Taste Sensation.

Adrian, the tour manager, doesn't like a lot of foods. He says he likes simple things. He says he's easily pleased. He is not easily pleased. Proof of this would be watching him try to get a toasted cheese sandwich in a traditional greek restaurant. Nothing sends him in to more of a panic than the words 'No Alterations' printed on a menu. I have started behaving like a mother; 'Do you just want some bread and olive oil? With a bit of balsamic? Have you had any vegetables today? No Adrian, chips are not a suitable vegetable.' Kate takes a more direct approach; 'Just try it. Try it. Try it. Just try it. Just one mouthful. Try it. Try it. Try it. Just have one bit. One. Try it. Just try it. Try it. Try it. Try it.'

He's about thirty five and in addition to being borderline phobic about food he's also lovely and nothing is too much trouble. We watch him charm his way across the country. Everyone is a 'Legend', everything is 'Living the Aussie dream'. He goes to collect our hire car in Adelaide and we stand outside waiting. Through the glass we see him, the view muted, as he tries to solve a mistake the company has made. The two women morph from stern and unobliging harpies in to blushing, giggling girls. You could set your watch by it. I hear him in one hotel, two minutes after we arrive, wandering down the corridor with the receptionist:

'So what are you guys doing in Mandurah?'
'We're on tour.'
'Awesome.'

'Do you want to come?'

'I'd love to!'

'Cool, I'll put you on the guest list. What's your name? That's a great name. So what do you do for fun in Mandur......'

Their voices fade in to the distance.

Its like a very mild super power. She's now following him on Instagram. Adrian had a look at the many pictures of her and her cat. A cat he reckons looks like 'a total legend.'

Keir told me a story today.

'I'm at this great Tool gig and they play their last song of the night and the lead singer says to the audience; “I want you to think about how you feel right now, that feeling you have. And I want you to remember it. And then I want you to take it with you, that feeling. Take it with you tonight, keep it tomorrow. And then keep it the following day, and the week after that and take it with you in to the next month. Look inside yourself and make that feeling positive.”' Keir pauses. 'Then the bloke next to me turns and says;

“I'm feeling positive. Positive I want another beer.”'

I start giggling and Keir has this look on his face. He has this look quite often. If I had to sum that look up in a sentence it might go: I try, I really try to be a spiritual person and to enjoy the little moments, but then life comes along and kicks those moments in the nuts.

He has funny bones. In my experience this is only true of people who find the world an entirely confounding place.

This evening I saw a new side to him. Kate ordered a desert that had been recommended to us earlier in the day by one of the Sommeliers at the vineyard. He tried it and it was so good it actually brought tears to his eyes. Then he had what he terms as a 'food high', momentarily but utterly suffused with joy. Adrian had a fancy Pizza with all of the fancy removed, and a portion of chips. He had the same for lunch. But at lunch they let him watch them cook it in the wood fired oven outside which made him very happy. The chef didn't know quite why he was letting Adrian watch him cook but, like everyone confronted with Adrian, he had been charmed.

After every show Kate comes out and signs albums, t-shirts, posters and on one occasion, a bald man's head. I love watching this. There are certain types at every signing. Here are just a few:

Normal – You were great, please sign my CD and make it out to (insert name), keep up the good work.
Nervous laughers – You were amazing sudden high pitched screaming laugh that ends as abruptly as it started Seriously though you were amazing Repeat.

Criers – You are such an inspiration to me brittle smile I just love you blinking furiously Can I just get a quick picture? Thanks. Is lead away weeping by embarrassed looking friend.

Pushy Mother's – Go and sit with Kate and get your picture taken. No mum I'm fine. Go and sit with Kate! You want your picture taken with her. You said you wanted your picture taken with her whilst we were queuing now go and have your picture taken! Cringing child with hunched shoulders makes the long long walk to the seat beside Kate.

On one excellent occasion a small boy was getting his cd signed and the mother said to Kate: Danny was saying to me earlier that when he grows up he wants you to be his girlfriend.

The boy looked like he wanted to scratch his own face off “Nooooo mummmm don't say that to her!!!” Danny will never share another thought with his mother as long as he lives.

Ambitious Teen – Ohmygodyou'reliketotallyamazingpleasesignmyalbumandmakeitouttoSarahspelledZARRIAHI'mactuallyasingermyselfandIjustsowanttodowhatyoudolikeforever!

The Slightly Intense Non Blinker – Hi. Please sign this. And this. And this. And this. And.......this. Thank you. See you at the next gig.

Sometimes there's The Bereaved too. People who have lost someone, usually recently, and have played one of Kate and Keir's songs at the funeral. They come and share their story and I can't make fun of them. Sometimes it's all I can do not to have a cry myself.

I want to tell you about Helen, the Security Guard at the last venue, but its late and we have to set off early tomorrow on the four hour drive to Mildura and the next show. We'll leave at ten and find a good coffee place. Keir and Kate and I will have a long black with milk, mine with one sugar. Adrian will have a flat white with the chocolate sprinkles. No, not a cappuccino, that would be a naïve interpretation of his needs, he doesn't like the froth you see. Its all about 'The Ratio's' apparently. Its okay though, he'll explain to the barista exactly why he wants a flat white with chocolate sprinkles as opposed to a traditional cappuccino and she will listen and she will be charmed and she will put her heart and soul in to that cup of coffee. That's just how it is.