Melancholy Galway Tourist Catastrophy and My Kit with Pictures from the Google

Had an argument the other day about Galway being the european centre of culture. And I in my ignorance of mainstream culture was not aware that it actually received an award for being so. My argument then is, what does it matter?

Does Galway get better because of it? No. Gentrification takes hold. Richer tourists come to visit and regulations on street activities make a glimmer on the horizon. If you want a great place to be great for a long time. Don't advertise it. And by as hell don't start it in a capitalist country with people dependent on a profit margin to make their survival. Every time, every time - It's a recipe for disaster. Artists, musicians, hippies, artisans and street culture making a city or town hip which generates a tourist economy that business sharks cut in and grab up big on the territory.

Newtown, Byron Bay, Fremantle - are some of these towns in Australia.

 Am I being too negative? Or presenting the reality of the situation?

You decide.

 Anyway, I've decided to compile a few internet pictures of my kit at present to let people know what I'm traveling and and can still carry on my back all at once. first up - the melodica...
 

It's not quite as sleek as this image I found but it does operate like this one. I bought it because there was this professional jazz pianist that hopped between jam sessions in Toulouse with it and well, he made a simple plastic toy sound like an instrument worthy of a place in any big band.

I have this amp now. It's ten watts, it's got two plugs. I'm happy with it. It's small enough to carry on my back for four kilometres with the rest of my shit. 

I have a mic and stand and a cable (not these ones particular but similar enough). 

A tanglewood crossroads guitar. A cheapy for the rain. It always rains in Ireland. So we just play right through it. Who needs a rain coat when there's a warm fire in a pub to go to when you're absolutely fed up with existence.

Inside a foam acoustic guitar case which now has a custom artwork in the top. Seeing as I'm using the wonder of google images exclusively in this blog post you'll have to wait for a picture of that for another time.

A camping seat

A wooden box for me to stomp on with my left foot. Looks kind of like this I suppose.

A foot tambourine to complete my personal percussion set.

A large back pack full of clothes and shit.

A reusable lidl bag which I reenforced with elastic and pvc full of random trinkets and useless shit.

So effectively, I carry everything around with me, from place to place, couch to couch, hostel to hostel, strung up all together like a big mechano set and set on my back. 

Then I walk the long road to nowhere.

See you next time,

Monti