So we are currently sitting backstage in Cologne. Kas is playing with, and potentially breaking, a power adaptor. Jim is playing the guitar, some people are eating spring rolls. We are in Gebaude 9 (I think), which is situated in an old rundown factory. It’s been a busy old week, just a quick breakdown at the moment as I’m on Ian’s laptop and the battery is starting to go...

On Monday we drove Edinburgh to Belgium, staying in a Formule1 hotel (which, incredibly, makes a Travelodge seem like a palace...), then on Tuesday we drove on to Heidelburg to play our first show in Germany (aside from the Haldern festival earlier in the year.) The next day was off to Munich for a very quick beer at the Oktoberfest followed by a soundcheck and show at the Ampere.  Thursday was a five hour drive to Berlin to play the Lido which was a great venue in a converted cinema, then staying with Arne’s old flatmates who generously offered to put up all eight of us. Last night was Hamburg, after about 3 hours sleep, in a bizarre “conference room” style venue, but we escaped for a few hours to have dinner in a house overlooking the port laid on by some old friends of Arne.

Tonight, Cologne, tomorrow is a day off. Will report back further when there is more power on the go...

BR xxx