"Real Men Wear Kilts"

November 6, 2007

Glasgow, Scotland
The Garage

Do yourselves a favor, after dinner tonight go to the local Blockbuster, rent the 80’s classic, “The Highlander” and check out the opening scenes. Majestic rolling hills punctured (not punctuated) by formidable rock outcroppings. Real men are sown from these lands. Men like Sean Connery and, . . . well, men like Connery. I want to be from Scotland. I want to have bullocks big enough to wear a kilt and not be afraid to punch out any “wee bit of a scrap” who wants to make fun of the fact that I’m allegedly wearing a dress.

After a Scottish Meat Pie for breakfast, “a hearrr-teh meal,” I grabbed a cab (again, it’s my modus operadi) for a quick tour of the town. Although, I couldn’t understand half of what Ronny the cabbie said, because of his thick Scottish accent, I hit all the significant hotspots. Wow, they know how to build churches in Scotland and the Glasgow Cathedral is one of the most ominous.


















It’s a perfect setting for any movie involving werewolves and other beasts rumored to roam the British countryside.




Thanks to Ronnie, I get back to the venue in time for load in. Speaking of load in, these Scots are tough. One local loader refused to allow a second man help him carry our 100 pound “in-ear” racks and other heavy cabinets. He picked them up like they were boxes of packing popcorn and carried them up and down the hill to our trailer. He was a maniac and claimed to be a participant in local highlander games. Bravado or not, he sure made our lives as techs easier since we didn’t have to carry much during the load in or load out.

The Garage was a relatively new club, yet the stage had to be modified and extended on the spot to provide enough space for the band to fit on it. Paul, one of the house crew members, specially fabricated a platform for me so I could have enough room for “Guitar World.” Poor Paul, he told me his name three or four times, but because of his accent, I couldn't understand what the heck he was saying. I felt bad for having him spell it out, “P – A – U – L.” What a moron I felt like, but to my American ears, it sounded nothing like “Paul.”



Once again, great crowd, great show. Thanks Glasgow!