BARRON KNIGHTS CAN’T KEEP AWAY FROM OZ
( says Pete Langford)

After saying we had performed our last tour of Australia, our arms were twisted to change our minds and off we went again.
Tony Brady, our Oz tour promoter often comes to the UK to do business for his musicals that tour Europe and he stays with me. We go to the village pub for dinner and after a couple of nice glasses of vino he asked if we would do just one more so then I had another glass and after ‘another glass decided to take up his offer. I’m so glad I did because we had the best fun and also worked new venues that were just great. Although Butch has retired from the group I know he was going Down Under for a break and I asked if he would like to get up on stage again, it took him all of 10 minutes to call me back to agree so that was great fun having him back for just 19 shows.
We kicked off in New Zealand with 2 shows in Auckland and one in Tauranga. In Auckland we broke our record for selling more CD’s in one night than any other since we started. NZ is a very special and beautiful place and just wish we could spend a month touring just North and South Island. A week is not long enough to really enjoy such a great country.
When we arrived in Sydney, all our old friends said how awful their summer had been but we never saw a cloud until we hit Brisbane and that didn’t produce any rain. Playing Golf in a beautiful area called Yamba was rather funny. There is a local rule that says “if your ball rests against Kangaroo Poo you are allowed a free drop”
We saw loads of Kangaroos on the course but lucky enough we never hit one or needed a free drop.

If any of us were asked where our favourite place in Australia is I think we would all say Perth. There is an Atmosphere there that is special. The Swan River winds its way from Freemantle up and past the city and is just stunning. The beaches are wide and miles long, Within an hour you can drive into desert, in another direction you get to Margaret river which has stunning vineyards. We performed an outdoor show at Stewarts at Brookleigh just north of the city and that has to be one of the most beautiful and well kept vineyards I have ever seen.
As always we never fail to have a few nights out with our old mate Hank Marvin. He sat right in the front row and one of the shows and I can tell you it was pressure trying to play the William Tell Overture and my Flamenco piece with his eyes two paces away. Luckily I never hit a bummer note like I usually do!!!!. He’s playing loads of Gypsy Jazz now and it’s just wonderful to hear him, he is such a clean player and I wish he would release a CD with just that style, it’s great.
On the last night of our tour we were asked if we would do 7 shows in Perth in 09.
I don’t think so but if I have an arm twisted and a few more glasses of wine I may have a serious think. This last tour of OZ was the best and maybe that’s the time to make it the last one.