Saturday, 4th of October ...6 a.m. my place...
We packed our bags and equipment in the van and headed towards Wroclaw, Poland. Our manager Andrej came with us on this tour, so he emidiatly put his Fox gloves on and grabed the steeringwheel, cause he didn't want any delays on this tour – and guess what? There weren't any. Not sure was it because of him, or the fact that everybody was eager to finally go on the tour again and participate in their best way. But still.. Oh not to forget! Gal couldn't join us for the first two gigs in Poland, 'cause he had some college obligations, but we knew we could count on him and he joined us later in Prague.
We took a road through Austria, Czech Republic and then Poland. It was pretty nasty and long, but at around 6 p.m. we finally arriwed in Wroclaw. We played in this small club called Lykend and right at the entrance we noticed, that just a week ago The Aggrolites were playing there. We shared a poster with them, which felt pretty nice! We felt quite exhausted but after the feedback we got fom the audience, I think everybody gained their energy. It was amazing. Dancing, shouting,... the whole place was on their feet. First gigs on the tours are usually so-so (you know, tired from the trip and all that), but it was a complete different story this time. And after the gig, locals invited us on a private party and they were very patient with us waiting us in front of the club first and later at the hotel, so they could take us to the party (oh, did I mantion how well did the organiser take care of us? Thankx once again Agatha). The party was great and people were so friendly and nice. People from Poland, Czecz Republic,... thank you boys and girls, we won't forget you! (I would gladly write some names down, but don't have written down any of them and it is hard to remember forign names. You know what I mean). A great beginning of the tour.
Sunday, 5th of October
We woke up at around 11 a.m. A great goodnight sleep, sunny weather,... wonderfull! After a coffee at the center of the Wroclaw that some of us took, we headed towards Sklarska Poreba. It took us around 3 hours to get to places where there are at least some hills (you see we all come from places where there are hills, so we're not used to drive for hours not seing any mountains). And man were we surprised when we got to Szklarska Poreba. It was like the »mecca« of Polish tourism. Beautifull wooden houses everywhere, beautifull woods, tourists walking by,... For the town of this size it took us pretty long to find the club – Jazzgot. We first met the two owners, Bartek and his wife. And they invited us to dinner to their restaurant just above the club and on bottle of Jim Beam after a fantastic meal! Great service!
It was Sunday and a small town, so we didn't had any high expectations for this gig. But the club got packed, people were having fun and we did our best on our performance. And the party we had after the gig... Man, did they threated us well! We got familiar with everybody in SP! From the sound technitian Jasiu, who was also a promotor and organiser for this gig (what a great guy) and his wife, who was bartending in a restaurent above, the owner Bartek, staff, all the visitors. It was Sunday and next day was a working day, but everybody stayed up till 4 a.m. Dancing, Sony bartending, onstage jamming with everybody who wanted to jam, learning Polish.... We got to the point where we woke up the owner of the hotel where we stayed at. We're really sorry for that, but it was such a great atmosphere!
Monday, 6th of October
The next day we got served with delicious scrambled eggs with bacon and mushrooms, met a few people we partied with last night with, said goodbye to them and left for Prague, Czech Republic. Once again, thanks guys, we hope we see eachother again!
We arriwed in Prague after a long drive. The GPS device was guiding us through some strange places, but we made it. We got appointment with Kenzo, the promoter in club Cross where we played the next day. What a great guy! The clubowners paid us for two nights at the hostel next door, though we played there only the next day. It is hard to find and meet people like that! We were also amazed by the whole architecture of the Cross club (seriously, if you ever visit Prague, make sure, you visit Cross club, cause it is one of the best things I've seen in Prague!). We had a night off so we went to the restaurant that Kenzo recomended and that evening was a great »teambuilding« for the band. You know, small talks, lots of laughs, great cuisine,... it is the small things that make a person happy...
Tuesday, 7th of October
We had a plan to check Prague that day, so we took subway to the center. Prague is lovely, and I quote Nejc: »It would look even better if I would be full...« and a sad exression on his face said it all. So we took some goulash and dumplings in a near by restaurant. Delicious!
We actually got a gig that night in Cross just to support a great trio from Saint – leu, France called ZONG. A really good vibes! Meanwhile Gal arriwed from Slovenia in Prague and I really was happy when I saw him. When we started, the crowd really got into it. Dancing, some singalongs, always a great applauding after finishing a song... Wonderfull! I went straight into the room after finishing the gig cause I got a bit sick with a little feever and all that shit, but the rest of the gang stayed in club for a bit longer. They even brought me a sunflower when they came back from the party! (I later found out that the sunflower was a present from ZONGs singer). We had a good laugh and I left it in the room for a decoration so it »warmed up« the place a bit after we left!
Wednesday, 8th of October
Andrej already woke us up at 6.30., cause he had some business to take care of on Popkomm in Berlin (Popkomm is one of the biggest music festivals for labels, booking agencies, artists, televison networks etc. in the world, and in the evenings the whole city turns into a big festival with bands from all over the world performing on stages in the clubs allover Berlin).
Anyway, we arriwed in Berlin at around 3 p.m. and headed straight towards Popkomm. Andrej had some stuff to take care of and meanwhile Poldek (the new nickname for our drummer) and I put some posters on the walls of this massive hall where Popkomm took place, for the gig we had the next night in Duncker club, which was actually a gig, that was the part of the Popkomm (and the whole stuff I was explaining above). And we finnaly got to meet Leon, the owner of the Roadshock agency. On the Popkomm we also passed our national pride, a shity record label I will not make advertise for, mainly presenting the techno/polka/pop/blondwithboobs trio with no songwriting and singing talent whatsoever. Of course there was nobody at the stand, and since they were »presenting« Slovenia, we left them a poster on the desk and put some RFPS stickers on the posters of »artists« they were representing. Oh, there was also a tourbus agency with their bus infront of the Popkomm hall, with some models serving Campari cocktails, so we grabed a few (cocktaisl that is) and just sat down in the top floor of the bus, chilling, talking...
