The T-shirts arrived. The Brighton gig fell through on the weekend. The Cologne gig fell through mid week. Still, spirits were high. Probably the safest way to start the tour - among friends in a venue we know inside out. Big love to the starting team.
SETLIST:
Leap Of Faith & BTDTGTD
Sum Numbers
Radar
Underachiever
This Ship Is Sinking
22-FEB/2010 @ La Campine, Antwerp
An 8am start from London, allowing us enough time to get to Antwerp, have a sound-check and a leg stretch before we play... Was a great idea in theory... except the Van didn't turn up until 1pm, meaning that we arrived at Cafe La Campine around 10:30pm - meaning we had to throw our gear on-stage and hammer through a short set racing against their closing time policy (which they kindly extended just for us). After, they fed us some lovely spaghetti Bolognese and gave us drink tokens before taking us to a cool little underground bar in a youth centre where they played Radiohead out loud and the beers were a quid... seriously... were we dreaming it all?
SETLIST:
Radar
Sum Numbers
Underachiever
23-FEB/2010 @ The Glocksee, Hannover
Learn from your mistakes and you'll go far. We arrived in good time, and the venue had laid out a cold spread for us, of various cheese's, Meat's and bread's. As we started tucking in, one of the staff came over and told us not to overkill, because there was a ht meal coming at 7! Roast Chicken and Vegetables with the BEST red-wine sauce/gravy. We had a backstage area too.. sofa's and graffiti of penis's (the best one done by Lyyke Li *sigh*) with a fridge FULL of drink - alcoholic & non-alcoholic. We were told that we could take what we wanted if we wanted to go somewhere else to party and if we ran out... we could just come and ask for more... again... are we dreaming. Gin Panic destroyed the crowd!
SETLIST:
Issue
Underachiever
Phat Knickers
Radar
Audio Video Disco
Sum Numbers
24-FEB/2010 & 25-FEB/2010 - Ex Libras' days off...
Following the Glocksee we stayed at an apartment round the corner. It belonged to a legend called Ralf Neumann. He uses his apartment as a place for bands to stay when the come and play in Germany. He opens up his house, and is THE nicest man person we met all tour. Vielen Dank Ralf!
The following day we drove to Brussels and Gin Panic played a set at Cafe De Walvis (there was only the licence for one band). Another great show. Dave destroyed the Kick Drum. Many drinks were had and fussball games of EPIC proportions
26-FEB/2010 @ Zaal 100, Amsterdam
I love this city. I truly do. Twice i have been here and both times i have wished i never had to leave. Maybe one day i'll move here. If there was ever a date on this tour that we were supposed to play, it was this. The Zaal 100 is a venue/theatre/cafe/bar/youth centre. The food here was amazing - nice, healthy, home cooked and just what we needed.
Through the smoky haze of a crowded room, our music came alive and people danced and cheered. After 2 days of not playing, this is what we needed to feel like a band again.
SETLIST:
Audio Video Disco
Radar
Sum Numbers
Phat Knickers
Underachiever
27-FEB/2010 @ The Twist, Colchester
a 7am start to make sure we made it back to Colchester in time for the final show. Landing back in rainy Britain with mixed feelings. Glad to be home, sad it was the last gig. Before we headed to the venue we were invited to Babz house. Babz is another lovely perrson we've met through being a band. She came to see us at the Lexington (in November), bought our album, came to see our Proud Galleries show, and has since been really kind to us and for us! She made the BEST turkey soup and a spanish tortilla dish and offered us 3 different types of cheesecake as dessert! And here we though that the UK had nothing to offer on the hospitality of the Europeans... Babz represent!
Sandwiched in between a 5 band bill, we gave it everything we had left and played as best as we could. Kieran and Ross joined Gin Panic on stage with percussion and it was the best way to end what has been the best time in our musical career so far.
SETLIST:
Phat Knickers
Radar
Sum Numbers
Underachiever
So for all bands thinking about making it... put that out of your head. Play shows, do gig swaps, get contact and play wherever you can. Europe is really friendly to bands. We were fed, we had places to sleep each night, we had drink given to us and where possible, we got paid. This doesn't happen in London, it hardly happens in England for unsigned bands. We do this because we love it, and it is really nice to know that there are places that provide opposrtunities for bands because they love it too!
Thank yous: Fighting Cocks / La Campine / Pooping Bird Promotions / Glocksee / Ralf Neumann (Legend)/ Isabell Mansius / Cafe De Walvis / Coco Delongueil / Amsterdam! / Zaal 100 / Thijs Pelperlamn / The Twist / Babara Stweart / Chalrie Vessey & last but not least: Gin Panic (love) / Esther Yoxall - Merch Girl! (big love) & Max Mistry TM, Engineer, Driver (Biggest love going around).
3LX
