Jonny Lang in Toronto 2017 - Day 2 - 25th August

Day 2

Big day today so we started early and went to The PATH underground shopping Mall for breakfast.  PATH is a network of underground tunnels, elevated walkways other walkways connecting the office towers of Downtown Toronto.  It is more than 19 miles long and according to the Guiness World Records, it is the largest underground shopping complex in the world.

The underground tunnels in plan form

We had a nice breakfast in Tim Horton's coffee shop and it hit the spot. Apparently, Tim Horton was a famous Toronto Maple Leaf Ice Hockey player. 

Tim Horton's Coffee Shop

After this we did a bit of exploration around just a small area of this complex and we must have looked lost because a charming lady stopped to offer us assistance.  We told her we were OK but she insisted on explaining the area to us.  She was very interesting and suggested we follow her to her office which was nearby where she could print off some maps and information for us.

We agreed and followed her to her office when we discovered she was Vice President (Research) of a company called FEI Canada.  Her name was Laura Pacheco and like all Canadians we had met so far was incredibly friendly. A lovely lady.

redibly friendly. 

True to her word she printed off a lot of stuff for us and after saying our goodbyes we headed back to where we had come from. but not before she had had posed for a photograph with Rhian.

Laura Pacheco, Vice President (Research) of FEI with Rhian

We then headed for St Andrew's Station to get the train out to Danforth where we were going to try to pick up our tickets for the Jonny Lang show this evening.  It was so easy getting about on the train, it remided me a lot of the train system in Sydney.  After one change at St George we arrived at Broadview which was our stop for Danforth.

Getting the train at St George's

On board the train

Our destinastion

We then found the Danforth Music Hall but unfortunately were unable to collect our tickets as the ticket office was closed and the sign said it would re-open at 5,30 that evening.  There was nothing left but to head back to the city.

We returned to the PATH and picked up some provisions before heading back to the apartment where I ordered a taxi to pick us up at 5.00pm to get us to the Theatre for 5.30. Then we chilled for what was left of the afternoon before getting ready to go out to the show.

We were just taking it easy at around 4.30 when I found an email I had received, but not noticed, from the theatre, instructing us to be there at 5.00 to be briefed prior to the VIP Experience  which was to vegin at 5.30.

Talk about panic!!

We finished getting ready very quickly and headed down to the lobby.  The concierge was very helpful and got a taxi very quickly for us and we were soon on our way.  We enentually arrived about 15 minutes late and were ushered into the auditorium where the other VIP guests had arrived.  We joined them as they stood in the empty theatre in front of the stage where Jonny Lang was rehearsing for the evening show.

Jonny Lang in rehearsals

After a while he came off stage to meet us all and what a gentleman he was.  He chatted, signed photographs etc and answered any questions we wanted to raise.

When it was my turn I reminded him of when Rhi and I met him after the Shepherds Bush concert a few years ago. He remembered it, or was good enough to say he remembered it, before we had our photograph taken with him.

Another one for my wall

When this part of the evening was over we had some time to kill before the concert proper so we decided to go for a drink. Before leaving though I took a photograph of a blonde lady setting up the equipment for the support act for Jonny.  It was to be a guy named Jack Broadbent who up to this time I had not heard of.

I think this was Jack Broadbent's lady.

We went to a great pub just a short walk down Danforth Avenue, called Factory Girl.  This proved to be a good choice. Good beer, good music, good atmosphere with hosts of  photographs of mainly British and American musicians plastering the walls.

What a pub

Imagine my surprise when I went downstairs to the gents and found that while Alanis Morissette adorned the entrance to the ladies toilets, we were met at the door to the gents with a large photograph of  our own Newport gravedigger Joe Strummer.  Had to take a photograph before I left.

There's our Joe

Soon it was time to head back to the Music Hall for the show and we had good seats with a nice view of the stage.  First up was this English guy called Jack Broadbent who, as I said earlier, I had not heard of before. He was amazing! a great guitarist with a voice perfect for his type of 60s/70s British blues music.  I might not have heard of him before, but I bought two of his albums and will be following him with interest in future. He played bottleneck, but with a hipflask. Oh, and he had nice hair! For a moment I was transported back to my 30s.

Jack Broadbent

Using his hipflask as a bottle neck

Amazing guitarist

Then it was time for the star of the show and he did not let us down.  He played for two hours and was truly amazing.  He only played a couple from his new album but regaled us with versions of plenty of classic tracks from his earlier albums. This I really enjoyed as he played many of my favourites from over the years.

