Decided to take a half of day off from work and go see Kathy up in Barre, VT since her show in New Haven was rescheduled so suddenly on Tuesday to December 16th due to a scheduling conflict.

Glad that I did as this was a great show and the crowd up here was into it from song 1. Sat far enough back that I just sat there and enjoyed the music and didn't that the camera out. Did take a bunch of photos aftershow as Katarina had her parents over from Europe so I can get them put on a CD and send them to her.

Only bad parts of the day was the getting stuck in traffic in Springfield on I-91 due to construction where they had the highway closed between exits 10-11. Thanks to GPS, I got off a before the detour and went through Springfield and Holyoke and getting back on the highway at exit 18. Lost about an hour total in that mess.

Got to my hotel in White River Junction and the room they gave me wasn't cleaned yet so I had to go down and get more keys (They did offer to bring a set up to me). Got freshened up and because of the delay before, had to head up to Barre as I had made a reservation at Dels for 6PM. I didn't get there until about 6:15 as I parked down the street closer to the Barre Opera House where the show was. Had a friend from New York who was about 12 miles behind me who I was waiting for before I ordered but he ran into issues at the campground where he had a reservation for and then got lost or misdirected as usual so I finally ordered and ate. The bad thing here was that I had a dining certificate for $25 towards the bill but needed $35 minimum for two entrees so after tip I would up paying $35 instead of $10-$15 if there was the two of us.

If anyone is up in the Barre, VT area, I do recommend eating at Dels, it is well worth the money.

What a bad day, got a call from the Shubert Theatre that the Kathy Mattea show that I have 27 tickets for with people coming in from all over the US and overseas. Personally I think was due to poor ticket sales which I find hard to believe but was able to go online and really good seats are still available.

This is not the first time that CAPA of New Haven did this to Kathy. Years ago a show at the Palace was canceled and moved across the state to the Sub Base in New London.

Photos from Kathy at Vineland, NJ after show. Was too far back to take show photos.

http://www.parazz.com/albums/davebrz

Went to the City on Wednesday to see Dougie MacLean fron Scotland at Makor which seats 150-200 at the most. What a great show it was even though he was fighting a cold. Talked to him briefly after the show to tell him that it was a good week as I seen him and Kathy in it. He mentioned that he knew Kathy was in Vermont one week after he was but couldn't make it.

What a long weekend, drove down to Annapolis to see Kathy play at the Rams Head of Friday for two shows, drove back home the next day then went up to Massachusetts to see Lori McKenna then on Sunday drove back down to southern New Jersey for another Kathy show which was sold out and I didn't have a ticket going down there. A few tickets did open up from tickets that Kathy did not use so I snatched up one of those. Now I'm at work sleeping it off (I wish). Did I ever tell you I hate traffic? It seems every car in the world was on the NJ Turnpike last night. A 3 1/2 hour ride took 5 1/2 hours and that is after I got out of the traffic and took a different route otherwise I would have been on the road for another hour or so.

Wanted to go see Pam Tillis tonight but luckily I called and found out the show was canceled due to weather even though the storm has passed. Worst thing is the venue Lincoln Park which is a Greyhound Racing track and also has slot machinea have no mention of the show on their website. Did find the page where the show is listed but no links from their entertainment page. Wonder how they will let people the new date of the show. I was told to listen to the radio but I am two hours away.

Speaking of the CMA's, I was in the City on Tuesday night for at Joe's Pub for their songwriter series, this time it was a singer/songwriter spotlight with Jon Randal, Lori McKenna, Jamie O'Neal and Jo Dee Messina because the awards were being announced the next morning and they had a big banner behind the stage for the award show.

ABC had someone there interviewing the artists and taping the show for what I assume is stuff for online or to be used as part of promos. At one point, I caught the camera pointing at me out of the corner of my eye (he was at my table doing cutaway shots as I was near the stage and I was a party of one so I had the free area. Jessi Alexander was there also because the local dates she was with Trisha was canceled and she was taping some promo spots for the award show.

I had wanted to talk with Lori and Jessi after the show but the CMA person that was there made everyone leave. Tried waiting outside but had a train to catch to get back home (which I was listening to XM during the ride). Funny thing as I was driving home from the train station, I was listening to US Country and about 1:40 am, the station goes quiet and I'm thing why the dropout so I change the channel and the music comes on so its not a dropout. So I grabbed the Myfi and turned that on and no music on 17 and the pad data still showing the last song.

Cant wait for the next one there, Victoria Shaw, Gary Burr and Don Henry and guests. With those three, the crowd wont know what hit them.

Have to go to the local theater tomorrow and make my final payment on group tickets for the Kathy Mattea Fan Club and fellow Clowns from the mailing list/ Yahoo Group. I secured the first two rows and part of the third row whit everyone coming in from all over the US and a few from Overseas who are coming to visit their daughter and to see the shows.

Went to the City last night to see Lori McKenna, Jon Randal, Jamie O'Neal and Jo Dee Messina in the CMA Songwriter Series at Joes Pub.

In my opionion, the show was great but it really didnt have the feeling of a true songwriter show as I am used to seeing artists join in on other songs with either backround vocals or joining in with their guitiar.

Wanted to see Jamie per her request from me seeing her a few weeks ago but the CMA person who was there was making everyone leave. Also want to say to Jessi Alexander who was taking out in the hall with no luck. Tried to wait outside for a while but got the idea that they were waiting for the few of us waiting so Jo Dee wouldn't be bothered. Jessie was there becuse her shows with Trisha were canceled due to Garth Brooks older brothers passing.