The Calm Before the Storm - 5/1:
So... here we go again... hooked up in DIABOLICAL's rehearsal room in Stockholm Thursday evening to go through the set for the tour.
Rehearsals went fine, and afterwards half the band took off to Arlanda around 12:00 in the night. Fredrik went home to do some final preparations for the tour, and needless to say Sverker had to go home to pack his bags in typical last minute tradition.
The plane was scheduled to take off around 06:00 meaning no time to sleep, with Fredrik and Sverker arriving at the airport 04:30 together with Jocke from TORMENTION it was time for the usual fuckup checking in the luggage. With 27 kg over-weight, Martin had to step in and charm the chick at the counter; as always he succeeded, and off we could go... well, not really. With our usual luck the plane was kaputt and it took nearly two hours to have it fixed, so we missed our connection flight from Berlin to Nurnberg.
By now, everybody were fuckin tired, and when the personel told us "your bags may come tomorrow", we had to change tactics from charm to threats, trying to explain to them the importance of our luggage, being equipment for a huge band and all that. Obviously it worked, because arriving in Nürnberg around 14:00 (via Frankfurt) our luggage was actually there (!).
In Nürnberg our nightliner waited for us, and we could finally get in and go to sleep for a few hours. Well deserved!
Iron Eagle - Lugau, GER - 6/1:
Waking up outside the Iron Eagle in Lugau just in time for soundcheck. First real meeting with REQUIEM, TORMENTION and ERUPDEAD who all seemed to be fine folks.
Everything was a bit off schedule already from the beginning, and as people started to show up for the show, we could do our first soundcheck of the tour.
This was the first time we played in Lugau and it was a cool experience. Some 120-130 people showed up, and the show went very well. Even if things were quite delayed, it was a good start of the tour.
Good to see some old friends back, ms Cobra fx having brought some 10 ppl to the show from Dresden.
Also the first time someone started crying when we did the last extra number, at least to our knowledge.
The evening ended in normal chaotic tradition, and the bus call around 05:00 was pretty delayed. Off to..... some bus parking.
Sommerkeller - Straubing, GER - 7/1:
Half the band wakes up around lunch-time not in their beds but in the bus lounge, fucking freezing cold. Outside it is snowing, weather is shit in general. Off to McDonalds for breakfast, and then to Straubing.
Obviously the evening in Lugau must have been a bit out of hand, as we are informed that our Swedish mates in TORMENTION has got a reprimand from the tour manager Thomas, hehehe.
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| Tormention |
After soundcheck its time for the traditional pre-show nap and people start showing up for the gig. It's a bit less people tonight party due to some christian lowlives having fucked up the promotors advertising, taking down posters in the city same day they were put up etc... But it still turns out cool, and the show is good.
The traditional post show duties goes on til 08:00 or longer, and our awesome bus driver Herb the Hammer also joins in. Great success. And when we leave Straubing their residents definitely have a far wider knowledge in Swedish language than before we came.
Så spotta mig på pattarna. Snälla.
Schwarzer Adler - Memmingen/Tannheim, GER - 8/1:
We are in the middle of nowhere, and we are a bit late too of course. It's a pretty cool club, but we wonder where people are gonna come from? Appearently no need to worry because after a great dinner, our loyal followers start coming in their cars and the turnout is very good. Cool seeing back old friends this evening too.
It's a small club and stage but the atmosphere is cool and we play our full set and extra songs before we are allowed to stop. Unfortunately the place dies after our show, but it was a good evening anyway, thanks to the great fans, supporting our journey and buying a lot of merch too.
Time to leave Germany for this time, but We'll be back!
