April 21st --- How Good Is Me Life ... Jim and Fergus at the Skye

It was a beautiful day, the sun shining and I went down overlooking the valleys and mountains.

In fact it reminded me a lot of home, really beautiful.
We looked at the map together to find us a trip for the day. Phill actually had the same idea as me ;o))).
As I was sitting on the stage talking with Phill I came across the menu of a café in Dixfield.

And he recommended it again, so on the road we were. Going down to Dixfield. The café was found easily and it looked absolutely funny. So much detail in here. There was a huge Christmas landscape with little houses still on the front porch … inside lots of things to see, too. Crazy place!

A funny lady "Sammy Angel" welcomed us and we ordered the Moosehunter Breakfast.

Wow, that was a large breakfast. I loved the pancakes, sorry flapjacks … the best flapcakes … hehe … I ever had. After the breakfast and a chat with Sammy, we signed on the wall of the house at the entrance (as everybody does) and then followed the planned route.

A nice road winded through the hills, antique shops and rusty cars everywhere. On the top of the mountain we stopped at a look-off, overlooking two lakes. It was still sunny, but rain was coming in. It was brilliant watching the rain coming closer and closer.

Down at the lake the smell of the pine trees reminded me of the French Atlantic Coast, one of my favourite places in the world. It was pretty warm, but you could see some snow on one of the higher mountains … it was the Saddleback Ski Resort and of course we wanted to see it.

They were closed for season already, but I enjoyed seeing the skilifts and the snow. On the way back we took the shorter way via Blue Mountain. By the way … moose signs everywhere and somehow Maine promises you to see moose and we had that moosehunter breakfast … ok, we didn't see any moose in Maine … lol.

We arrived short after 4, right in time for the sound check, Jim and Fergus must have arrived short before us. They were on stage already and I was really glad to see them. nice to meet you Jim! ;o) Hehe...
They were doing the sound check and I went upstairs for a shower and a nap.
Jan came with some food for all of us. Phill, the sound techs, Jim and Fergus and Gabi and me.

So we had a nice little chat altogether, until we heard some fiddles from downstairs - there is always a session before the show at the Skye Theatre. We went down and Jim and Fergus played with some musicians from the audience --- what a lovely idea! There is the possibility for people to play together with artists, to play in a different environment than at home, the artists get to know some people of the audience before the show and last but not least there is a background music for the arriving guests. Great!

We got very good seats (thank you Phill for arranging everything so nicely) and Gabi got a new Bodhran stick from Mike, who checked the tickets.
Phill introduced Jim Payne and Fergus O'Byrne and mentioned us, too. Thanks again!

The sound in the Skye Theatre was fabulous. As Phill always says … it's like playing inside an instrument. I loved the performance, powerful as always! I especially enjoyed all the songs written by Jim, but also the traditional ones. He also played a short act. That was great! I have to go to a play in English one day, I think I would enjoy that more than a German one..

It was great to feel so at home at the venue … in the intermission I walked up to our room for a few minutes, loved that. Jim played, as promised, How Good Is Me Life for us. This time I didn't cry … hehe. I just enjoyed the song. I really appreciated that he played the song for us! Thanks a lot! And no, I wouldn't have enjoyed to meet somewhere in the Atlantic to save airfares … I just loved it at the Sky Theatre. :o)

After some chatting after the show we went upstairs again, having some brownies, coffee and shared the two beers we had with us. Fergus and Phill went to bed and … ah well Jim just didn't go to bed --- we had a nice chat and it was a pleasure to talk to him finally after 4 years writing emails. Thanks for taking the time for us.

Btw, if you are interested in buying CDs ... http://www.singsonginc.ca/bios/biojimpayne.html