Even with the homogenisation of world culture, hogmanay remains the largest holiday of the calendar year in Scotland and it is quite a gruelling marathon of over-indulgence lasting nearly a week so it would seem the perfect antidote to escape in January for a small sojourn playing music in some quiet corner of the planet, just to ease oneself back into the routine of normal life: A sort of Battlefield band “detox diet.” So off we go for some rest and relaxation to that unassuming hamlet in the north-eastern United States - New York City.

January 5
This morning Alasdair and I drag ourselves off to Glasgow and through the magic of modern travel find ourselves in Manhattan in the afternoon. We are staying at the Hotel Pennsylvania for the next two days such is our devotion to the Glen Miller god – it was also cheap and as we have no upcoming tours to France it seemed the sensible option.

Alasdair unfortunately succumbs to the annual post hogmanay flu so I am left alone to acclimatise to the time difference in the usual fashion: A facial – ½ price as I have almost no face – a couple of knishes, a few gin martinis(straight up with a twist) and a dozen raw clams washed down with a couple gallons of bloody mary. Hmm, feeling better already, and ready for lunch. Alan, Rob and Pat are all staying with friends and family in Westchester county and Robin – our navigator, interpreter, manager and life-coach – does not arrive for another day so it is on my own that I arrange to meet local pal, Nancy Groce, and Ed Miller (he of Austin Texas and previous tour notes) at the Hiedelberg, an old German boozer uptown.

a young German boozer downtown