JOHN OTWAY @ ZAPHOD BEEBLEBROX (OTTAWA, ON) - MAY 26/14

On July 25, 2009 Therese and I wandered into the Magdalen Arms pub in Oxford, England, with nothing more in mind than a nice dinner.  It was quickly apparent that something special was happening, a 60^th birthday party for local musician Pete Fryer.

After being there for an hour the stage lights came on and a musician named John Otway appeared on stage to perform.  We had never heard of John Otway before this.  His unique and incredibly entertaining act was completely beyond belief.  I was so impressed that I decided then and there that it was my mission to have him come to Canada for a tour, not really expecting anything to happen.

Upon returning to Ottawa I started my lobbying campaign by sending emails to John.  To my complete surprise I soon learned that he was very familiar with Ottawa, having spent a lot of time in our fair city during the early 1980s.

Every quarter since 2009 I have sent John an email asking/urging him to launch a Canadian tour.  It was very exciting for me to receive a telephone call late in January 2014 saying that John would be doing gigs in Hamilton and Toronto in May and asking me to organize an Ottawa concert.

Zaphods was the first club that I contacted as a potential venue.  I was amazed to learn from Eugene Haslam (owner of Zaphods) that John Otway was one of his favorite acts in the 1980s at The Underground on Rideau Street, the predecessor to Zaphods.  Eugene has terrific memories of John and was ecstatic to learn that he was returning to Ottawa.....  he offered every assistance to have the show at Zaphods.

I’m hoping that you might help me welcome John Otway back to Ottawa on Monday, May 26, 2014.

The tickets are now on sale as indicated in the accompanying poster.  I am certain that this will be one show that you will never forget.

                    

The photographs in the poster are my images from John's performance in Oxford in 2009.

Below are links to samples of John’s performances:

Video: JOHN OTWAY – HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BwOyVIlupg

Video: JOHN OTWAY – CHERYL’S GOING HOME -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dc_ffPld9o

Please forward this email to anyone you think would be interested.

Thank you.

Bob Acton

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