7/30/12 Phoenix, AZ

What/who I missed most while working on the cruise ship:
1) my girlfriend. Obviously.
1a) my dog. My sweet old girl.
1b) my family. Had my back.
2) a queen sized bed. I'm too big for a single... I'm a grown ass man.
3) nights off. Although working every night kept me out of trouble.
4) playing with a band. The solo thing can get old.
5) playing original music. Rarely got to play enough.
6) personal space. I'm too old to live in a dorm room.
7)

What I miss about working on a cruise ship:
1) my homies. Damn good people.
2) waking up in a new city every day. The only way to travel.
3) having meals cooked for me three times a day. Delicious again Peter!
4) having a room steward that cleans my room and does my laundry... priceless.
5) having a 2 minute walk to work. Eco-friendly.
6) not having to set up a PA before playing. Effortless.
7) the little curtains around my bed to block out noise and light. Brilliant.
8) having a gym 2 minutes away. Hadn't set foot in a gym in 15 years.
9) TV with a ton of on demand movies. Sure, I'll watch The Matrix again!

What I don't miss about working on a cruise ship:
1) limited and unpredictable access to the Internet. Worse than dial up.
2) the feeling that you are always being watched by someone who can fire you. But I punched out?!?!
3) restricted ship access. What do you mean I can't swim in the guest pool?
4) IPM. Archaic.
5) Heineken. Not my first choice.
6) instant coffee. Seriously? I'm going to the guest cafe.
7)

7/26/12 day 92: At Sea

One more sunset pick as we sailed back to Copenhagen. Played the last notes of "Here Comes The Sun" to a full crowd in the club. Had a beer with friends on the outside crew deck while others played a night basketball game. Just gotta pack up a few remaining essentials and I'm Phoenix bound. One more lunch in the crew mess and I catch the shuttle to the airport.

Cheers to all the great friends who made this experience so enjoyable. The Sojourn will be in Boston in October. Already planning a small reunion on American soil. Travel safe amigos.

7/27/12 day 93: Copenhagen

Loaded out of my room as the new guy Michael from Ireland was loading in. He looked nervous and disoriented which is exactly how I looked when I got on board. Said goodbye to the band (they are being moved to another Seabourn ship), had lunch with friends and threw around some high fives as I made a couple last laps of the ship. It really is a beautiful ship. I'd love to be a guest here.

Burger day in the crew mess! Usually a reason to celebrate. The mood today was mixed. The energy in the mess is just weird on embarkation day. New crew and guests getting on and off: excitement, sadness, indifference. People talk longingly about the end of their contract. People in street clothes looking smug. Others are quietly eating lunch during their break. It's a weird scene.

It's a stunner of a day in Copenhagen. Loads of folks making their way to the beach on their bicycles, or sitting outside of cafes drinking a beer. My first real summer weather. Looks lovely. Copenhagen in good weather is magical. I was a little bummed I didn't have the afternoon free to walk around.

Got to the airport and was promptly charged 200 euros for my guitar (a third piece of luggage). Let's see if the credit card even had the room! If it did, I'll be promptly requesting reimbursement from the head office. Man, I hate traveling with the guitar. Its getting more and more difficult. Delta is so low budg; they still rock the planes with the big screen in the middle of the seating area which means suffering through someone's terrible movie choices like the one we watched with Eddie Murphy about a tree. Remind me not to fly this airline again.

Landed in Phoenix at 11:15 pm, which was like 915 am Sojourn time. I was greeted at the airport by my beautiful girlfriend Kimberly. She was a sight for tired eyes! Made me forget about the Phoenix heat, my growling stomach, and my heavy eye lids. It's amazing to have people in my life that support me and my ideas and help me achieve my goals. Excited for the next chapter in Phoenix. Extremely satisfied with the Sojourn chapter. Life is good, people.

Gonna take a few days off from the blog an get situated in phx. Thanks for reading and following the adventures. There will be more to update on soon!

7/25/12 day 91: Helsinki, Finland

Super chill day today. I had IPM so I wasn't going far regardless. Did my rounds, hit the gym, watched a movie and played my sets. All went well. My super fans appeared and requested their Gordon Lightfoot, James Taylor, and Paul Simon. And before I knew it, the set was done. Already saying my goodbyes to friends in the crew, packing my clothes, and getting mentally prepared to return to civilian life. It's been a lot of fun, a ton of work, and very rewarding in its own way. Everyone wants to know when my next contract is, and I honestly don't know when it'll be. I only know it won't be this year. It's time to get back to phx and regroup, refocus on my original material, spend time with loved ones (including my dog in Massachusetts) and HAVE A NIGHT OFF. What an experience though. Amazing, really. Gonna really enjoy my last day on this ship.