Not good images of Jonny Lang on stage

Rhi enjoying the show

His encore of 'Lie to me' had the audience of mixed ages eating out of his hand

His guitar playing is exceptional, his voice is made to sing the blues and he comes across as a really nice person.

If you have never seen him play live I would suggest you make the effort to do so whenever he comes to a town near you. I know this is not the last time that I will be at one of his concerts and I won't wait for him to come to Wales but in my opinion he is well worth travelling to see.

Jonny Lang in Toronto 2017 - Day 1 - 24th August

Day 1

The day had arrived when my trip to Canada with Rhian Evans arrived. My main reason for going was to see Jonny Lang in concert at the Danforth Music Hall. Rhian's was to see Niagara Falls. She arrived at the house at 6.15 and after packing her cases in the car we set off for Chepstow. We were to pick up Kevin after his shift at Tesco's before driving to Heathrow. He was going to bring the car back to Newport after dropping us off.

We set off to Heathrow at about 7.00 and made good progress arriving at Terminal 2 by 9.00.  Kevin took the car back and we proceeded to check in and get rid of our hold luggage.

After breakfast in the airport the time passed quickly and it was soon time to board our plane for the 12.05 flight to Toronto. We were flying Air Canada and their staff were very courteous as we boarded in an orderly fashion.  However, we were delayed on the Tarmac for an hour but it soon passed and the Air Canada staff kept us updated on progress.

We eventually got airborne and after an uneventful flight, during which we were fed and watered at alarmingly regular intervals, we descended into Toronto International Airport. I don't know what the other passengers were expecting, but they broke into rapturous applause as we touched down.

After the usual customs formalities, which were easier than expected, we picked up our luggage and went to the Dollar Car Hire counter to collect our car. We were given a  Chevrolet Cruze which was a nice surprise as we had been expecting a Toyota Corolla.

After getting the hang of the car we set off for Toronto City centre where we were to stay for the next few days.  Unfortunately it was now rush hour and the roads were chocablock and progress was slow, but steady, into the city. As we got nearer and nearer we could see the CN tower coming into view. It was beginning to get spectacular.

We eventually arrived at our destination, very tired but quite excited. Our apartment in the Atlas Suites, 300 Front Street West was really nice and very well appointed.  Very clean and well furnished with a massive balcony.

The view from the balcony was spectacular we were right next to the CN Tower with a good view of Lake.Ontario

Later in the evening, it got even better when the lights came on, on and around the Tower.

I think we will have a good time here. Jonny Lang tomorrow.

England v South Africa - T20 - 25th June 2017

Final T20 International


On Sunday 25^th June Shane had arranged tickets for a gang of us to go to the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff to see the final T20 cricket international between England and South Africa. 

The SWALEC Stadium from the ait

Match day ticket

I picked up Richard at 11.00am and we both then waited at my house to be picked up by Kevin and Christine.  They arrived bang on time at 11.30 and we headed off to Cardiff to meet the others in The Cricketers Arms in Cathedral Road.  Christine dropped us off and after making pick up arrangements left us to our own devices.  We settled in and bought a couple of drinks and waited for the others. 

The Cricketers, Cardiff

Inside The Cricketers

Gradually they all started drifting in so we arranged a group of tables outside where about 16 of us spent the time before moving into the stadium next door for the cricket.

Richard and Dan

A group of us including me and Kevin on the right. The guy pulling the face is Tom

Richard and Scott

A few of us had lunch here and it was really good for all of us bar Tom who sent two meals back before reluctantly taking delivery of the third one. When he started complaining to the nice waitress he got it right back from her. She was taking none of it from him and won the war of words hands down.

Our lovely waitress

Add caption

Soon we left to take our seats in the Stadium and settled down to watch the match.  

England batted first and soon lost Jason Roy but they batted particularly well to post a total of 181 for 7 in the allotted 20 overs.  This total was helped by some poor fielding and dropped catches by the visitors.

England batting

A dropped catch by South Africa

Newcomer David Malan batted particularly well in his first international and was rightly made man of the match.

Malan being congratulated by Alex Hales on reaching his 50

During the interval between innings we went down into the refreshment area and had a drink and a snack before heading back up to our seats.  

We had not realized it but the South Africa Innings had started before we reached our seats and indeed they had lost heir first wicket. England continued to bowl well particularly two other newcomers, Mason Crane and Tom Curran.  

South Africa in batting

In front of packed stands

South Africa were eventually bowled out for 162 leaving England winners by 19 runs and winners of the three-match tournament.

At the close we slowly made our way out of the ground amid the large crowd and made our way out onto Cathedral Road where Christine was waiting for us outside the Cricketers again.  Then we were on the road heading out of Cardiff on the way back to Newport.