Sunday 28th Sept:We are picked up and shown around Belfast by the owner of the Belfast Guitar Emporium, as we have a later flight and no clinic today it is good to relax a little and take in the views from this lovely city. In the afternoon we fly back to the UK and make our way halfway towards Essex before stopping for the night.Monday 29th Sept:Today is the last clinic for Christophe and is hosted by Trevor Durrant Guitar Centre in Colchester. This is a great clinic to finish the tour held in a musical institute Christophe relishes playing on the stage and (for me) puts on one of the most energetic, dazzling displays of the tour. Again this is a late night with lost of customers wanting to ask many questions about the guitars after the show has finished. It is great to see so much interest that has been building for Vigier over this week. We leave Colchester very late and head for Luton, tired but very happy at the reaction for Vigier and Christophe this past week.Tuesday 30th Sept:We get up early have breakfast and quickly go to Toys R Us en-route to the Airport. I can tell Christophe is going as the good old British weather puts on a fine display of our best rain. I hope that next time Christophe is in the UK it will be with the rest of his band ?M?rglbl?. So, a big thank you to the many new friends and faces we met during these clinics, to all our dealers for hosting these events, to those who took us out / joined us and showed Christophe that the UK is a great place for music and still the ROCK capital of the world!! I look forward to seeing many of you at the next Vigier clinics.UK Vigier clinic September 2008 report
Monday 22nd Sept:So, I arrived at Luton Airport to meet Christophe, how nice to see that Christophe had packed some beautiful weather! Today?s clinic was held in-store during the day at Machinehead Music. This was a nice relaxing start to the Vigier UK clinic tour. Tuesday 23rd Sept:We travelled to Oxford today and during the day met with Christophe?s UK CD distribution boss and discussed plans for future events as well as organising some more UK press to follow the clinics. We then go to the Oxford Guitar Gallery for the second clinic, this time hosted in the evening. Simon from Laney amps (Christophe is also a Laney endorsee) joins the UK clinics here for a few. Again an intimate crowd travelled to this event but more people here seem to already know about Christophe?s playing and are treated to some dazzling guitar licks.Wednesday 24th Sept:Today we travelled to Bath and Christophe was interviewed and filmed for future issues of both Guitarist magazine and Guitar Techniques. Watching these being filmed really opened my eyes to Christophe?s unique techniques ? I already knew he was an amazing player but now am just realising what amazing technique he has. Christophe dragged me into the filming of the DVD so we will see if that is edited out or not!! We then travel to the beautiful World Guitars in Stonehouse. This show is again hosted in the evening and the team in World Guitars treat the guests to a wonderful evening, Christophe once again doesn?t fail to impress. After the clinic we spend some time talking with Jeff and get to play on his guitar ? which has the smell of an antique! Afterwards we introduce Christophe to some great British cuisine ? Curry!Thursday 25th Sept:Today we travelled to the Laney factory where Christophe is shown around the factory, he then spends some time filming video clips for promotion use for the different Laney amps. I have to say the combination of Laney amps and Christophe?s standard production (albeit the ?Kartoon? colours) Excalibur Supra are simply amazing as he pulls every style and sound from his one guitar (and usually just the one channel, going from high gain to clean just utilizing the Volume from his guitar). We then travel to Manchester for Sounds Greats clinic. This is hosted in a near-by hotel and is packed out. There are a lot more people aware of Christophe as the clinics have progressed and have turned up to hear just how good his playing / the Vigier guitar sounds. It was good o hear Christophe perform using an Excalibur Surfreter Special during tonight?s clinics. After the show it takes a long time for people to leave as they have many questions for us. This is the last clinic with Simon and the guys at Sounds Great treat us to a lovely Chinese. There is some You Tube footage of this clinic hereFriday 26th Sept:We have an early flight to Glasgow this morning and arrive at Guitar Guitar and set up for an in-store daytime clinic. As we set up there is already a crowd waiting to hear Christophe play his Vigier guitar. I notice a lot more people filming this clinic to upload onto You Tube (see here). I am too busy talking with customers during Christophe?s clinic to hear his playing, but by the amount of questions I have his demonstrations of the Excalibur are obviously going down well with the Scottish. I must note it has also been really great to see not only the public but also the staff at our dealers take so much interest in the clinics and become more inspired / passionate about Vigier. After this clinic we travel to Glasgow?s Rock radio for an interview, Christophe plays some live guitar for the radio and we have some fun taking pictures of Rock Radio?s famous ?air guitar?.Saturday 27th Sept:Again we get an early flight from Glasgow to Belfast. Once we arrive we are met at the airport by staff from the Belfast Guitar Emporium. It has to be said all the shop staff along the way have really made us feel welcomed and treated us to some great times while we have been on the UK clinic tour. I manage to see the football while we get some lunch (and the score makes me a happy chap). We then have an intimate afternoon in-store clinic. Once again after the clinic we have a lot of questions regarding the guitars features, it is so good to see in Belfast a really young audience come to learn about Vigier and watch Christophe play. In the evening the guys from The Belfast Guitar Emporium treat us to some great local (?!?) food ? Tony Roma?s. It is funny as every location we have been at Christophe has met someone from France so he can keep up practicing his French while in the UK! Sunday 28th Sept:We are picked up and shown around Belfast by the owner of the Belfast Guitar Emporium, as we have a later flight and no clinic today it is good to relax a little and take in the views from this lovely city. In the afternoon we fly back to the UK and make our way halfway towards Essex before stopping for the night.Monday 29th Sept:Today is the last clinic for Christophe and is hosted by Trevor Durrant Guitar Centre in Colchester. This is a great clinic to finish the tour held in a musical institute Christophe relishes playing on the stage and (for me) puts on one of the most energetic, dazzling displays of the tour. Again this is a late night with lost of customers wanting to ask many questions about the guitars after the show has finished. It is great to see so much interest that has been building for Vigier over this week. We leave Colchester very late and head for Luton, tired but very happy at the reaction for Vigier and Christophe this past week.Tuesday 30th Sept:We get up early have breakfast and quickly go to Toys R Us en-route to the Airport. I can tell Christophe is going as the good old British weather puts on a fine display of our best rain. I hope that next time Christophe is in the UK it will be with the rest of his band ?M?rglbl?. So, a big thank you to the many new friends and faces we met during these clinics, to all our dealers for hosting these events, to those who took us out / joined us and showed Christophe that the UK is a great place for music and still the ROCK capital of the world!! I look forward to seeing many of you at the next Vigier clinics.
Sunday 28th Sept:We are picked up and shown around Belfast by the owner of the Belfast Guitar Emporium, as we have a later flight and no clinic today it is good to relax a little and take in the views from this lovely city. In the afternoon we fly back to the UK and make our way halfway towards Essex before stopping for the night.Monday 29th Sept:Today is the last clinic for Christophe and is hosted by Trevor Durrant Guitar Centre in Colchester. This is a great clinic to finish the tour held in a musical institute Christophe relishes playing on the stage and (for me) puts on one of the most energetic, dazzling displays of the tour. Again this is a late night with lost of customers wanting to ask many questions about the guitars after the show has finished. It is great to see so much interest that has been building for Vigier over this week. We leave Colchester very late and head for Luton, tired but very happy at the reaction for Vigier and Christophe this past week.Tuesday 30th Sept:We get up early have breakfast and quickly go to Toys R Us en-route to the Airport. I can tell Christophe is going as the good old British weather puts on a fine display of our best rain. I hope that next time Christophe is in the UK it will be with the rest of his band ?M?rglbl?. So, a big thank you to the many new friends and faces we met during these clinics, to all our dealers for hosting these events, to those who took us out / joined us and showed Christophe that the UK is a great place for music and still the ROCK capital of the world!! I look forward to seeing many of you at the next Vigier clinics.Vigier UK Clinic (Trevor Durrant Guitar Centre - Colchester)Vigier UK Clinic (Trevor Durrant Guitar Centre - Colchester)Vigier UK Clinic (Trevor Durrant Guitar Centre - Colchester)Vigier UK Clinic (Trevor Durrant Guitar Centre - Colchester)Vigier UK Clinic (The Belfast Guitar Emporium - Belfast)Vigier UK Clinic (The Belfast Guitar Emporium - Belfast)Rock Radio...free air guitar!!Rock Radio GlasgowRock Radio GlasgowVigier UK Clinic (Sounds Great - Manchester)Vigier UK Clinic (World Guitars - Stonehouse)Vigier UK Clinic (World Guitars - Stonehouse)Vigier UK Clinic (World Guitars - Stonehouse)
Great report and pics. The clinic in Manchester was awesome!
How long has Christophe had the 'Metal Kartoon' guitar? I was amazed the way he just let anyone pick his guitar and mess around with it and suprised to see it was pretty beat up!
The Vigier/Laney combo sounds amazing too. Might have to get one when I get the dosh!
Good to see Vigier getting more publicity in the mainstream domain. I get a lot of interest from other guitarists about mine and sending over jealous glances lol.
Also for Christophe too. A talent like him deserves way more recognition in the guitar community. Can't wait for Guitar Techinques to come out! Also is there anywhere to buy his CDs?
How long has Christophe had the 'Metal Kartoon' guitar? I was amazed the way he just let anyone pick his guitar and mess around with it and suprised to see it was pretty beat up!
The Vigier/Laney combo sounds amazing too. Might have to get one when I get the dosh!
Good to see Vigier getting more publicity in the mainstream domain. I get a lot of interest from other guitarists about mine and sending over jealous glances lol.
Also for Christophe too. A talent like him deserves way more recognition in the guitar community. Can't wait for Guitar Techinques to come out! Also is there anywhere to buy his CDs?