7/24/12 day 90: St. Petersburg

Last day in Russia so me and the crew (minus Liam, tipping a 40 as I write this) hit the streets one last time for one last hoorah. Really it's just three dudes sitting in a cafe, using free wifi, and people watching. Good times though. Gonna miss these afternoons. Can't wait to check my bank statement and see how much they charged me for this vanilla latte.

Escorted the free form "shopping tour" today. If I didn't escort a tour, it was gonna cost 25 bones for me to get off the ship. Russia is so strange. It's the only place we've visited that makes getting off the ship such a pain. They still don't believe it's me in the pic in my passport.

Three more nights of performing and I finally get a night off!

7/23/12 day 89: St. Petersburg

615 AM wake up is a bad idea. In some customs, it's plain rude. It's downright anti social. I didn't go to the crew party last night in order to make my wake up call. See? Anti social. You know it's too early when even the crew mess hasn't opened yet for breakfast. Brace yourself for a disjointed and brief blog entry.

Toured 3 Romanov palaces today: Catherine's, Paul's, and Alexanders. Very nice. Those Russians knew how to get extravagant. I'm experiencing palace fatigue though and it's not just because I'm tired. I get it. You had cash. Bought fancy stuff. Adorned your house with gold, marble, amber, and other precious stones. Pretty sweet. Well done. Where is the bus?

Lunch saved the day: boiled beef in a garlic sour cream sauce, garlic pickles, bread, borsch with sour cream, stuffed cabbage, Russian wine, crepes with lingen berries, honey and vanilla ice cream and of course vodka. I am going to nap like a champion. Like a champion, I say.

7/22/12 day 88: St. Petersburg

Woke up to the dulcet tones of a hammer pounding what sounded like a 2x4 to the side of my head. No. It was not a hangover. But quite literally repairmen hammering a 2x4 to the wall next to my bed. Good morning!

Had a leisurely day otherwise. I'm cooling out on the tours this last week as I indulge and counter indulge in the amenities of this ship. Basically, I want to spend some long hard hours in the guest gym, and then piss away all muscle and weight advancement by eating the often times extravagant guest food. Basically, I'm a guest disguised as the guitar player. And this isn't far off. Tonight the club was empty from 630-700. It's understandable though... People are exhausted from all the tours. St. Petersburg cruises are notoriously sleepy. Some guests do three tours a day. No wonder they go to bed right when they get back to the ship. Anyway, it's my time to take advantage of my restaurant and guest gym access while the ship is quiet.

And I definitely splurged at dinner. It was a Tuscan Market (not Tucson) which is an Italian buffet. Cheeses, rich and creamy pasta, delicious bread, another section of cheeses and numerous sliced meats. I've been so good lately too. Really. Imagine my will power turning down literally a bucket of assorted pastries everyday. Me?! In some circles I'm known as Captain Croissant. In others, The Pastry King of the Southwest. I love me some pastries. It's no secret. Anyway, I've been denying this carnal urge for days, nah weeks, and tonight I made up for it with a killer Peach Flambé. Oh yes. It was delicious, and at one point, that peach was nutritious, but not when I met it. It was cooked over a low heat with caramel and rum and then placed over a ball of gooey vanilla ice cream. I went big. I went very big. And it was worth it. This just means the next time I am in the gym I double my dosage and kick some ass. To my credit, the workout plan is working; moved a notch on the old belt (the good way) and feeling fit as hell. You know what they say...Ship Happens. OH SNAP!

In other news, the weather today was awesome! Very UN-St Petersburg. Sunny with a little wind. In all of my visits to this post imperial town, never have I seen so much sun. Hopefully tomorrow we have it again. I'm doing an 8 hour tour of the Romanov Palaces.... Wake up call at 6:15. Now, where is that hammer?

In other news, listened to the entire "The Voce Project" record today. So stoked to make music with that band again soon!

7/21/12 day 87: Tallinn, Estonia

Took the charter bus into town after our Mexican inspired lunch menu today. Maybe they I know I'm leaving and are trying to prepare me? Either way, made a chicken burrito Chipotle would be proud of. I was with my buddy Etienne from South Africa and he knew of a good beer garden with lots of Estonian brews and I was totally game. So we just chilled, enjoyed a beer, rapped, used the free wifi, and then headed back to the ship. Super chill.

I had a full schedule of music tonight. And in between chatting up the new guests, I didn't really have a proper break. The sets went well though and I am starting to develop a fan club already. I tell ya, James Taylor is bringing the people together. My song list is pretty chubby now, so I can usually entertain the vast majority of artist and song requests. Dropped "Shelter" and "Long Way Home" into the performance tonight. Haven't rocked those jams in a long time. Felt good.

