Thirteenth Installment: Go To Sleep (09/04/09)
I'm sure anyone who reads these blogs, or any blogs, or actively blogs themselves, is familiar with the '90s collegesploitation film "PCU," so I'll skip straight to the analogy: remember when Jeremy Piven jumped onto David Spade's bed and screamed "GO TO SLEEP!" at the top of his lungs over and over again? Thus was my mantra on our drive from Vanersborg, Sweden to Hannover, Germany. Our nine-seater van affords very little room to stretch out, much less put the seats in a reclining position. So I swaddled myself in the amazing down jacket my uncle gave me, donned some sunglasses, and had to sort of mentally bludgeon myself into unconsciousness. Twelve hours and two ferry rides later, we arrived at Cafe Glocksee.
Marathon highway navigation is nothing new for anyone on tour. But there are big differences so far between club shows in strange cities on American tours and those of European tours.
-American Version: Pull up the club (let's call it Club X) to find employees who generally greet you with an attitude that lands somewhere between polite ambivalence and jaded hostility. Load up and wander around aimlessly to find some sort of food. It's a Tuesday, and the promoters didn't bother to book any local bands, so you play to the few people who actually are aware of your band. You ask one of the kids in attendance if you can stay at their house, and crash on his floor. Drink cry sleep.
-European Version: Pull up to the ridiculous youth center thing (Hannover's Cafe Glocksee acting as our example) that is covered with amazing, city-ordained graffiti; don't forget about the gigantic skate ramp. (I hadn't been aware that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film was shot in Germany). Walk in to find a fucking cheese-and-meats spread, coffee and beer; the employees seriously couldn't tell us from Adam but they're friendly. It's a Tuesday, and Tuesdays at Cafe Glocksee means free admittance, cheap beer, and apparently bands of consistent enough quality that while there are no local bands, the place is absolutely packed from wall to wall. The promoter has arranged for us to stay at a friend's apartment around the block. Beds for all. Drink, high-five, sleep.
Jesus Christ. I can see why Maserati spends half their time over here.
Jeff Tobias, We Versus The Shark. Blog courtesy of Flagpole Magazine: Colorbearer of Athens, GA Star Power!
I'm sure anyone who reads these blogs, or any blogs, or actively blogs themselves, is familiar with the '90s collegesploitation film "PCU," so I'll skip straight to the analogy: remember when Jeremy Piven jumped onto David Spade's bed and screamed "GO TO SLEEP!" at the top of his lungs over and over again? Thus was my mantra on our drive from Vanersborg, Sweden to Hannover, Germany. Our nine-seater van affords very little room to stretch out, much less put the seats in a reclining position. So I swaddled myself in the amazing down jacket my uncle gave me, donned some sunglasses, and had to sort of mentally bludgeon myself into unconsciousness. Twelve hours and two ferry rides later, we arrived at Cafe Glocksee.
Marathon highway navigation is nothing new for anyone on tour. But there are big differences so far between club shows in strange cities on American tours and those of European tours.
-American Version: Pull up the club (let's call it Club X) to find employees who generally greet you with an attitude that lands somewhere between polite ambivalence and jaded hostility. Load up and wander around aimlessly to find some sort of food. It's a Tuesday, and the promoters didn't bother to book any local bands, so you play to the few people who actually are aware of your band. You ask one of the kids in attendance if you can stay at their house, and crash on his floor. Drink cry sleep.
-European Version: Pull up to the ridiculous youth center thing (Hannover's Cafe Glocksee acting as our example) that is covered with amazing, city-ordained graffiti; don't forget about the gigantic skate ramp. (I hadn't been aware that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film was shot in Germany). Walk in to find a fucking cheese-and-meats spread, coffee and beer; the employees seriously couldn't tell us from Adam but they're friendly. It's a Tuesday, and Tuesdays at Cafe Glocksee means free admittance, cheap beer, and apparently bands of consistent enough quality that while there are no local bands, the place is absolutely packed from wall to wall. The promoter has arranged for us to stay at a friend's apartment around the block. Beds for all. Drink, high-five, sleep.
Jesus Christ. I can see why Maserati spends half their time over here.
Jeff Tobias, We Versus The Shark. Blog courtesy of Flagpole Magazine: Colorbearer of Athens, GA Star Power!
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