Trike Meet Hamburg... again

Fun fun fun on the autobahn...
When we were in Leipzig, Tobi showed us a fascinating video of Kraftwerk from 1970, in black and white. They were playing some really noise-oriented stuff, but with a drum kit... very hypnotic and wayyy ahead of its time. Everyone seemed into it. Couldn't help but wonder what the older generation thought of them at the time.

En route to Berlin. Been listening to a German language mp3 and reading the accompanying book. I think/hope it's slowly making its way into my brain, like a persistant worm. A persistant, German worm.

Something I forgot to mention: Ron (who is mixing our album) sent us three tracks: Fat Dancer, Dutch Girls and Omigod. They sounded so good! We were worried, but we began rerecording tracks with pre-amped vocals, and they sound so warm... and the sax solos... damn. We danced all over Tobi's kitchen and a tear came to my eye at the end of Omigod. So much work, and finally, we had a product that was almost finished and we could stand confidently and proudly behind it.

Anyway, this blog is about Hamburg, so I should really get to it.

We arrived 45 minutes late. It happens. Ineke is a young and cautious driver. We have to learn to leave an hour earlier than googlemaps says we should, just so we have enough time. Anyway, eventually we pulled up to Astra Stube and the moustached, shaggy-haired Nils popped out of the front door to greet us.

Inside there was a platter of small sandwiches, goodies, chocolates and small yogurts set up for us on the bar-counter.

Firstoff, my second keyboard had stopped working in Leipzig after it toppled to the floor of the stage during our Leipzig show. Claus from Yamaha, who initially said Yamaha would sponser us and gave us the keyboard, showed up with a brand new, sparkling keyboard for me!!! We used it last night. He ALSO took us out for pizza, paid for by Yamaha!

I was nervous that not too many people would show up. I don't know why. Perhaps because a few people had written, saying they couldn't make it, and the few who said they would weren't that reliable. We met Suzanne, Tobi's friend (whom he had called and told to go see us), who said she would be our merch girl. Her and her delightful friend sold three CDs after the show. Nice... A lot of the usual suspects (Björn, Hinni, Anna, Christina, Elise) didn't show up, but other usual suspects did. "People just have to get used to you being back in Hamburg. You have three more shows. People will come." So, it was a modest-sized audience, but it still felt relatively full (the joys of playing small venues... they always feel full), and we had a great show in the end.

The show was enjoyable. We busted out "Julie Booth". It was a bit of a fiasco, because Xania had two small red pillows. One was for her to pillow-attack me with as I play, and one was for our friend (who came all the way from Berlin to see us) Herrmann to use on audience members, but Xania gestured for him to smack me around with it. So, here I was, trying to play this complicated song on the keys, and I had Xboxx and Herrmann both battering me from the front and back. I was shocked. I stopped the song. Everyone laughed. I was discombobulated. I began the tune again, but It was shaky... so much for doing a perfect version of our new tune. Aw, that Xania, I tell ya. What a rascal.

In Hamburg it's funny, because people don't really dance or move around (the only ones who do usually aren't from Hamburg; like the Italian girl from last night) and say precious little between songs. I mean, we have a great little fan base in Hamburg and I love those cats, but it's true what they say about people from Northern Germany. They're not terribly expressive. Claus and I had a big talk about it...

HOWEVER, that being said; during "Let's Jog", almost the entire venue emptied out, and everyone followed me as we jogged into the nearest gas station. We circled around, jogging hooting and hollering, while the workers looked at us, aghast. We jogged back; everyone was grinning from ear to ear.

There's talk of getting hold of the security tape so Ineke can use it in her documentary.

Max, our tall Hamburgian friend who has seen many concerts and was responsible for getting us to play outside of a squat's communal kitchen last year (it was a blast) was there, sporting a new moustache. He invited us to Rota Flora to dance to crunchy techno and drum n' bass, but I was sick still (still am, but I'm getting over it) so I said no. Aargh.

Nils took us to our apartment. It was a charming little place with bunkbeds. He put little chocolates on our pillows and bid us a "guten nacht". I began watching "The Swimmer" (with Burt Lancaster from 1968. I've seen it before. It's a powerful and poignant film) with Xania but soon fell asleep like a ton of bricks.

This morning we went to 31, the restaurant that Nils from Astra Stube always arranges free breakfast for the bands, and had a yummy German breakfast (various types of cheese, nutella, meats, thick German bread). I drank two cappuccinos and a coffee and booked shows. I ALMOST have one arranged (a Living-Room show) in Sweden, and there is another venue I'm flirting with from Malmo, Sweden. It's a "non-paying" gig, but I'm trying to work it so we can at the very LEAST pass the hat. I think that's reasonable. Venues can't expect bands to play for free. We have to get from A to B, feed ourselves etc... A few venues I've spoken to don't offer any pay at all, and it's always a bit mind-blowing.

OH, and as a post-script, we discovered the venue in Athens forgot they booked us (months and months ago). They denied ever confirming the show in April and said it is unlikely. Xania found their email on myspace and sent it to them. They offered us a show the following day, a Sunday (April 5), but that would mean travelling 9 hours to get to Kosovo the next day. It's shit. I hate how this has happened THREE TIMES so far this tour. GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER, PEOPLE!