Stef DiFranco and Bad Manners On Tour

The last day of the tour was my favourite, I got to hang with Grace first at Meg's apartment.

I headed from Brooklyn to 86th in Manhattan, Meg has a beautiful apartment right by the Guggenheim.

I dumped my stuff, took a shower and Grace and I headed to the museum, it was just fun to hang out and talk about the past three weeks.

I was so tired, we got coffee and I had two soft boiled eggs, then headed back to the flat. Got all my gear together and rode the train down to 14th street to the Filmore.

The Filmore is a historic venue, you can just feel it when you walk in. I met up there with Ryan and we set up camp in the dressing room. I could sense tonight was going to be great.

Slowly but surely the rest of the band showed up, and we set up for a sound check, we were playing with Big D and the Kids table, they were great, lending us all their gear. Souncheck was great, the sound system in there is excellent, run by a team who know what to do.

Literally after soundcheck they opened the doors and within 30 minutes the evening had begun with Big D. The place was filling up so quickly, it was totally sold out.

Grace was across the road having dinner with friends, I waited impatiently for them to arrive, I paced around as per usual, this is where i ran into an old friend sitting on a box of t-shirts. Heidi Minx, a long time old friend was just sitting there. I had often wondered what had happened to her, and there she was. She just looked at me and then freaked out. We hugged and laughed, and she asked "what the hell I was doing there", "playing" I said. She laughed again. Heidi used to follow the band even to England and take photos.

I headed behind stage just as Grace was getting in the door, along with Brent Bliven, Lynn Hutchinson, Meg Rhodus and Lynn's friend Michelle. Brent is a long time friend from Kansas City, he moved to Boston a few years back. Lynn we met along with her husband Art in Maui two years ago. We kept in touch and last year Grace and I attended their wedding in Boston, and that is how we met Michelle.

The Show flew by, I blinked and it was over, but I will never forget the feeling of walking on and all those great songs

The picture kind of says it all for me, I know from this picture where I was in the set, I am at the ending The Can Can, the final song of the show.

After the show, i headed backstage to dry off, grabbed a beer and headed out the door. There in front of me was Grace, Brent, Meg, Lynn, Michelle and Scott all kissing me and hugging me. It was a very emotional experience, and to have several friends there is something I will never forget.