6/10/10 - Manchester.
Traffic was bad on the way there and we barely arrived in time to set up, sound check, get food and then play before immediately packing up and driving back to London. The show was at the Retro Bar and it seemed really busy when we played. I was nervous in a way that I haven't been in a long time as we started, we changed the set around and played a new song and I felt uncomfortable and awkward for a bit while I settled into it. The show was awesome fun. We packed the van and drove back to London as we had a ferry booked for 10am the next morning and we just couldn't stay. The motorways were full of accidents and roadworks and we got 3 hours sleep before getting back up to drive to Dover. It was completely worth it, but the next few days might take their toll, especially on PJ and Josh who drive.
7/10/10 - Paris.
We finished our last euro tour here and it was the hottest, most fun show we played on that tour, which was, on the whole, pretty hot and awesome. It felt good to start our time in France on a really positive show. The nerves from the day before were gone and the new songs felt almost as natural as songs we have played hundreds of times. Our tour friends, Zombies Are Pissed played great, I'd never seen them before, but I'm excited to watch them each night. I spent the morning with Joe making our way back to the others who stayed at another house across Paris. The more time I spend here, the more I want to live here.
8/10/10 - Dijon
As soon as I hung the phone up and looked around, I realised I was lost. I had assumed that Dijon was tiny and that randomly wandering while taking in nothing of my surroundings would be a good idea. This area looked nothing like where the venue was, it looked like a whole different town, one that I had never been to. I played it cool when I finally made it back and rejoined everyone, as if I hadn't just almost completely panicked. The venue is a small basement, hot and sweaty, busy all night and with a good atmosphere. We played last and despite my fears that people wouldn't stick around, they did and quite a few people knew all the words. That always gets me. Definitely on my list of places to return to as soon as possible. With a map.
9/10/10 - Koln, Germany.
I like mixed bills, its fun to watch bands where I can't pin their influences immediately. Driving into Germany for one day seemed like horrible planning, but despite the drives both sides, it was a really fun show and lots of people picked up records so I am keen to go back as soon as possible. The venue was called "Club Scheisse". Club Shit. It definitely wasn't.
10/10/10
The show for today never happened so we had the day off and around 9pm it feels very strange not being tied to a venue, loading gear and thinking about playing. Our next show is about 8 hours away so figure we'll drive more than halfway to Paris and spend the evening walking the streets doing little else. The 5 hour drive turns into 8 hours and we arrive later, hungrier and more tired than planned. Gwen put us up again and a few of us walked to the Eiffel Tower and killed a few hours before going to sleep. It didn't feel much like a day off, but we all hope to wake feeling good. I fall asleep itching to play a show whilst Gwens cat tries to sleep against my face.
11/10/10 - Angers
I wake up early with Josh and we get on the Metro and walk around Notre Dam. Its impressiveness is superseded by my total surprise that it's free to go into and look around. I realise that I haven't had a decent camera in too long and too many awesome places I have been are lost to grainy, badly exposed photos from cameras that I have had over the years. I'm told tonights show is the most likely to be the quietest of tour, it being a monday with no local bands. Its pretty much rammed and the show is good fun. We sleep at the venue so everyone relaxes knowing we don't have to move the van or load the gear and we fall asleep on a giant 10-person bed made of several mattresses side by side.
