Bang Bang Berlin

There was traffic even before we got to the practice space to load the van. Then half the people in the band were not there. Rest were either flying, driving other ways or going to be picked up at home because there were other things that needed doing. Oh well. En route to Berlin. Drive. Stop. Pee. Coffee. Repeat a few times. The drive scenery was great though. Bright sunshine and it’s fall as you all know so lot’s of colour and tree’s to look at. Loved it. Arrived exactly on time at the Bang Bang Club. Set up and everybody arrived. We did a sound check then did a few interviews, one of which was held in the toilets. All headed off for something to eat while the band Mega! Mega! did their soundcheck. Was a very late show. I don’t think we played until 12.30 or so. Was fun to be back in Berlin again. Good show. Afterwards we hung around for a bit then headed off to our hostel where we grabbed a few beers.

Barely slept because of the beds in the hostel and the fact that I forgot to put in some earplugs to drown out the snoring. I think everyone else is also just as tired. Our rental van is taking some getting used too. The seating is so totally different from the White Pearl. It’s sucking all our last bits of energy – there’s no comfortable position to be found. Back in Amsterdam by 8pm after having left Berlin at 11am. Traffic as always as soon as we cross the border back into Holland. Two days in a van. Over and out.

Picture by Sely Friday 2009

White Pearl

The van, “The White Pearl”, RIP. We had to get our stuff from our beloved van that shall no longer transport us. She got shipped back from Zurich where she had a breakdown a few km out side the city center. Her insides are bust and far to expensive for us to keep paying for. She’ll be sold. Thanks for taking us all around Europe. I think she wanted to really retire in the mountains of Switzerland. Our wuppie was still on board. 4 years it rode on top through countless thousand km’s. I pulled it off and it was a hard ball of foam. The green hostage on the trailer hitch was left. He has been hitching a ride for the past year and a half and I think he wants to continue for a while.

Photo by Sely Friday 2009

Getting Lost and Getting To Vienna

Tuesday

We had an address to stay for Tuesday night east of Prague, all arranged and everything. We found out later at 1am that there was another town under the same name about 2 hours drive back away from Vienna. We’d also left a little late so couldn’t really look for a house in the pitch black dark. Weirdest thing was that parts of the directions we had received to get to the house we right!? Left at the church, left bend up a small hill, right turn and past the telephone cell. We lost it there because we couldn’t find (or see anything in the dark). Did find a house that did kind of look like the one we need to get to, and it had the same number but a huge dog came running up towards Martijn and I when we started opening the gate….. Eventually at the local (closed) bar we found out we were in the wrong town. We just said fuck it and drove towards Vienna and eventually found a hotel outside of Jihlava (I think).

Wednesday

It was snowing fiercely when we started driving towards Vienna. About an hour from Vienna we got a call from the venue that we might not be able to play because the stage was too small and Florence and the Machine couldn’t move any of there gear for us (there was no space for that). So spending two days driving to Vienna we finally got to the venue anyway and checked things out for ourselves. Not that much space but we still got things sorted somehow on stage. I stood behind a harp, effects board and computer rig. Joppe was off in a corner. It was a great show though. Great reactions.

Pictures by Sely Friday 2009

Berlin

Very strange show. Got to Berlin a day in advance so we would be in PLENTY of time. When we got to the Postbahnhof in PLENTY of time we heard that FATM’s bacline had burned in a fire the day before so things would be a little delayed today. Well, we waited until an hour after the doors should have opened. It almost looked like we would not get to play. 9pm and the doors opened. At 9pm we put our gear on stage in 2 minutes flat. Then we waited around for the stage guys from the venue (who were a little stressed…) to plug in and patch the cables. This took 45 minutes. All the time we stood on the stage in front of a full venue, no music from a DJ or anything. Interesting. So got to play but various vocals and sax could not be heard. Anyway. Had fun.

Pictures by Sely Friday 2009

Luxor Koln/Cologne

We stayed with Sophie’s mother in Luneburg and it was fantastic. Martijn and I were up pretty early as usual and so we walked around the city center for a bit. Got some flowers for our lovely hostess who had left even earlier to get to work. When we got back the rest were up. Had a great big breakfast all together seated at the table. Martijn cooked up some tasty eggs. Shorter-ish drive to Luxor in Koln/Cologne. Started raining when we got to Luxor. As usual we waited around for our time to set up and soundcheck. Stage was even tighter than yesterdays. Joppe was really crammed in the corner behind my amps. Fun show. We had to load out directly. At least it was inside. Packed up and hung around until after FATM’s set so we could sell some merch. Some friends and family had driven down from Amsterdam/Utrecht to see FATM (and us) play. I started to get a bad cold – I guess it’s the sweaty loading out into the cold night directly after our sets that is screwing me up. Quick drive. And if anyone can read German something was written about the show on Triggerfish

