We pick up Michael in Rotenburg, this is another long long day in the Mercedes…we then drive from Rotenburg to Hamburg.We unload the van into Uli’s house in Finkenwerder, say goodbye to lars and Heinz, then head back to Rotenburhg with an empty van,.the van has to be taken back to Andreas in Osnabruck, who incredibly gave it to us to use for free.This kind of generosity and kindness has been the constant theme of this whole trip to Germany.
We finally get back to Rotenburg and eat some fantastic veggie pizzas.Michael and I have a chat about the tour and then I skype the family back home.Skype has been my total saviour on this trip, I realy don’t know what I would have done without it.
Friday 18th…….Rotenburg----Osnabruck-----Rotenburg----Barmstedt—Rotenburg
We get up at 6am..this boot camp just keeps on going…..we then drive almost 3 hours to Osnabruck, traffic is terrible, it seems the whole of Germany is building roads right at this present time.
We meet up with Andreas in the incredible venue in Osnabruck, the car garage by day, and the amazing venue by night..we get a cup of coffee, and then Andreas takes us to the train station to get catch the train back to Rotenburg.
We get to the train station and the first thing that hits me is that many people are drinking beer and wine, what a country.Not only can they build amazing cars like BMW and Mercedes but they also drink beer for breakfast…
We get two trains, and manage to avoid sitting in the carriage with the drunken choir on tour, I’m sure they are wonderful people, amd possibly a decent choir, but I’m just not in the right frame of mind.
We get back to Rotenburg, and I get some washing done, and then ring a few friends back in England.My mentor when I was growing up in the UK was/is a man called Bob Howes,music producer, composer, musician, TV producer..I could go on…I had met Bob first when I was 17 , and we also had met in the UK back in February and I just wanted to say hi.
The plan today is to go and see Julian Dawson’s show in Barmstedt north of Hamburg..Julian had asked me to do a few songs in the second set,.the village of Barmstedt is like so many of the German villages and towns I have visited, beautiful, well kept and extremely historic.
Julian was joined by Uli on guitar, and also the incredible player and singer Fontain Burnett..this is perhaps the greatest name for a musician I have ever heard…and it so
Suits him.Born in the States and now living in Hamburg, Fontain is known as a bass player but is an all rounder and a super super guy.
Rolf at the venue invites Michael and I to have some food and the atmosphere is wonderful.
Julian decides to do the show acoustically and it is immediately clear that he is a master communicator and performer…in at least two languages…
The room is jam packed and the crowd adore him.the songs are beautiful and the evening is a total success.I sang a couple of songs and it seemed to go down well, hopefully I can play the same venue next year sometime.
After the show Michael and I head back to Rotenburg, a long day , but a great one.
Saturday 19th Einbeck
This was one of two solo shows I would be doing on this tour. The evening was also going to be filmed and recorded..gulp..I had never fimed and recorded a solo show before and I felt a little pressure.
Michael and I , plus Micheal’s daughter Imke, made the journey to the beautiful town of Einbeck.We arrived at the beautiful and ancient venue called Tangobrucken, built in 1566, and really the most equisite building I have played in on this tour.
I had some time to kill so I decided to go busking.the day was warm and it felt like summer despite the fact that we were in the middle of September.
I didn’t want to make any money [perhaps I wouldn’t have made any anyway] so I just found a spot with the guitar and started singing, one chap wanted to give me a euro, but I told him to keep it, I think I offended him.I really had a wonderful time singing on the street.I love busking, and somewhow it made me feel less homesick..a bit bizarre really, going busking for company instead of cash.
The owner/manager of the venue was called Martin and he was also a tango dancer…hence tangobrucken..
The room felt like it belonged in Buenos Aries [see Anne Schaefer for correct proununciation] ….The Stockfisch family , my record company in Germany were doing the recording, so Gunther, Ines, Sara from Munich, and Evelyn were there , setting up all of the cameras..i still must admit it feels very odd having spent so many years of my career [if you can call it that]playing places that really couldn’t care less about you as long as you have a pulse and do whiskey in the jar.to have a film crew, and tour manager,and venue manager fussing over you, makes me feel decidedly uneasy.Once again I am reminded of my mate in Brum, Kieran Kelly, who found himself in TV studios as a carpenter, expecting someone at any minute to tap him on the shoulder and say, ‘come on fella’ time to go, its all over.
I managed to skype the family before the show and that always helps settle me down.The food was great and the vibe was 90.
The room was about three quarter full and the people of Einbeck were delightful.There was even some people from a show that I had done in Kassel.The filming did put pressure on me, I know in time it won’t bother me, but I was constantly thinking about tuning and accuracy as well of course trying to entertain.I have the upmost respect for the great solo performers of the folk scene, Christy, Vin, Mike silver, Allan Taylor,there are many many more. The ability to hold an audience for a couple of hours on your own always impresses me.
After the show we headed back to stay at friends of Michael in Markoldendorf.. Wilhelm and his wife Katrin. Their house was a farm house, with barns and cattle sheds attached to it.Wilhelm’s family had had the property for centuries.Wilhelm was completely self sufficient, an oven for baking bread, a garden with all the fruit and veg you could wish for.We spent a wonderful Sunday morning walking around the village.
I was then told by Michael that there had been a great folk promoter who lived in the village back in the 80’s and that unbelievably my favourite band of all time..Moving Hearts had played in the village, Clannad also..All throughout this trip I have felt that there has been an energy around me..[I know this is sounding west coast and flaky..but that’s how it feels] I have felt almost as if whatever I want will happen….I’m working on Birmingham winning the premiership…but that might be pushing the magic a little..?
Throughout this trip I have been reminded of a man called Elias Chacour.Abuna Elias Chacour is one of the most wonderful people I have ever met.I had the oportunity of visiting him in his school in Israel, some years ago.he built a school/university in a place called Ibillin,a school for all peoples, Jew, Christian, Moslem, Druze, anybody.The school is called the Mar Elias college, please check it out if you get a minute.Elias is internationally recognized as a peacemaker, and has been nominated for a Nobel peace prize and is a friend of US presidents.
So you can imagine my surprise when during a conversation with Wilhelm about his work with children all over the world, that Elias’s name comes up in conversation…this is what I mean, this sort of thing is happening to me a lot these days.
We said goodbye to Wilhelm and Katrin and headed out to Hannover for the final show of the tour.Michaels’s daughter Imke is with us and she is delightful company, and her English is amazing.
The Kannapee in Hannover is perhaps one of the most beautiful places I have ever played.owned and run by Yassir Khalaila.Yassir was from Nazereth in the Galilee region in Israel. He is a wonderful man and the venue is a true reflection of him.We talk and then realize that he also knows the school of Elias Chacour,his niece went there!
The show is a wonderful experience for me, the people are
so kind, ad I finish off the whole tour by singing Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah,
it seems fitting somehow.
Yassir promises to ask me back next year and I tell him if I amever in Hanover again this will be the place I play. He prepares a wondrous salad for me as a parting gesture, the day has been perfect.
We drive home to Rotenburg , and Michael hits 180km on the autobahn and scares the living daylights out of me..by God the Germans like to go fast….
I manage to Skype lou and the kids when I get in and then go to bed around 1.30 am.
Monday 20th Hamburg
I get up early, Michael has to take back the hire car [donated free by another friend of his] ad s I drive his car to the garage.
Today is a business day…and then I must get the train to Hamburg.I am going to see lars and Steffi.
