December 17, 2018

Toronto, Canada

Hello from a cool, but not frozen Toronto. I love this city, but most of the times I've been to it it's been covered in snow and ice. It's great to be able to wander round without the hindrance of inclement weather!Yesterday's concert was in one of our all-time favourite halls: Koerner Hall -- a beautiful space within the complex of the Royal Conservatory of Music. The concert was a really lovely one, and it was great to be singing for lots of friends who were in the audience, including several of our personal friends and (of course) Steph Reiss, our North American agent from IMG Artists, who helps to keep our career out here so strong.It was also the final performance out of 10 in a row, encompassing Virginia (1), Georgia (1), Pennsylvania (1), South Carolina (1), Arkansas (1), Chicago (2), Ottawa (2), and then Toronto (1). So today's day-off feels well-deserved, and though everyone has miraculously remained healthy through it all, it's great to have a day of no singing and to unwind a bit from the craziness of constant travel or singing!Today I've enjoyed catching up with Ellie, and hanging out with my dear friend Rob who is Director of Music at St. James' Cathedral here in Toronto. It was lovely to see him, and to be shown the most amazing bookshop which he frequents. Shortly I'm off for a fancy dinner - it'll be lovely to sit down to some incredible food, as it's very often a case of eating-to-survive on a tour like this one.We've now just got 5 shows in a row, as we weave our way from Montreal (tomorrow) back into America and through to the final concert in Washington DC.I've just realised that this is my final blog of 2018. The next time I write, we'll be back on tour with Eddie and Nick in the team. They've been working hard behind the scenes to learn all the music, and it's exciting to gear up for the change, and for all the projects and plans in 2019 and beyond. For me it feels significant to be moving on from being the 'new guy', and I look forward to the process of building my sound with Eddie and doing my bit to grow and strengthen the group for its next chapter.