swung the Ellington beautifully from the Opera house through to Canberra and In the process had really started to let their hair down and join in with the lighter moments on and off stage which to some extent is kind of unavoidable with Nk, we had become a tight unit and I for one will miss them! The Nigel Kennedy Experience that includes the Hilarious "lets get ready to rumble” Rallying cry that he shouted out Backstage as they were going on to the stage each night nearly always managing to catch everyone within earshot off guard!

The last night flew by with everyone playing out of their skins and the Scottish Jig at the end had the house up and on their Feet! He even managed to get in a small band version of the Jazz standard "Nights in Tunisia".

The party back at the hotel had most of the Orchestra in attendance and was one huge sing song with Bass player Adam playing The Piano and Stan the Polish violinist in the Orchestra and a real warm funny character playing some jaw dropping stuff folk and Gypsy music on the Violin. We also had the sight of some Orchestra members who will remain nameless draping themselves on top of the piano and really letting the hair down. I think the last Orchestra Member to leave the party went around 6: oo am to get their early morning flight back to Sydney!

Love to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and crew!Thanks for making us so welcome!