Vain + Alone in Sheffield, UK. The village of Dore, to be exact.

This tour has had very little in the way of down time but we landed in Sheffield with an hour to spare before I had to be at the venue.  I could have…should have…slept.  Did this instead.  Later on, a few minutes after this photo, I’ll be sitting at a small table on the little patio you see just beyond me, striking a pose, running back into the room to reset the phone, and running back to sit down and strike another relaxed pose.  Also, it is raining while I’m sitting so relaxed-like.  You can see that result here.

But before I can do all that,  I have to figure out how the lock works.

Vain +Alone in London,UK.

The Colet House, where we played last night, used to be home to the Royal Ballet School. This is my ode to that.

Vain + Alone in Brighton, UK.

1. Place phone in cupboard, behind cups.
2. Shut glass cupboard door.
3. Quickly grab your morning cup of whatever.
4. Try to look nonchalant.

Vain + Alone in St. David’s Cathedral, St. David’s, Wales.

I have to say, my face was slightly screwed up the entire time I was there.
I couldn’t put my finger on the intention of the place…there has been a church on this spot for about 1500 years, plundered , burnt, built again and flipping denominations here and there.  I’m told there was likely a sacred well or rock or tree or something on this spot before any there was any church.  You could feel the age of the place and have respect for it in that regard, but who’s kidding who: some buildings like these wreak of fear and power, as if the structure itself is an offspring of both.  Instead of getting in touch with my Catholic roots, I obsessed on how to take a V+A shot in a crowded church.

The look of a man who does not trust where he is.

Vain + Alone in Bristol, UK.

A small room. A small, lonely room.

Vain + Alone in Fremantle, Australia.

Ahhhh….the “put your phone across the street, weigh it down with your wallet, and pray no one nicks it” shot.  I probably should have aimed to be in the negative space between the noses, but I failed to see the bigger picture.  Last day in Australia, a sold out show last night (in a run of sold out or over capacity gigs) and the strange sensation of still not being able to describe what we did here.  This shot precedes 36 hours with no sleep, 28 of which will be on planes. Onwards….

Vain + Alone, Metro Theater, Brisbane, Australia.

Sometimes the greenroom is a bathroom…or “toilet” as they say down here.

Vain + Alone in Leura, Blue Mountains, Australia.

While waiting on a computer repair, I thought I’d snap a stately and pensive staring-out-the-window shot in the room that was graciously lent to me for my short stay here. Then Goggles The Dog showed up, and the “Alone” in “Vain + Alone” came to the fore.  I’d be lying if I said it was just one kiss…it took a couple of tries.  Also, whoever said “Never work with kids or dogs” (I think it was WC Fields) never met Goggles.  A complete professional.