It’s always good to take a break to refresh yourself and return with new energy. However, our last break was a little on the long side for, as the airlines would say, “operational reasons “ and left most of us feeling hungry for the very thing that defines us, that is music. Both band and audience have never felt more the need to escape from the harsh realities of our mixed up world and enjoy a simple night of entertainment. The news reminds us all the time about wars and climate change, both things reaching deeply into our daily lives, and it cuts deep into our psyches, causing us to feel ill at ease. The days of carefree living are truly over and it is down to each of us to find the simple pleasures that light up our lives. I have never felt more relieved to see my colleagues again and to face the Irish audiences who are so generous in the praise. As I watched the thousands of cars in traffic jams on the Irish roads I felt blessed to not have to include this experience in my daily commute. Air travel can be a lot worse, of course, but there is a reward at the end of the journey for me as a musician. That’s got 2024 under way and now there are plenty of gigs to keep us out of mischief, including some upcoming UK shows that we haven’t done for a while.