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15 April 2010
EURO beginnings
We hit Berlin yesterday for a day off before tonights show. Of course we know a german minimalist techno DJ here who took us out to a smoky and( I mean smoky ) bar which reminded us how bars used to be back home , eyes blazing , clothes reeking - in the UK now you go outside to smoke but in Berlin you go outside to breath!! - it showed us how much we've adapted to the ban in the uk , maybe we're fragile old men underneath these muscular exteriors.
The Euro tour has kicked off to a good start , admittedly on the first night ( AMERSFOORT ) we were working out how to do it . When we mentioned how it was the first night ever as a four piece ( no keys this time ) someone shouted " so it can only get better !" and quite rightly so . Amsterdam was a sold out and bouncy crowd , and by then we were getting more sure of what it was we were going to do . Hamburg was a really good looking room full of lovely people .
Not so many food pictures I'm afraid as we have been a lot busier so far and have been enjoying mainly flat meat and cheese . The Swimming schedule is going swimmingly well , especially in Germany . I'm off to find a new hat in Berlin and heave some flight cases around. All the best . G
Article
28 March 2010
After Brighton
Brighton was our last show of this UK tour and it was extra special, we had most of the amazing Brighton based choir from the Theatre Royal show join us again for Future Boy and State of things, Pete Lawrie and his band also joined us for Underdog and the whole evening felt like a massive release, it was one of those hot sweaty nights where the air is filled with electricity, to look out into the crowd and see couples kissing, people crying and others beaming and singing along with all their hearts was mind blowing! We never expect such passionate reactions but on this tour we've had more than our fair share.
There are way to many highlights to start listing but whats been very interesting is how different every show felt, in the old days when we had a MASSIVE crew and entourage around us it sometimes seemed like Groundhog day but every show now seems to have it's own distinct identity which adds so much life to the whole touring experience.
Making the transition from buzz band filling large venues with relative ease to finding a new smaller and essential way forward is the ultimate test but I really feel it suits us and the fans of the music, we hope to be able to continue like this for a long time to come....
Anyway now we have to get back to work, getting ready for Europe and then the USA,
Until we see you all again thank you, you know who you are ;)
The Pic is Rob waiting to go and sound check his drums during a lovely Brighton sunset.
Article
21 March 2010
good lord!
Well well well ! there was no way we could have know just how loud the crowd in Glasgow was going to belast night !!! What an incredible night we had , it was made pretty easy for us to be honest ! More like that please .
Been wandering round all these uk towns in a whole new way . Its like touring used to be but better - we're smarter - faster - soberer-er - etc-er - We somehow have to try to keep it going forever. This entry is a bit vacuous as I got to get ready for tonights show and my brain is shrivelled still from too much fun in Glasgow. Did you know Nottingham used to be called Snottingham? - true .
Also, I include a picture of lunch in Glasgow in case you were wandering. Extremely yum yum. G
Article
16 March 2010
UK Tour Portraits
Article
14 March 2010
Sunday in York
We woke up in York this morning after a great night at the Manchester Academy which pretty much started where we'd ended in Oxford, the energy was high and everyone seemed to be feeling up for it. I went for a few drinks with Gale before the gig and lubricated the nerves back into their cage, firmly under lock and key for the evening.
As with all these shows we started out with a fairly exact set and opened it up towards the end, taking requests and having fun with the fans, again the Purely acoustic Rocket Song was our highlight especially with the room breaking into spontanious sing along! Something very special always happens when the PA is turned off, it's a very instinctive and primal connectivity that can be a true turning point. Maybe one day we could do a purely acoustic show....
We had a day off at home yesterday, which got me thinking about how much of a learning process it's been to exist healthily on the road, we all over the last ten years (and more in some cases;) have worked on our "life rafts" be it swimming, jogging, taking portraits, researching and eating in interesting and delicious places, watching endless episodes of "curb your enthusiasm" or "peep show", having a nap on the bus during the day, the habitual lists go on.... I don't mind admiting the first few days for me were utterly terrifying as my body and mind tried desperately to remember how to do it? But as always that good old muscle memory kicks in and suddenly your calm, flowing with the rip tides.
The picture is Eddie's delicious Pannacotta he had for pudding today and here is a short video of it wobbling:
Article
11 March 2010
Lunch In Bristol
Here is a what we did eat in Bristol , it was a touch above our station but we decided to treat ourselves well after breaking the back of the tour in Birmingham . These succulent morsells powered us through the show that shaked and shivered in the beautiful room in St Georges . The tarragon sauce threw Olly's voice up into the heavens with notes of Thyme , and the minted lamb - helped by sauteed runner beans - silvered Gale's sliding.
Birmingham show was great like a rock show but Bristol was the complete opposite - a sit down venue ( we sat down! ) with classical acoustics - it sent Olly on a small inward journey of despair , a brick wall of utter dread that he managed to shake after 5 songs- an unfortunate byproduct of being creative and attached to what you do.
Feeling happy now that we rehearsed the new stuff and that we've been touring for 10 years so that we can adapt and change to venues as they come. - also enjoying the pure acoustic version of Rocket song.
we keep forgetting to show off a cover version from the CD we're touting round but as Prince says .. " TOO MANY HITS ! "...
Loving this touring business . Lets see what today brings.
Article
06 March 2010
Revving up for the Road....
This week were off on tour for the first time in ages, we will be on the road with our beloved band, back on the bus, bombing up and down the UK like a real life road movie, eating cheese, drinking wine and all the things we seem to migrate to when were together (that's the censored version;)
We have been working hard on the new set and hopefully have found the right balance of new and old material, I think the most important thing is that were FEELING it, the new stuff just feels so right and allows us some new found freedom too...
We shall be bringing along the sublime and powerful Pete Lawrie & band as our guests, check out his site www.PeteLawrie.com Were loving his music and were sure you will too so make sure to come early and soak it up, when he's massive you can be all smug ;)
Toodles for now
TBx