Moving our clocks forward again tonight, so I called it a night right after my set basically. Gotta rest these pipes.

7/20/12 day 86: Stockholm, Sweden

72 degrees and mostly sunny today. Perfect day. My friend Isabelle picked me up from the ship at 1030 this morning. I've been wanting to check out the Vasa Museum for some time. The Vasa was a war ship that set sail in 1628 and got about one mile from the harbor and sunk in the bay, fully loaded. There it rest in the silt and mud for over 300 years until excavation began. Now housed in a beautiful building and fully restored with over 95% original material, the Vasa and it's story are on display. It's stunning. The exhibits were really interactive with great multimedia displays. We spent about an hour and a half there and then Isabelle packed a delicious Picnic and we sat in the sun and had melon and prosciutto, bread and French cheese and a homemade blueberry pie. It was great. Thank you Isabelle!

Headed back to the ship for sail away and passenger emergency drill and another night of your favorite acoustic music in the club. The countdown begins. Home in seven days.

7/19/12 day 85: Helsinki, Finland

Cloudless day in Helsinki. First day like this in weeks it feels. Everyone is eager to spend as much time outside as possible. I escorted the Helsinki highlights tour today. We hit some of the same places I've been (big lutheran cathedral and the ultra groovy rock church) but I was interested in the local tasting that was included in this particular tour. After a short bus tour of the downtown area we went to Tar island to a restaurant whose name translates to Smoke. This building used to be a storage facility for various things including tar, wood, and during the war, munitions. Every dish on the menu has an element that is smoked. The first tasting was of savory dishes. Before the food was brought out, the chef came out and explained how he prepares his salt cured salmon with dill. The tasting plate included his salt cured salmon with dill, fresh rye bread, new potatoes with butter, smoked root vegetables, small white smoked fish from northern Norway, reindeer sausage, smoked cow cheese, rye bread with a sour cream,dill, and smoked shrimp spread, and Karjala beer. Everything was delicious, the salmon in particular.

Then came the sweet plate which included homemade chocolate w dried cranberry, liquorice, "squeaky" baked cheese with cloudberry sauce, and ginger Xmas cookies. The chocolate was outstanding. Cloudberries are a special Finnish treat; they look like raspberries but are yellow and grow in swamps.

We drove around a little more before getting dropped off back at the ship around 12:45. For some reason we always leave Helsinki early. Today, all aboard is 1:30 and we set sail at 2. So frantically I walked around the big outdoor market by the pier that sells all your usual souvenir schlock as well as fresh produce and cool original handmade stuff. Ive had my eye on a few things, so I grabbed those and headed back to the ship. Helsinki was hopping today! I'm sure the beautiful weather helped. People were out in force: sun tanning, shopping, running, biking. The weather has been really rainy and cold lately so everyone is sun hungry. I dig this place. I'd come back in the summer. Fo sho.

Chef's salt cured salmon treatment: take fresh salmon (must be fresh, not frozen) then cover filet in granular sugar, then large pieces of dill (brake stalks to release flavor), then smokey tar syrup (or maple syrup), then liberal coarse salt and use hands to push all ingredients into the fish. Then cover with saran wrap and let cure for 16 hrs in the fridge. Remove from fridge and remove all dill and salt from the filet. Slice thin and serve maybe with some rye bread on the side. I might have to try this when I get home. I wonder where you can get fresh fish in phoenix?!

7/18/12 day 84: St. Petersburg

Escorted "Back to the USSR" tour today. Overcast but mild as I loaded up the coach of guests. First we walked through the small political history museum located in the former palace of a prima ballerina from the turn of the century turned temporary headquarters of Lenin (see his desk in the pic). The exhibits were pretty one dimensional and not translated. The exhibit on the transition from Gorbachov to modern times is under construction. Fitting.

What tour of Russian political history is complete without a vodka tasting?! We took a bus to what appeared to be a very small theater/restaurant. Im Assuming back in the day it entertained political leaders or something. It felt and looked like a dinner club with a nice little stage and maybe seating for 100. We tasted five different vodkas, heard their stories and live music by a duo with an accordion and an angular banjo (Steely Dan style) and had the appropriate Russian snack. The first shot must be unaccompanied. Second shot with toast, herring, and onion. Then third pickles. Then salmon caviar on white bread with butter. And then lamb in natural gelatin. The roll had some sort of potato filling I think. We had a tall glass of unfiltered cranberry juice to chase. I'm starting to really dig Russian history and I'm a fan of Vodka just like the next guy, but dont really care for the Russian snacks, truth be told.

