Shepards Pie. Get in My Belly.

My belly is so full of Shepards Pie and Bread Pudding. MMMMmmmm Mmm. Ballydoyle has an INCREDIBLE Irish menu. I wanted everything on it!

We played an early show tonight -from 7-9 because they were having the finals of their Battle of the Bands. The first set was mostly a dinner crowd... more low key. The second set? Musician after musician after groupie-of-musician walked in.. mostly high school age. I felt like I was back at Berklee!! It was really fun. They were way into it and a great audience.

One of the great things about playing early is that the young 'uns get to come!

This is Aaron and his boys Jacob and Lucas. We've played for Aaron in Peoria at a BASF convention earlier this year. His boys don't normally get to come to shows! But tonight was an exception. And Jacob is about to start playing guitar. He's off to a good start with Miguel-mojo. Miguel gave him a guitar pic from tonight.


Tamara surprised us!!!!!!! Tamara is James' mom and my mother-in-law, and we had no idea she was coming. I mean... there were clues, but I really didn't put it together!!! It's so much fun when she comes to shows. Plus, she's caravanning with us tomorrow and coming to the Rathskeller! :) So excited.

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

My Sticky Shoe

Anyone get the title? Think "Phoebe's sexy flem" on Friends :)

Yeah. I could hit lower notes than normal tonight. Didn't help much with the high ones...

When James tries to talk NOTHING comes out. :(

But we made it!!! One more and then we'll rest up for next weekend. I can't BELIEVE how great I felt on stage tonight. I was a wreck today... but the show must go on.


So, apparently it is "former bass player week" :)

2 nights ago Dennis Haskins (Aka Mr. Belding from Saved by The Bell) and one of my first bass players in Green Line South, Adam Countryman, started texting me at 3am. They met each other at a bar in L.A. and somehow my name came up :) CLASSIC. That was definitely some good "get well medicine"

And tonight.... Davide Pezzini My VERY FIRST BASS PLAYER... EVER from Berklee came out to the show tonight!!! We think we haven't seen each other in 6 years. How crazy is that? Wow. He's originally from Switzerland, but now lives in Chicago! I'm all about the international band!


And we had SOOO many wonderful people come out tonight. THAT is what got me through the show. Our Iowa family was here - James' Mom, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and lots of friends!!! WOOO HOO!!! I didn't get pics :( It was chaos! But we played Doobie Brothers for Aunt Deana!

Sue and her crew drove in:


Fred won the prize for furthest drive.... He drove all the way from Marquette, Mi where we originally met at Upfront and Company! So when he requested Purple Rain, we HAPPILY obliged! He had to jet out, so we didn't get a pic either, but it was SOOO good to see you Fred!

Tim got to fly up earlier in the week to spend time with his brother and brand new baby niece. John even snuck away from his baby girl to come out to the show tonight!


The wait staff had an awesome contest for who could look the most country. :) They were pretty awesome:



Jessie is with us again! I don't know what I would have done without her tonight!


And this place was packed. We had SO much fun with everybody there! I <3 Ballydoyle Pub!





Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie