TMS 2016 - that’s what I’m talkin’ about

Nashville turned on a steady rain today, and the only thing that seemed to get any heat going in the lobbies of the Omni, Renaissance and other hotels was the question of what was going on in China. Some people were worried that a new ban was coming down starting March 1. (Those people hadn’t read this morning’s blog.) Others were worried about prices or the long-term outlook for petcoke supply.

So after a day full of dispelling rumours and explaining the situation in China, it was a great stress breaker to go to the BP party tonight. In years gone by, BP has gone to some lengths to entertain us at their Monday night TMS gigs. Remember the Indian Reservation dinner in Seattle? Or the bicycle assembly competition in - was it Charlotte?

This year for their TMS do, BP took us to the Bourbon Street Blues bar. How did Scott and his team know I love the Blues?! Some people complained that the live music made it difficult to talk business, but hey, you have all day to do that.

Tonight’s entertainment was led by Crystal Shawanda and her band - a cool looking drummer, a laid back bass guitar, a guy on sax who was ready to bust out at any time, and the lead guitarist who did bust out in almost every song. Crystal belted out lots of classic songs, including the Etta James classic “I’d Rather Go Blind” - one of my favourite blues songs.

A piece of trivia that has nothing to do with TMS… The song “I’d rather go blind” got to number 14 on the UK top hits charts in 1969, just 2 years after the Etta James song was released. The UK version was sung by a group called Chicken Shack, which was led by a singer named Christine Perfect. Christine Perfect later joined a more famous band called Fleetwood Mac, which was when she changed her stage name back to her real name, Christine McVie. I told you it had nothing to do with TMS.

My thanks to Scott and Howie and Andreea and all the team at BP for tonight’s party, and for allowing us to kick back and relax. Perhaps a fitting music genre considering the mood in the lobbies and meeting rooms around TMS.