7/17/12 day 83: St Petersburg, Russland

Brief periods of warm sunshine as the other tour escorts and I stood on the pier directing guests to the coach buses at the curb. Today I was escorting the "Russia Today: A Slice of Homelife" tour. The bus took the small group, led by Olga our guide, to the metro where we journeyed to the "Vladamirskaya" stop. Before hand we were warned to leave everything on the bus: passports, wallets, loose change, lint. There is a saying in this town that says your back pocket isn't yours, it's the thief's. Once we got into the busy subway I realized should any of us get lost, with no money or ID, we would be totally screwed. Travel gods smiled on us though and the big bad metro ride was uneventful. We got off and walked into a warehouse market selling everything from crossbows to strawberries. The place smelled like a cross between pickles and fish (both of which they offered). The produce looked good and organic. The strawberries small and vibrant. Ladies were shaving off tastes of what looked like fresh farm cheese. Butchers were hacking up ribs on large wooden blocks. The building itself was cleanish but kind of decrepit. I was pretty underwhelmed by the whole thing. People eat food in Russia too, I get it.

Then the bus took us to a ladies flat. That's about the only way I can describe it. We walked into this ladies cramped one bedroom apartment. We all squeezed in around her table and we sipped tea and listened to her tell us about life and then we'd all look at the tour guides for the translation. It was kind of surreal. Interesting to hear some of the stories like how her mother survived the siege of the city during WWII and how at one point 11 people lived in the flat. Once the tea was gone and all our questions had been answered, we got back on the bus and made it back to the ship.

The club is always slow when we are in St Petersburg. The guests are either on tour or tired from all the day tours. Tonight, no guest was in the club when i was supposed to start. I waited. Then I sat down waiting for a guest to walk in when both my boss the cruise director and the captain entered. Terrible timing. This had never happened before! Oh well. Cruise director wants me to play regardless of guests. Um, ok boss.

7/16/12 day 82: St. Petersburg, Mother Russia

I had grandiose plans today to walk around this city with my friends. I ended up having lunch and waiting in my cabin only to promptly fall asleep and walk up at 2:30. Now, if we we're in any other city, I'd have just stepped off the ship and made my way but since it's Russia, you can't get off without paying $25 dollars for a coach ride to the square. Regardless of if you want the coach or not, you gotta pay and I wasn't about to pay that dough for a couple of hours. Instead I spent some time in the gym and started to watch Bernie starring Jack Black. I know. Not very adventurous of me, but sometimes average happens.

Played a good first set. Had about 20 people show up right at 630 to listen, applaud, and encourage my banter. It was totally cool. Got lots of great requests and I am happy to report its getting harder and harder to stump me. Broke for dinner upstairs in the Colonnade and sat with an Australian couple and talked southeast Asia travel (Bali next Summer sounds nice) and St. Petersburg history over a New York strip with fresh green beans. I've never heard of this, but English mustard is hot and spicy with loads of horseradish that opens the sinuses. Oh man, a dab of that on that steak?! Unreal. Finished up my set and made it back to my room to finish the movie. It's good. I recommend it. Jack is still jack even though he plays an evangelist murderer from east texas. B dog out.

7/15/12 day 81: Tallinn, Estonia

This morning I read all of the guest comments regarding ship entertainment from our last cruise. I was flattered by all the personal shout outs guests made considering the they were asked to make a general comment on all the ships entertainment including all production shows, guest entertainers, as well as the band, myself, and the solo piano player. I had a good chuckle reading this comment: "guitarist belongs in a 1960's coffee shop" which I think was part reflection of my song choice and part reflection of my mustache. This thing is definitely from a bygone era. And the more I think of it, the more I realize that is a pretty apt description of what I do. Thanks lady! I got a new tag line! Thats how the ship should promote and market my shows. "Join Brian and his mustache in the club for 1960s era coffee shop tunes.... and Radiohead... And originals but, shhhh, don't tell anyone" Perfect. I'd go to that.

Raining off and on in Tallinn today. Had a quick lunch on the ship and ventured out during a break in the water. I made it all the way from the ship to the old walled town. I paused for a moment at a bistro wine bar spot and took a quick photo because they do live music Friday through Sunday. I took about 30 steps and rounded the corner when I saw people scattering from the main square. I heard what sounded like a waterfall and turned and started running myself. It came down so hard and fast. It went from overcast to torrential downpour in seconds. People taking refuge in doorways, under overhangs, umbrellas... It was like a bad music video, November Rain style. Somewhere in Tallinn, someone dove through a wedding cake, im sure of it. I made it back to the wine bar and ordered a coffee and before I could finish, sitting in my awesome perch by the window, the sun started shining. Amazing. Gutters are still spouting water and small Estonian rivers are flowing over the cobblestones. While there I inquired about live music and got the booking agents card. Maybe I was supposed to be there, in that restaurant, at that time. Maybe Im supposed to play there in the future. Maybe i'll become an Estonian pop sensation?! They are known for having the Singing Revolution after all.... Check your history folks. BLAM.

