We’re on. Got through baggage & customs & it weren’t easy. Ambitiously taking way too much weight. But talked our way through it til customs. They got a new guy there now, randomly weighing carry-on. Got me at 15 kilos over. Had to go back to check in & start over.
Lucky they didn’t weigh my laptop bag. Or the shopping bag full of gear slung over my shoulder. Anyway, we’re finally on the tarmac waiting to go.
Fires out.
We fly out from Melbourne tomorrow morning. Rehearsals in Beijing this weekend. Looking forward to hitting the studio & running through the show. It’ll also be good to break the travel for a few days on our way to Germany. We’ll be in Frankfurt late Monday night – should be about a 12 hour flight from Beijing. On past tours of Europe we’ve done the 40 hour trip to get there in one go. Body-clock massacre.
Zebra Festival, Chengdu China 2011.
So help me, I’m gonna film a tour diary for this tour (Germany, then China). And post them at weekly intervals here & on Facebook. I wanna focus more on gritty behind-the-scenes stuff, as well as catching the shows.
Fires out.
PS – check out Chapter Ray’s website – just went live, they’ve got their songs up there (we opened for em at the Barleycorn on Sat).
Less than 48 hours to go. Last minute stuff happening here. Picked up some back-up equipment at Jaycar Electronics in Melbourne this morning. There’s a test pack going on right now. Checking luggage weight. Max is also sorting out costumes (me – tech & sound equipment). One more consideration came to mind last night. It’s unseasonably cold in Europe right now. Snow falls are heavy with more on the way – they’re predicting very cold weather for the next week or so. We’re a little unprepared. Might have to whip out & grab some thermals. We’ll be leaving here with temps around 35 degrees (C) & landing there in zero…
Max’s snow angel, Boston (US tour 2011).
Fires out.
Mat Ward, our long-time band photographer, took this shot at the Barleycorn on Saturday night.
Thanks to all who got down there for the show. As mentioned, Chapter Ray launched their debut EP later on in the night. They put on a great show – and had a great crowd come to see em. Haven’t seen the Barleycorn that full since the Gig Party days 10 years ago. Interestingly, a few of the band members in the line-up on Saturday were actually playing at the last Gig Party there – including photographer Mat Ward (guitarist for the infamous Tone Defs).
Fires out.
Technical hassles dogged our show last night. We got there eventually & everything worked out. We’re doing something that’s new to us in our performance. Electronic stuff, still keeping an organic feel. Had a great time in the end. Tequila shots followed.
Morning after breaky in Collingwood.
Chapter Ray launched their debut EP to a great crowd later in the night. They put on an excellent show. Fantastic to see some of my old band mates killing it on stage, Brendan Young on guitar & Mick Brown on drums. Great stuff guys.
Fires out.
Ready to go for tonight at Barleycorn Hotel Collingwood. Load out to the van in 45 minutes. Doors open at 8. We’re on at 8:30.
Fires out.
Max and I were just talking. It’s gonna be great to be out on the road again. We’re flying out in 5 days. Got the feeling this will be a great tour, staying with friends, couch-surfing, meeting people, working our way around Germany. We’ve played Berlin a few times – but this will be the first time we’ve traveled around the country. Excitement starting to build.
Early in the day at Zebra Festival, Chengdu China 2011.
Right after Germany, we’re touring China.
Tomorrow night’s show at the Barleycorn will be a great chance to warm-up before we go, our last Melbourne show for a little while.
Fires out.
Max & I are sitting in our kitchen, lap-tops open, working on tour stuff. She’s in the process of booking accommodation in Germany. We’re couch-surfing, staying at Air B&B places or hostels wherever we can. Apart from keeping tour costs down, staying with local people can be a great way to learn about their city & culture. Sometimes they’ll come to the show and stay in touch.
Beijing air-port on our way from Midi Festival to Zebra Festival in Chendu, with other festival bands, 2011.
Another rehearsal this afternoon. A lot of running around going on. In less than a week we’ll be on our way to Frankfurt via Beijing. We’ll stop in Beijing for a few days to rehearse & catch up with our tour promoter there – and friends we’ve made over the past couple of years.
Catch ya Saturday at Barleycorn Hotel.
Fires out.
Rehearsal again today. We’ve got a couple of great new songs ready for Saturday at Barleycorn. One of em really rocks it – we’re calling it ‘Join The Ride’. The other is a spacy electo-rock dance thing (hard to describe). The two songs seem to be pointing us in a new direction. We’re loving it.
Backstage glamour at Midi Festival, Beijing 2011.
Seeya Saturday at the Barleycorn Hotel, Collingwood.
Fires out.
Archival Footage – Tarasova Gora Festival, Ukraine 2009. Without live (Betrayer album 2010).
Seeya this Saturday night at Barleycorn Hotel, Collingwood.
Fires out
