Back to the weary travelers -
The contingent from Cork was exhausted, as they had been at Orkney Airport at 5:30 AM. It was now 5:30 PM but they had crossed several time zones so everyone�s internal clock was messed up. Graham and I divvied up the group and drove them to the Stanford Hotel, the newest one in St. John�s. The Stanford is in the west end of St. John�s up on LeMarchant Road, next to St. Clare�s Hospital and was so new that the parking lot didn�t exist yet. It was a combination dirt/gravel lot with steel drums and plastic caution tape marking ever-changing entrances, exits and parking areas. Jim and Lillian and I giggled a bit as it reminded us of our stay at the unfinished Clarion Hotel in Cork. In Ireland, half the hotel was done and the other half was still very much under construction. In St. John's, the continuing construction would be the bane of the Irishmen as the vehicles began work at 8:30 AM each day.
The poor travelers would not get enough rest to rejuvenate them before 10 PM, but you'd never have known from their performances.
Jim, Lillian and I grabbed a quick bite to eat and packed up the car with speakers, cables, instruments and such. We had to drop brochures and CDs at each venue, make sure the volunteers knew what was up, drop equipment off at a couple different venues, set up the mic system for the Ship and put up the huge 4 by 6 foot posters that Lillian had printed up. The posters were breathtaking and eye-catching for sure. A great idea! It was a busy evening to say the least.
This was the first of five nights of Festival performances for the musicians, with the Islands of Song Gala scheduled for the 30th at the Arts and Culture Centre after a day "off." Jim was scheduled to perform at both Erin�s and the Ship this evening. Singers had been scheduled to do two sets per evening at two different venues. The Celtic Hearth and Bridie Malloy's were paired as they are right on top of each other. But the challenging one was the pairing of the Ship Inn and Erin's Pub. They are a block and a street level away from each other. Not a daunting distance, but a little jaunt carrying your instrument with you. Jim and Lillian had tried to time performances so that no one had to leave Erin's and go straight to The Ship, but that didn't work a few nights for Darrell and Jim, when they changed places back to back. It all worked out in the end though! I couldn't believe how much effort those two had put into the schedule, making sure everyone got to perform in various combinations and at all venues at least twice. You can check out the schedule here. |