Picked up some Estonian trinkets on the way back to the ship. What are "Estonian trinkets" you ask? You'll have to ask my nieces...

Passed a sneaky Russian sub heading into the Gulf of Finland. Probably just the KGB.

7/14/12 day 80: At Sea

Quiet day at sea today. Did all my "usual" routine: eat, sleep, gym, play music. This crowd is way younger which should make things interesting. Tonight for example the club was just getting warmed up when I left at 1145. Glad I'm not in the band!

Watched both "The Lorax" and "Wanderlust." The latter is hilarious.

7/13/12 day 79: Copenhagen, Denmark

Part of me feels like I wasted a perfectly good day to explore more of one of my favorite towns and the other part of me relishes having a "normal" day.

Woke up to overcast skies above the Danish capital today. Had lunch with friends in the crew mess and saw my friend Liam off the ship as they were carting in palates of guest luggage. Embarkation day is always a little hectic, not for me, but for everyone else. Luggage all over deck 3, new crew getting situated, guests walking around with an air of confusion asking which way "forward" on the ship is... You can always pick out the new and/or leaving crew in the mess because they are wearing street clothes. Nobody wears street clothes at lunch. If anything you'll rock some sweats if you are really feeling relaxed and have the day off. Actually I'm one of the few cats who has the time to wear street clothes. I don't put my suit on until after dinner.

After lunch, I debated for about 25 seconds if I should make the effort and go into town or just take a nap and then head to the gym. I opted for the latter and quietly turned in for a snooze. It was glorious. After a nice long workout in an empty guest gym, I had a quick salad before getting cleaned up for the passenger emergency drill. This happens every cruise. Shortly after all aboard, all crew and guests are required to report for a drill. As a guest, if you fail to appear and check in, your luggage and your person will be removed. It's happened before. After drill, we had our sail away event on deck as the weather had turned around since my afternoon nap. The band plays some tunes, cocktails are passed out to guests and the cruise director introduces the entertainment staff. This is my third time doing this but probably my 10th cruise. Before, the cruise director didn't include me or the solo piano player from the lounge in this welcome event. Somebody realized that we indeed provide entertainment and should therefore be included. Novel idea! Now, along with the band and the singers and dancers, I introduce myself as part of the ships entertainment. I said a few words of greetings as the new guests leaned over the railing with their green cocktails and applauded politely. After mingling briefly, I grabbed the guitar back in the room and took it to the club. Tonight was a short night for me: 6:30-7:15 and then 9-9:45. When this happens, I take full advantage of my dining privileges and eat upstairs in the Colonnade in between sets for a proper meal, some vino di casa, and some conversation with some guests. They'll seat me at an open 6 person table and then randomly drop a couple couples to join me. I had a very lively dinner with two British couples. We talked about music and favorite guitar players, politics, religion... They were so curious what I thought about Obama and the election. I really enjoyed engaging them in conversation and displaying some of my interest in these topics. They were polite, respectful, and considerate. It was really nice despite the fact we broke the cardinal rule of hosting a table: avoid discussing politics, religion, and sex. I made this remake and we all had a good laugh and decided to not discuss sex for the sake of our collective integrity.

After a delicious meal of Surf and Turf, some delicious California Syraz, and decadent chocolate cake, I bid my new friends a good evening and made it back to the club for my last set. I was happy to see them soon join me after they finished dinner and cheered me on through John Denver, the Beatles, Cat Stevens, and Jim Croce.

A good day and a good start to my second to last cruise.

7/12/12 day 78: At Sea

Played my last sets this evening and said my goodbyes to guests. This cruise felt like it lasted forever for some reason. I now only have two more 7 day cruises to St. Petersburg and then I am home. I am starting to get excited for sure. Starting to line up my fall schedule including both a new TSR album release and a new BC cd or originals.

Speaking of CDs, my new CD "La Belle Époque" is going over great with guests on the ship. Have you heard it yet!? It's got "Sign your name" and "boys of summer" as well as some other great tracks. It's not up on iTunes (royalties are too expensive) so get it on www.cdbaby.com or Phoenix friends can pick up a copy at Stinkweeds. I only printed a couple hundred so get your copy today!

