Basement Jam - An Incredible Experience

Rachel and Me
Mikey and Me
Rachel and Mikey
Pete
Rachel
Simon

Mikey

Left to right - Me, Koos, Jim, Debby C
Stephanie, Gary, Jillytee, Marietta.
I do not know how to describe the experience of Basement Jam. This post would be full of repeated adjectives if I tried. There we are, about one hundred and twenty of us, mostly Bloggers, sitting in Oceanic Studios waiting for an intimate show to begin. Other Bloggers have described the event elsewhere (Garys, Mariettas and Jillytees Blogs) so I will just describe the special 'to me ' bits and post some photos. I met Mikey and Rene again and they are a fantastic couple. Mikey is such fun and did an excellent set, he also signed my photo of him that I bought from photographer Cat Stevens. I prefer Mikey to Foy Vance. I don't know why, but I do. Mikeys great!! Simon stormed through his set. Rachel , as normal , was perfect. Pete, well, what can I say. Well that's the short version of BJ. It was all a million times better than my description, just fantastically incredible. So I met Mikey and Rene, Simon T and now for the very special bit, not that Mikey and Rene and Simon aren't special, 'cos they are, very. But this next bit was surreal. During a break I am walking past Rachel and she is talking to Marietta. Jill is behind me and I hear Rachel mentioning smoking, so I say something like ' you must give it up Rachel' and Rachel says that she is going to see Alan Carr on Tuesday. We speak a little more as we walk along the corridor. Rachel leads us into a production room. Matt Kent is sitting to my left. Others are sitting around. In front of me in the middle of the room is, well it's him isn't it, Pete, the man whose music has been my inspiration in life for the past forty years. Now I am in dreamland, I take a couple of paces and say' Hi Pete, I'm Mark'. 'Hi Mark' he replies. I introduce him to Jill. Ask for a photo with him and he suggests I take one later on. 'Come this way Bloggers' says Rachel. We go through a door up the stairs (they are very steep) and there we are In The Attic. By this time, I'm thinking F**k me!! This can't be real!! We chat with Rachel, who is adorable, and after a few minutes she says we best get back to our seats as the show is about to start again and she needs a wee!! Down the stairs, holding onto the handrail, past Pete and into the corridor. How I got along the corridor with the widest grin in the world on my face I don't know. After the show I chat with Rene and she tells me they are driving back to Southend that night. I buy Simons CD and shake his hand and have a quick chat. After a couple of false starts I get my photo taken with Rachel (WOW!!!). I give Mikey and Rene a hug goodbye. We say goodbye to everyone and drop two americans Debby (Debby C) and Jim to Heathrow and drive home. Finally, I'd like to say Hi to all the Bloggers I met, especially Gary and Stephanie, Marietta, Debby and Jim, Koos, Delbut and lots more whose names I forget. And lastly a BIG thank you to Rachel, Pete, Mikey, Rene, Simon, Foy, Rachels band and all the production crew for a truly wonderful evening. Thanks!!!!! PS I said at the beginning of the year that it was my ambition to shake Petes hand before the end of the year. Idid it!!! Next year my ambition will be to have my photo taken with him as I didn't get it this time.