…

i’ve been wandering the vibrant, ancient city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria for several days and nights now, during my free time, and thought first of posting a picture of its beautiful old town to accompany this post, or one of its cobblestoned, cat-filled streets, or perhaps of Nebet Tepe, the spotlit, 6000+ year-old ruins of which i haunted for a few hours last night.

but i’ve settled on another picture of a stage, taken just before my performance here, a couple of nights ago. because the truth is that without the generosity of Ivan at Beebop Café , and the hard work and kindness of Tsvetomir at Numbered Days Booking, who booked the show on my behalf, i’d not have been able to be here at all.

i’m also sharing this image because it was such a special concert to me, with fantastically good sound (courtesy also of Ivan), and a lovely audience, and i met some incredible people once again, and frankly at this point am in danger of glowing so brightly that i incinerate myself from within. not that this would be such a bad way to go.

thank you again, Ivan, for your unwavering commitment to supporting live music and art – you’re a true rarity, and i love that you have a soundboard the size of Antarctica inside your club. and to the wonderful and inimitable Tsvetomir, who helped and supported me even as he was very busy with other much more important parts of his life. and of course to everyone who came out. i’m already looking forward to returning next year.

i have a few days to discover even more of Plovdiv now, before heading to Poland for a couple of shows (one privately arranged, one at Café Michelle in Warsaw). there was hope for a show in Turkey and/or Greece this coming weekend, or even Sofia, but it looks like these will have to happen later. for now, i’m very excited about having Poland on the horizon. more soon.

love,
eric.