20 January 2012, 12:05

i thought i’d write a little update from the tour van, so’s to share a little about a gallavantings around europe with those who may be interested.

we are currently on the road somewhere between luxemburg and brussels. fritz is driving and reading the tourbook at the same time. earlier he was driving with his knees. (let’s hope my mother isn’t reading this! although, my father did the very same when i was growing up, so i guess knee-steering is nothing new on the list of dangers to her eldest daughter’s safety). and to be fair, i am painting an unfair portrait of fritz’s driving. he is, of course, the best driver come sound-man in the world.

the show in luxemburg last night was a lot of fun. the rockhal was a pleasure, from the set-up through the show right through to the yummy dinner they served us after. i had never been to the city before, and we all oohed and aahed our winding way to the hostel afterwards. ’tis a very beautiful place. today is JL’s 25th birthday, and as the clock struck 12 we sung her a discordant ‘happy birthday to you’. tonight after the show we will celebrate in style with our friends laura gibson and band. there may even be karaoke involved.

i am most excited to be playing at la botanique tonight. i think we are playing in the rotund this time, which is a round hall. i only managed to sneak a quick peak the last time we played at the festival there, but it looked sweeeeeet. they say brussels is a friendly paris, but the paris we encountered on wednesday was certainly that all by itself. we thoroughly enjoyed the show at point ephemere, and are very grateful for the warm reception we received there. london was an equally lovely night, and the only blotch on that page is knowing that some people who came to see us were turned away at the door because it was sold out. i am really sorry about that. hopefully we will be back soon.

oh no wait, there is another blotch i had obviously blocked from my mind because it was so… words fail. the hostel i booked us was, let’s just say, not everything you hope for when you’re desperate for bed after a long day. the mattresses on our bunk beds were squeaky wire skeletons covered in old sack cloth or something. i woke up at hourly intervals with an ache that required me to turn over and grill my other half for a little while. i swear those mattresses left imprints. i felt like i was stuck in a scene from annie. only with drug dealers and security cameras hanging out in the hallways. i do exaggerate, but only very little.

but really, only cheery things to report here. we’re having a great time. alex is doing so amazingly well for having had so little time with us, and considering how many instruments he is required to play. we are so impressed and really happy to have him with us. and my trial by fire as tour manager has also gone without any major disasters so far (save grotty hostel in london).

will write another installment soon…

cherilyn