Pictures by Sely Friday 2009

Hamburg Logo

Good to be back in Hamburg. Last time at Logo was also a great experience with The President’s of the USA. Tonight we played supporting Florence and the Machine. So picked everyone up early in Amsterdam and headed North-east to Hamburg. Arrived early so sat around and waited for Florence and the Machine (FATM) to set up and sound check. What space was left on the stage after a few items of FATM got moved we utilized. Mathias had 30 cm of space and could not take a step in any direction. Jaime has built her self in to a corner. Sophie, Tjeerd and myself were nearly falling off the front of the stage and Joppe was hidden behind his kit. Never the less great fun! After our set we had to load out directly on to the street out front. Luckily it wasn’t raining. Packed up and watched some of FATM’s show before heading of to Sophie’s mum’s place in Luneburg to crash. We had a few beers while talking too our gracious hostess.

Picture’s by Sely Friday 2009

Thanks Enschede

(Can’t seem to upload pictures at the moment).
-There was some confusion among our ranks when our tour manager sent us info by accident that we had to be in Hengelo for the Enschede School party. But we got everything sorted.
-Before we could even unload we were off for something to eat. Mussels and fish soup it was and it was very very good.
-Gobbled food to see Miss Montreal play.
-Very crowded Old Market Square with eager young student minds ready to party (and learn later the rest of the year)
-Backstage was in the activity room of the church. Run by two lovely people; Willie and a girl who’s name I’ve sadly forgotten.
-Backstage was also the gathering room for all the Emergency Service People. It was fun to be drinking beer in the midst of all sorts of the local police enforcement having their coffee.
-Backstage was also the watering hole for two police horses. Their names I have also sadly forgotten.
-We held a little boat race during our set between two students that had to bring food to our sound man FOH Martijn. The girl stage right capsized and sank about midway. The guy stage left made it all the way and kept going past the FOH desk….
-Miss Montreal had some confetti canons. I think we need some as well.
-It was a long drive back. The back seat people napped.
-Back in Amsterdam we were followed around by a Police car. They finally stopped us after we drove into two dead end streets looking for parking spots. I dunno what they thought we were doing at 3am other than looking for a freaking parking spot in Amsterdam (An impossible chore). They had no sense of humor though.

Back To School

Confusing drive out of Joberg. Off the beaten track. We’re off to the area around Oppikoppi. Off to play at the Mamodimakwana Primary School in Swartclip which is located on a Platinum Mine. THe ground here is a rich deep red colour. I thought my eyes were deceiving me but it was that red. My guitar cables are still all red and dusty. We arrived a bit late and the Belgium band Balthazar was playing for about 50 little kids ages 4-10 all dancing around in a semi-circle around the band. It was kind of surreal to see them playing outside in such and atmosphere. Otto (Lucky Fonz III) played after them. He kids loved it. While we set up after Otto a little girl had grabbed one mic and had started singing some song. All the rest of the kids joined in. I have no idea what they were singing but it was fantastic. We played for about 25 minutes I think. They loved it. I loved it. Every time I started to jump around so did about 40 little kids in front of me. Voicst has never played for such a young audience. A couple times during each song I got goose bumps looking at their faces as they expectantly watched to see when we they could jump up and down again. They’d start smiling and get all energetic. Fantastic. While we were cleaning up one little kid was hanging around close to Joppe and eyeing his kick, snare and hithat combination. Joppe gave him the sticks and he started to play. Within seconds Joppe was surrounded by a bunch of kids all wanting to play on the drums. An hour later we finally got to leave after everyone had had their chance. We headed off to Oppikoppi near Northam. Koppi is the hill/ mountain near Northam where the festival is held. Oppi means on top of.. so yes Oppikoppi is on top of the hill. But also basically in the middle of no where in the bush. We got our passes and wandered around of an hour but then had to quickly leave. We got put up in a game ranch about 10 km away. A few very bumpy dirt roads later we arrived at a huge 10 meter high ‘jurrasic park’ style electric fence. Arrived at the lodge in the pitch black. GReat to see soooo many stars and shooting stars aswell. We all sat around a large fire outside drinking beer completely surprised that it was only 8pm. It felt like midnight. (I’ve got some video from the day at the school but will have to upload it later back in NL.)
Pictures by Sely Friday

A Few Days In South Africa

It’s now been a week that we’ve been driving around in the southern hemisphere. There are so many wonderful things to see, do, taste and touch, and smell. I haven’t had that much time to get some pictures online but I did get a few from the first three days. For those new here, my self included, I have been posting pictures and stories the past year on my own site @ www.nassio.com/hurryupandwait. For the moment (until I get back home) you’ll need to check out the dialogue there until I get this new place on our newly designed site figured out. So check out the Hurry Up And Wait, and for now a small vid from the van….