In other news, watched Hunger Games today. I hope the book is better. I gave it a 6. Can't wait to get back to the states and go to the movies! I hear the Avengers is dope.

My boy Liam is heading home tomorrow to Scotland. Safe travels amigo. The posse won't be the same without your antics. Remember, it ain't a unicorn unless it's got a horn.

7/11/12 day 77: Stavanger, Norway

It's our last day in Norway today. Grey and overcast as we mustered on deck for a crew lifeboat drill before lunch. We docked right downtown this time. Right next to two cruise ships that made us look like a dingy. The Queen Elizabeth and the Brilliance of the Seas. These ships are massive. It's a wonder they can still float. Makes me appreciate the "yacht" vibe of the Sojourn.

Stavanger is a nice city. It has a small shopping area located on and around the hill at the top of which still stands the lookout watchmen tower that was used to keep an eye on the city. Stavanger has a collection of old wooden homes located on the opposite side of the harbor. They are
very Norwegian: well manicured and quaint. As I've been through many Norwegian towns, you always hear of the numerous fires that leveled this church or that neighborhood. No doubt, the watchmen in Stavanger had their hands full dousing fires among the plentiful wooden structures in town. Stavanger also has the state of the art Petrolium Museum. I haven't been but I've heard it's actually really interesting. The coast off of Stavanger is rich in oil deposits making this port extremely valuable.

Made it off the ship with a couple friends. We were in search of wifi. If you walk slow enough past a cafe or bar, your cell phone can pick up their signal and you can see if it's unlocked and or strong. This is what I've become... An Internet poacher. I am hoping that this behavior will disappear when I have 3G but you never know, I might be scarred for life. We walked around poaching here and there, sending emails, downloading new ones for about an hour. Made it back to the ship in time for a nap, gym, and even added a couple new tunes to the set list. Another good day.

7/10/12 day 76: Bergen, Norway

Thick, slow moving clouds obscured some of the mountain peaks around Bergen this afternoon. The weather was somewhere around 55 degrees. At least it wasn't rainy. It was actually a really nice day for a walkabout.

I had no plans, no directions, no goal, just walk. It was nice. I wandered through the Bergen castle and it's grounds. I walked along the fortification wall that gave a decent vantage point of the boats in the harbor. Then I walked through the labyrinth of shops behind the crooked wooden trade houses on the historic wharf left there by the German Hanseatic League centuries ago. They've burnt to the ground numerous times but the foundations date back to the 12th century. There are a bunch of shops scattered through the narrow passageways between these well preserved buildings selling everything from fish tackle to hand knitted hats that looked like something an elf would wear. The old wooden houses were the highlight though. Really impressive.

At that point, i walked back along the harbor, past busy squares and shopping streets, then back along the water through the fish market and then back to the ship. The fish market was jamming. A bunch of stands selling fresh crab, lobster, and clams. Made it back to the ship for a work out, dinner, and my sets. Today was a good day.

7/9/12 day 75: Olden, Norway

I woke up in Olden. Olden, you may remember, was a town I was unable to visit because I had IPM the last time we were here. I had no plans today other than to walk around the tiny town, maybe find some wifi, and chill. It was brilliant. All was accomplished. I even sprung for a pizza and a fanta, which was not cheap, but very worth it. Ship food is getting stale, literally. It was time for a treat. Hung at a little cafe and devoured said pizza and relished said fanta. Even did some Norwegian gift browsing. Norway isn't cheap people. Had a nice, chill afternoon, then walked back to the ship for a work out and, alas, a crew mess dinner consisting of salad. There were plenty of mystery meats, and white rice, but I opted to keep it light.

The sets were good. Debuting some new tunes. Had multiple requests for the Jimmy Buffet tune (thanks Erik) as well as others. A good day. Good to feel ground beneath my feet too.

7/08/12 day 74: At Sea

Another very chill day on the ship. Not much to report. Worked on my tune "1000 little pieces" for the upcoming TSR album and a brand new tune "Miss You Now." Definitely getting the itch to get back stateside and work on the new originals and finish up the new records. TSR and The Voce Project should have new albums by the end of the year. Very excited about that.

For Phoenix friends, mark your calendars for my only shows in August to hear all the new material:

Monday August 20th - solo acoustic at Crescent Lounge, free, 830.
Friday August 24th - The Voce Project at Chandler Center for the Arts, details TBA.

7/7/12 day 73: At Sea

Cruising south along the coast of Norway today under a bright sun. On our way to Olden. Quiet day today. Can't complain. I didn't even hit the gym. Everything got a rest today. I went to dinner in my sweats... It was like that. Tomorrow is another sea day as well, so I am predicting another chill day.