After they kicked us out J we went to Roadshocks office where there had already been few South Africans. I beleive, that they weren't too excited to share a small place with seven other strangers, farting, with smelly feet, but somehow during the next two days we got along just great with these boys from South Africa.
In the evenign we went to see the gig of Athena, a turkish ska punk band, that represented Turkey in the Eurovision song contest with song »For real« few years back. The gig was sold out, but as VIPs J we were able to get on all the events in Berlin in the time of Popkomm. But the place was just too packed, so we left after few songs.
Thursday, 9th of October
During the day we went to see the biggest music store in Berlin. It was actually the store in few alleys. In one there was a drum store, in other there was a guitar store and so on, so we spread emidiatly after arriving on that street.
We picked up Andrej at Popkomm in late afternoon and went straight to Duncker. We were the only band to have a soundcheck cause we have the biggest line up. But it was also very practical, cause we played first, so the sound was already set. Not very well, but could be worst. But we did have some problems geting everyone on that tiny little stageJ I was also still a bit sick that night, so I was worried quite a lot because of my voice, but decided to do my best, regardless I sing allright or not.
So we started with our show. Emidiatly after the beginning of the first tune, people gethered from outside (both front and garden behind the club), so it got packed right away! Dancing for the whole time while we were on the stage, shouthing, singing along... Duncker was burnin'! After our show was time for the band from Netherland called Headlife and afterards was time for New Academics. Remember the boys I was telling you about, that we shared the sleeping place while staying in Berlin? Well these are the guys! It's been a while since I last heard such a perfection, such an energy, such a drive, a great combination of chords, of instruments supplementation, such a stage performance,... ...goosebumps the whole concert long! Hats off guys!
After the end of the gig, we partied for a while with guys from New Academics and locals aswell and then headed to bed.
And while the second band was on the stage, we got surprise visit from Pascal, who runs Subkultura association in Slovenija and had a little chat with him.
Friday, 10th of October
I beleive I woke up first (from team Slovenia) and headed to grab a coffee with the rest of the gang and Dave from New Academics joined us. We chit chated a bit and then headed towards Hermsdorf where we played together that night.
It is a nice small industrial town, with a nice club – youth center. They prepaired us a splended dinner (sausages, mashed potatoes, onion sauce,...).
New Academics were playing first, so I was able to enjoy their show once again. They played too short! Anyway, it was our turn at around 11 p.m., and once again, emidiatly after we started the gig, people started to dance, good vibes were in the air,... Wonderfull! NA left after the gig – pitty guys, we could get pretty drunk together, so we had to do it on our own J
And to tell you, afterparty was once again one of those nights some would like not to remember and some wont remember J, but I would like to thank once again to the Hermsdorf crew. To promoter and soundechnitian Mike, the cook,... everybody who took up with us...
A true punk city!
Saturday, 11th of October
People from Jugendhaus made us breakfast.... Mmmmmmmmm... jam, ham,... it's an undescribable feeling to have such things for breakfast after/instead kebabs and pizzas...
We played a few rounds of ping – pong, drank few litres of coffee and headed towards Lichenau – Immeldorf, where we had our last gig.
We arriwed already at 3 p.m., so we had plenty of time to kill 'till 6. But to kill a time in a village with let's say 20 houses. It's damn hard!
We played in a big house on a top floor and a house was a really cool place for band to play and stay (but since this was a last gig we somehow decided to go back home straight after the concert).
I was a bit sceptical about a gig that night. You know, such a small village and all that. When we asked the promoter, a nice man, who was taking care of culture in that area, he told us, that there will be enough people. Honestly, I didn't believe him. But guess what. We were waiting in a backstage, cause we already felt the tour on our backs a bitJ, but when we entered the gig hall... crowded! Where did all that people come from? I don't know! But the promoter told us that it is usually that way! And it was great to have the final gig of the tour like that. Except in Berlin (where there was no time for) we had encores on every single, but in Lichtenau the crowd just wouldn't let us leave the stage and going nuts!
After the gig I went to the merch stand and talked to some locals... Interesting, all the people came from other villages, from Nurnberg and I even met a lovely young couple from Puerto Rico – both working in Germany as flight controllers. Great, so we have new fans from Puerto Rico!
...drive back home was a living hell! I volountired first and the whole time from Nurnberg to Salzburg was a fog! I took a turn on a closed highway, cause there are obviously some really stupid people working in a road companies in Austria (I wouldn't say that, but in a nearby village there were also some germans more lost than we were). WHEN YOU CLOSE A FUCKIN HIGHWAY (IF YOU HAVE TO CLOSE IT), MAKE SURE, THAT IT IS PHYSICALLY CLOSED, AND MARKED THE CORRECT WAY, MORRONS!!!!
But otherwise, this was one of the best tours, we've ever had.....
Thanks once again to these people:
Agatha and all the nice people that invited us on that party and all the people we met at that party from Wroclaw; Bartek, Jasiu and everyone from Szklarska Poreba; Piotr Maslanka (Paprika Korps); Kenzo (Cross club Prague); Roadshock (Leon, Lars,...); Mike, Carol, ...
...and all the wonderful people we met on this tour....
Uroš