Open Mic veranda jam Thursday February 27 from 6pm I chose to sit and listen only singing the songs I knew rather than strumming. Chase the ace didn’t go off with it Jackpot that’ reached $2850
I had the most of the week off which is rare these days from Monday February 24 till Thursday 27, 2025. A valuable amount of time to recuperate.
Yoga 9am Friday February 28, 2025 then from 4:30pm I kicked off playing a three hour gig at the Old Courthouse Fremantle. The commute was clear all the way and had Shirley support me. Once set up the crowd sat and listened to my acoustic tunes under the big peppermint tree and found myself finished up at 8:30pm. As I strummed my last chord the next artist was waiting in the wings to set up. After I cleared my equipment off the stage I was on the road heading for home looking forward to a good nights sleep.
The next morning Saturday March 1, 2025 an early rise for the Dawesville markets. Up at 5:30am for shower breakfast and on the road for the hour commute in the Ford.
I arrived to see most of the stallholders set up. I trolleyed my equipment along the cycle path and set up same spot as last time under a shady tree facing North.
I commenced playing and my first song Paul Kelly “Don’t Stand So Close To The Window” got a nice applause following it up with “Stairway To Heaven” then an original “Stormy Weather” written in August last year. All getting great applause and good feedback. I plunked my way through a couple of hours before having a well deserved break.
A new vendor selling berry’s and melted chocolate in a cup was a real treat and a hot dog was for lunch and a coffee from the Vincent coffee van to wash it down.
I finished around 12pm with no rush to go anywhere and no second gig for the day. So I slowly packed my gear chatting to people and was on the road heading for home by around 1:30pm. I arrived and watered the garden and decided to have a cup of tea. I had a quick nap and watched some Netflix a series called “Ghosts”. It really funny and you can find yourself wasting hours of your day glued to the television. Before I knew it was dinner time so I fixed myself a feed of tinned tuna and a garden salad I’d prepared a few days earlier. I texted a friend before getting to bed early enough and set my alarm for 5:30am
Sunday March 2, 2025 I woke to the sound of my alarm chiming on the bedside table and swung my legs over the bedside, rubbed my eyes open and said to myself “I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious, healthy, wealthy, wise and happy” and with that jumped in the shower and got dressed in jeans and buttoned up a short sleeved floral shirt. Packed the van and off I went to Honeywood marning markets. Here you will find one of the biggest pop up fresh fruit and vegetable markets in Perth along with many other unique stalls. I set up under the 3×3 gazebo that Jodie the organiser provides and began to strum away from 8 am to 12 pm. With a good earn and feeling good I headed to Pinjarra to play my second gig of the day at the Exchange Hotel.
I arrived at the Exchange at approximately 1pm and was due to play from 2 pm I set up on the back limestone paved area overlooking the river facing East and strummed away my tunes until 6 pm.
I packed away my equipment headed for home and was in bed by 9 pm resting for another day of Music.
Being the long weekend my gigging week hadn’t finished. With two more shows on Monday public holiday I was far from done.
12:30 p.m. Monday, March 3 Jarrahdale Tavern. I lay in bed that morning having a nice sleep in and then remembered I had to take my caravan down to Speedy Spanners in Serpentine for a roadworthy inspection the next day. I arranged another temporary vehicle movement certificate. It would be an early morning if I was to wake up the next day in time to drop off at 8 am. So I hooked up the van in preparation before I headed off to setup at the Jarrahdale.
I arrived at the Tavern around 11:45pm. The place was busy but I managed to find a good parking spot and loaded my equipment up the steep hill and was set up to begin at 12:30pm. Shirley rocked up and I introduced some friends to her over the microphone and sat and chatted to the locals.
Today was warm and I was sweating. I had my stainless steel floor fan streaming a cool breeze on my body as I played a three hour set for the locals and tourists that came to enjoy the famous Jarrahdale Tavern. Special mention to Shirley, Colin, Sha, Eddie, Jimbo, Meredith, Robbie and Billy who all came down to see me play. I know it’s early for you to come down and start drinking but thanks from the bottom of my heart.
I drank as much water as I could and felt reassured that I was hydrated enough to continue. Around 3:30 pm I finished up and the locals quickly helped me load my van and I was on my way to my final gig for the week at Mandurah Food Truck Frenzy.
I arrive with half an hour to setup, which is plenty of time to have my battery powered speakers on stands ready to play for the crowd.. Applause is like laughter it’s contagious, however no one wants to be the one to start it off. I announced the final song and with a spatter of applause it lifted my spirits enough to know I’d done a good job.
I packed the speakers, mic stand and pedal board into the van and headed down the freeway arriving home at around 10pm. I went straight to bed and woke up at 6am to take my caravan down to Speedy Spanners and left it there for some roadworthy maintenance. My neighbour Colin and I headed to the tavern around 2pm to have a few pints. I headed home and sat in the front of the Tele and watched episode and a half of ghosts before I fell asleep in the recliner.
That concludes my blog entry ending Wednesday, March 5, 2025. With 6 gigs in four days it has been busy. Probably my personal best so far and equally as hard work and rewarding.
Have an awesome day and I’ll be back next week.