Last night as we set sail we rounded Nordkapp, the destination of yesterday's crew excursion that I couldn't go on because of IPM. That's the pic. The northernmost part of Europe as seen from the water. I got to see it after all and I saved myself the 20 euro ticket price. Sweet.

7/6/12 day 72: Honningsvåg, Norway

Cold, rainy, and windy today in northern Europe. I looked on the bridge cam to check the weather this morning and saw the black and white Seabourn umbrellas dotting the pier. I figured that mother nature was probably upset that I had IPM and couldn't leave the ship, so she made it a nasty day. I am slightly bummed I couldn't get off the ship tho and check out Nordkapp, europe's northern most city, but from what I can see from the ship the landscape appears to be the same that we have been seeing. So ultimately, not that bummed. I made it to Honningsvag and that'll have to do for now.

I spent my day in the gym and learning new songs. I added "Obladi Oblada" by the Beatles and "a pirate looks at forty" by Jimmy Buffett. Never thought i'd do it, learn a Buffett tune, but after listening a couple times, I realized it's not a bad song and I have been asked a couple times to play it. The people have spoken. Behold the power of the request.

7/5/12 day 71: Tromsø, Norway

Escorted a RIB tour of the area around Tromsø. RIB is a semi inflatable boat with a fiberglass hull. We donned expensive cold water gear (think high tech thermal onesy, $8000 a piece) and piled into these badass boats for a cruise. We made a couple loops of an island not far from town where the local university is researching Musk Oxen. There are only 30,000 in the world apparently. These creatures have survived from the ice age so everyone is curious to figure out why. We didn't spot any (maybe thats why they survived) but we would stop periodically for a little history of the area. We also stopped by the place where a famous nazi warship was bombed. Then we headed back to the dock. We had beautiful weather today. Cloudless sky. Great day to be out on the water. I even got a little sun on my face. It was still cold though and we were all glad we had the thermal suits.

After the tour, Jason (who was co-escorting the tour) and I went in search of the Mack Brewery. I had read about it in my travel book. I think its one of oldest family owned breweries in Norway and definitely in Tromsø. We sampled some delicious brews and then went to the Rock Bar down the street which the bartender called the "best burgers in town." They were decent. It wasn't an all beef burger and the blue cheese sauce was more like a dill sauce. It was good though. I think we were both just stoked to NOT eat on the ship. Burger with fries and a beer? Yes please. Needless to say, today was not a gym day. Thats alright, tomorrow i have IPM so ill make it up then.

Randomly met up with Chris and Liam who walked into the restaurant 15 minutes after we did and the posse was complete. It was almost just like 4 friends met up for lunch; no ship, no work, good times. Turns out the bartender is a singer/songwriter who has management in Norway. Im definitely going to reach out and see about playing some of the summer festivals next year. Made it back to the ship for a power nap before my set.

Japanese inspired menu this evening in the restaurant upstairs. Delicious again Peter. I stopped in between sets. Lobster tempura, beef teriyaki, and tapioca pudding with green tea ice cream? Yes please. Today was definitive not a gym day.

7/4/12 day 70: Leknes, Norway

Cloudless day. The air is so clean. After rehearsal for our big country July 4th celebration, I took the free shuttle to town with my buddy Chris. The town wasn't anything special... Maybe we didn't see the good bits but it just seemed like a way point for travelers passing through. We saw a bunch of hikers checking bus schedules and refilling water bottles and kerosene tanks.

The setting was nice though. Beautiful blue water butting up against Maine-like rocky coastline, with snow capped jagged mountains in the near background; it was dramatic and impressive.

At about 930 pm we entered the Troll Fjord. If you've ever been to Norway, you know that their national mascot is the troll. Troll figurines, troll mugs, troll pencils, troll posters... We did not see any trolls in this fjord, but it was still pretty awesome. At times, the walls of the fjord felt just feet away from the ship. Gentle waterfalls over mossy rock. The sun's light slicing through the canyon. It was extremely beautiful. After about 30 minutes the fjord ends, we turn around and head north towards Tromsø.

At 1030 we started the July 4th party in the club. I was skeptical but it was a hit. It had a country theme. The band and the singers sang some classic country tunes (and some not so classic, see Achy Breaky Heart) I sang "Country Roads" by John Denver. Although I must say, it wasn't the highlight. Had a fun night celebrating the independence of my home but at the same time definitely missed the company of family and friends. Oh, and the baked beans.

