March Tour in Germany 2010
My second tour back in Germany. I flew out from the Olympic fervour of BC and a balmy 13 degrees celcius and no snow, to, a frozen and very snowy Germany, suffering its worst winter in at least 15 years. Don’t tell VANOC.
There had been some shenanigans regarding my flights because Lufthansa decided to go on strike so I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to get from Frankfurt to Hamburg, as it happens I don’t think anyone did, because we waited nearly an hour in Frankfurt because somebody forgot to book a pilot [their words] ! Now a couple of things here, firstly, you would imagine when it comes to running an airline you’d think that making sure there was someone who could actually operate the plane would come fairly high up the list of must do’s.
Imagine the conversation,
‘Franz, did you check we have enough of those really uncomfortable head-phones?’’
‘’Yes Hertha, and whats more I also packed extra supplies of those magazines noone ever reads, and those annoying pieces of barely fluffy rags they call pillows’’
‘’Hey Franz what about the ….wait a minute, did you book the pilot?’
‘’Pilot, goodness me no I didn’t, silly me, funny how those little details catch you out when youre not looking!’’
And then …… ‘booking a pilot’ , is there a pilot book they just open up and call, like booking a plumber or a piano tuner, Christ I hope they check references.
I got to Hamburg and it became immediately apparent to me I should have wore long johns, minus 4 with a wind chill factor [what does that really mean? If it feels like minus 20 then it should be minus 20] of about minus 20.Well it felt like it to my woosy Victoria body .I waited for the baggage always an interesting persuit, wondering what actual state your luggage may arrive in, and low and behold I got the extra fun of being told my guitar had decided to stay in Frankfurt a little longer, just to see the sights and enjoy being thrown around the baggage compartment by workers who see the fragile stickers as an open invitation to see how far the case will sail through the air if pitched at 100 degrees with a strong northwesterly behind you.
After giving my details to a very charming lady , I finally left the airport, much to the joy of my friends who had patiently been waiting for me.
Lars and Steffi and Ki, my lovely friends and colleagues.They kindly had moved to a bigger flat just to accommodate my many bags and travel gear, you really don’t find that kind of hospitality anymore.
We did a few things , which if I’m completely honest have already forgotten, and then I met Lars’s brother Dirk, and a friend of Lars from Stratford upon Avon called Derek. Derek is a pro bass player now living in Germany, and he is also a Southampton fan, he chose the team because of two reasons, firstly Mick Shannon’s great windmill arm goal celebration, and secondly because the black shorts went rather nicely with the red and white stripes, mind you he was only 7.
I got a goodnights sleep.
Thursday 25th Feb Hamburg
Today was the day I got to meet up with the boys in the band again and spend a day rehearsing.I was up nice and early, and lars and I did a few errands, sent a few emails, slipped a bit on the pack ice on the sidewalk, and then drove over to a rehearsal room that lars rents.
I can’t say how much I love playing with these guys, they are the perfect band..love em!
We worked through until about 5 ish I think and then I went back to the house with Lars and had a meeting with my manager Ki.
Off to bed, hope to get a good nights rest.
Friday 26th
Still dealing with the jet lag issues, woke up bright and bushy tailed at about 4am, fought the urge to getup and do the laundry or tidy the house [fought it quite easily due to the fact I am not in my own house].
Today was another rehearsal day, I was so pleased with the first rehearsal, and today the good vibe just continued, we are trying out new songs which is always a nail biter for me, you really want the guys in the band to love the new stuff, and I have been singing these songs for about five years now, so I’m due a new batch, however I do love the songs from Sacred Lines, and I am still playing new audiences who haven’t heard the stuff.
Heinz picked us up and we met Uli at the rehearsal room. It is still very cold here , although thankfully the snow and ice are melting.
We spent about five hours going through he new stuff and writing a set list and then we were joined by agent Michael. This entire German journey is down to Michael agreeing to listen to my albums and taking me on .He is a warm and funny man who has a very gentle spirit, quite unlike many of he agents I have ever met.
The rehearsal finished and then we went to have another meeting with Kirsten, and so the three of us talked about the price of fish for another few hours.
The plan was after he meeting to go and place leaflets in all of the Irish bars in Hamburg, but after dinner both Ki and I felt too tired and so I headed back to the flat and hit the sack at 8.
Unfortunately the bloody jet lag is still winning the war and so I found myself writing this diary at 4am.Tomorrow [today] is the first show of the tour , not with the band but with Uli, and so the fun then begins.
Saturday 26th First Show! Hamburg - Gudensburg
Woke up at around 8 ish, feeling groggy, got myself together for the day, which was going to be the first night of the tour, and was also going to be a duo show with Uli.
I was getting ready to leave lars flat when I had an idea for a song, for a while now I have wanted to write a song about the river Elbe in Hamburg, it is such a powerful stretch of water and completely dominates the Hamburg conscience.
I got the guitar out [Lars’ yammy] and proceeded to write down the tune and a few words. All good stuff!
I then walked to the underground station at a place sumptuously named schlump, and traveled to Langdunsbrucken where I got the river taxi to Finkenwerder where Uli lives.I absaloutely love this journey.
I walked to Uli’s house and we packed the gear, and headed of to Gudensburg, which was a three hour drive away.
The concert was held in an old Synagogue that had been converted in 1995 to an arts center. one can’t help be affected by playing in a Synagogue in Germany, the ironies and past histories made it one of the most poignant places I have ever played. I considered performing a song called Middle East Sun, a song I wrote about the Jews and Palestinians, but I chickened out.
We were met by Monika and Andreas who looked after us wonderfully, the show was lovely and I got to meet lots of very nice people, I also got to learn about the story of the Blue Flower. Before the show I took a walk around the town, I came across a sculpture of two pigs.I asked Monika when I returned to the venue what was the reason for them being there. She told me that there is a Brothers Grimm [who were from the area] story about a farmer who because of a wandering pig finds an Aladdins cave of treasure in the mountain, but you need a special blue flower to gain access, from what I can remember the daft sod went and lost it [you’d be really pissed wouldn’t you], anyway I must check it out when I get home.
We packed away and then went back to the hotel where I managed to catch some of the Olympics, seems the Canadians are starting to ‘ Own the Podium’..go Kanada!!!
After all the excitement of the Voyageur song premier at U Vic Paul is now busily preparing for his next tour. He is off to Germany again at the end of this month and is very much looking forward to being back there again - to meeting up with his friends there and playing with the band again. This tour will also see Paul venturing into German schools and performing his workshops there.You can also look out for him busking!