Day 9
We will arrive at 14:45 on the GPS but that is for no stops or anything. There will be a lot of traffic here and there and we will get lost, have to smoke, etc … We are supposed to arrive at 16. We are trying. It was 2:30 when we got to sleep at the hostel. People are really tired today but at least we had a great breakfast. I think it could end up like last tour where the last gig was the worst because everyone was so tired and exhausted. Too many days with out more than 5-6hrs sleep. Many of us can’t sleep in the van. 10:00 We are well on the way now and Jiri drives. Most people are trying to get some sleep. 12:30 Mogens is driving and we are making great time. Only like 200km to go. We had one stop for gas and for people to smoke and get a snack before we hit the road. Listening to zappa and some R&B music. I had a nice long talk with Øyvin about music, their studio, and etc. great guy. I will try to look into us playing in Sweden and Finland in October and see if we can get BMC on the bill as well. Øyvin would have to take leave without pay but it is no problem for Vemund and Simon. I paid Jonathan’s train ticket, Tim’s train ticket and will pay Mogens for the ferry, and some of the other expenses today so this is sorted out before tomorrow. It looks like a pretty good chance for things to get close to break even. We will see. I have had a really great time with the guys and really missed them. We have such a good time on a personal level and we all love to joke around and laugh and make fun of stuff and this just keeps us all sane and no one ever argues at all. We are very peaceful. Sabine has a great time as well but probably thinks we are some pretty crazy people. We are pretty normal really and just want to play music and try to create something amazing and get that euphoric high you get when a jam is just amazing and you can disappear in the music. That is the ultimate goal. We discussed the future though and we need a better van with more space, less noise and also at least one day off if we are to drive so many hours each day. The other option is to work harder to put together gigs that are max. 300km away. This is very hard to do. Also, maybe we should also try to stay further north as we got hardly any people in Austria, 30 in Wurzburg and these were long drives for us. We will see.
16 We arrived exactly on time at Urban Spree. This is a very interesting walled complex with all sorts of different buildings with music venues, art galleries and other things. Lots of small outdoor markets, street food vendors, etc. The promoter, Henk, did not show up until 17:30 and we had a lot of hassles with the trying to get it sorted with getting in to set up, getting the other gear off the stage, etc. The lady who did the lights was super nice and helpful though. Soundman Rasmus, a Dane, was super cool and professional and we got on great with him. We were mostly set up with the gear when he arrived. I was so happy and surprised when Brad from Pothead walked in the door right when we were sound checking. I only had a few minutes to give him a hug and say hello and show him my modular synth. He said he had obligations but would try to come back for the show (I don’t think he made it). Sound checks, as usual on this tour took too long even though this was the fastest on the tour for ØSC. BMC are always pretty fast unless Øyvin has problem with the bass. It is never the guitar or me or Simon for some reason. Always the bass??? For ØSC it is often problems with the bass as well.
Mountain Dust from Canada were nice and relaxed guys. A four piece band and we shared gear except they used their own guitar amps. Due to the late start, the show start was pushed back from 20 to 21:30. Henk, had lots of drinks in the backstage, fruit, veggies, some strange spreads, bread, cheese breads and some sausages. We all thought this was the get in food but there was nothing else provided. People were pretty unhappy about this and we had to go out and buy our own dinner. Not a big deal 5-6€ for some decent street food was possible around here. Mountain Dust played a sort of heavier version of Cadillac 3, with a guy playing organ and lap steel (on top of the organ), guitar, bass and drums. They had some great songs but I did not hear the whole show, as I needed to rest my ears. They played about 40mins.
BMC hit the stage pretty fast after they cleared off their gear and we opened with American Eagle, which had only been played once on the tour. Then into Barnard’s Loop which was a heavy hypnotic one and I had a few synth freakouts!! Finally we closed with the mighty Warp Speed, which blew people away. My friend Nick, the guitar player from Elder was there with his girlfriend right up in the front. It was a powerful show and the light lady said it was orgasmic! Wow. Mogens also thought it was our best set yet and said that we 4 were like just made to play together. He was blown away. We got a multitrack recording thanks to Jonathan and the sound guy Rasmus.
https://archive.org/details/BMC2018-06-02.FLAC
The ØSC started about midnight I think and played until 1:45 or so. It was a powerful set as well that started off really spaced out. There were about 80 people I guess total. Officially it was 76 paid. Anyway, we had a great dynamic and since the sound was so good on the stage we played killer. Great solos from Jonathan and Vemund and Tim just killed it once again. Mogens played one just mindblowing synth solo. Wow. and one cannot forget Jiri, the musical leader of the band on the stage, who is the solid rock and foundation with Tim. Amazing every night!!! Killer show and people were really really into it. We had great feedback from everyone at the club and promoter as well. It was very late when we finally got to the hostel at 3:45 and then it took 15mins to sort out the rooms only to find out Henk had only booked 6 beds so there was a lot of hassles and in the end I had to pay 47€ plus 10 for the key cards (only on was returned)… Fuck… not cool at all. BMC did get 30€ from Henk and he said he had booked 9 and they fucked up, not him. Great end of the tour. We met at 11 and said goodbye as I headed off to the airport in a taxi for my flight back to Portugal. Wow……. Thanks guys.. it is just one of the greatest bands on earth. How many bands can get up on the stage and jam for 2hrs every night and keep it creative and interesting and rocking!! Not many…
https://archive.org/details/OSC2018-06-02.FLAC1
CD Artwork
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Pictures by Sabine
Dr Space
Jiri and Jonathan
Jiri and Jonathan 2
Jiri and Jonathan 3
Vemund
From the back
Jiri and Jonathan 4
Dr Space praises audience
From the back 2