7/3/12 day 69: At Sea

All work and no play makes Brian a dull boy.All work and no play makes Brian a dull boy.All work and no play makes Brian a dull boy.All work and no play makes Brian a dull boy.All work and no play makes Brian a dull boy.

Just kidding. I'm definitely not having a "Shining" moment. Had a super chill day though. Eat, sleep, gym, eat, play music, eat, sleep... The light is really disorienting. We are officially above the arctic circle, the land of the midnight sun. This pic was taken at 12:30 at night. The air is cold and clean. The sky is pink and light blue. There are
jagged snow capped peaks off to the east. It's really beautiful.

Tomorrow we celebrate July 4th. I'll be participating in the big show by singing some John Denver. Apparently there is a country theme. Don't you know? Everyone in the states listens to country music on July 4th!? That's what you get when a Brit organizes July 4th. I tried to tell them but why ask an American musician what the tunes should be? I give up. I better be allowed to wear my cowboy shirts then.

7/2/12 day 68: Ålesund, Norway

Ålesund (sung to the tune of "Allison" by Elvis Costello) looks beautiful today. From my bridge cam it looks partly cloudy. After an all staff training on new time sheet procedures (woohoo!) and a quick lunch, it was time to venture out. Last time we were here, Chris and I hiked the knife and then found good wifi in a pub. I smell a repeat.

Pub was closed until three so i headed back to the ship for a workout and then hit the Dirty Nelly (said pub) and wifi-ed it up.

Got a request tonight for Stephen Bishop. That's a first. Stoked to be able to play it.

7/1/12 day 67: Flåm, Norway

Escorted the Flåm train and bike tour today. Flåm is located at the end of the Aurslandsfjorden in the middle of the lower part of Norway. The tracks followed a narrow valley surrounded by steep, moss covered rock walls, cascading waterfalls, verdant pastures, small clusters of wooden houses... It's so picturesque I could slap a reindeer. Pics can't capture the sense of space and solitude. The train has an old timey vibe with wooden paneling and fold down upholstered seats, a perfect contrast to the green outside. There are also automated sight seeing announcements in three languages that direct your attention to different points of interest in the valley, enhanced with images and stats on flat screens at either end of the cabin.

We took a five minute photo stop at the Kjosfossen, a raging waterfall that greets you with a coat of heavy mist and where legend has it, a beautiful Norwegian woman lures you into the mountains. Sure enough, over some loud speakers, mysterious Norwegian folk music starts playing and on top of the ruins by the falls, a blond haired dancer appears, making suggestive gestures. It was borderline corny, borderline Lord of the Rings, borderline flash dance. The train winds higher and higher passing small summer cottages, and a fresh water lake, towards the snow capped mountains surrounding Myrdal. Once we arrived, the train stopped for ten minutes as passengers from Bergen and Oslo boarded and then the train started back down the valley towards Flåm.

Halfway down the valley we stopped and disembarked the train and began the biking portion of the tour. Now, for those of you counting at home, I've been on two bike tours so far. Each one (Talinn and Helsinki) was a rainy, soaked mess. In fact, when I got off the boat this morning, it was raining. I thought I was doomed and cursed. However, during our train ascent, the rain let up, eventually stopped and by the time we reached the bikes, the clouds had parted and the sun began to shine, as if to say "Brian, welcome to Norway. Have a nice bike ride. Dont forget to wear your helmut." It was a miracle! We hopped on the bikes and coasted down the narrow paved road that followed the rushing water. Norway is all about waterfalls: some appear silken and threadlike while others gush violently and crash into rocks below. These valleys are
so peaceful. It's like nature is giving you a big hug. It's quiet save the sounds of water and it smells clean and woody, occasionally you'll catch a whif of a wood stove. I felt a pleasant sense of solitude. I think we biked maybe 10 kilometers and were back in Flåm in 45 minutes. A great day and a great way to see that valley.

6/30/12 day 66: At Sea

Not much at all to report today. Was awakened by waves slapping against the hull. It sounds like someone banging on an empty oil drum w a crowbar. Spent a very chill day watching Sci-Fi movies, napping, gym-ing, and eating. I like our days at sea. It's almost like a day off, except I still work at night. When this is all done, I'll have performed 90 nights in a row. The most consecutive nights I've played before this experience was
14 and I thought I was hot shit. This is a whole new level. My voice feels great though, its experiencing no fatigue which is surprising. Really looking forward to this upcoming cruise. We are heading to some tiny Norwegian towns and I'll spend about 5 days north of the arctic circle. So cool. Satellite reception will be spotty, so Internet and phones could be down for a while. I've heard if you google the ship though you can track our progress somehow. Try googling "Seabourn Sojourn" and see what you get.