Day 6 – Dresden (Beatpol)

We had a real good van day today. A nasty 6 hour drive was helped with 2 great films. First we watched Just Friends, a classic rom-com that was enjoyed by everyone. I’d give it a solid 8.5. Then we went a bit more serious and watched Hannibal. Sean had wanted that film for days so we thought it would be a good one to watch.

When we arrived we were met with, by far, the best selection of cheese and ham on the entire tour. So says James anyway. We had been telling the Dupec boys about the banquet that the Beatpol puts on for bands. The last time we played in Dresden there was only 5 of us and the venue had made enough food for about 15 people. After wolfing down as much food as we possibly could some of the plates still hadn’t even been touched. This time we were determined to do better with the 10 of us. They made us all sorts of fantastic food and thankfully we did a lot better this time round. … weiter lesen

Nach ihren ersten Erfahrungen in Hamburg besuchten unsere Lieblingsschotten von We Were Promised Jetpacks Münster, Köln und Wiesbaden…

DAY 3 – Münster (Gleiss 22)

Today’s drive from Hamburg to Münster was quite a long one so we all got settled into the back of the van and watched a few movies. The layout of our van means that only 5 or 6 people can see the TV. Unfortunately I got to the van a wee bit late and had to sit in the rubbish seats with no telly. While the rest of the people in the back watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, I set up the laptop and watched Law Abiding Citizen. A bit of a ridiculous film but it was an entertaining watch! When that was done, I took control of my Leeds … weiter lesen

Pünktlich zu Ostern und kurz vor seinem Auftritt im Berliner Ramones-Museum legt unser liebster Whitetrashgaragecountrypunk Dan Sartain die zwei Tafeln mit den 14 Geboten auf die Heilige Lade des Popblogs:

1. Dan Sartain’s eyeballs are mostly white accept for a brown circle with a black center in the middle.

2. Dan Sartain wears between size 9 and 9 1/2 shoes.

3. Dan Sartain knows that a size nine shoe can still stomp a new mud-hole in your ass (should a new mud hole be needed).

4. Dan Sartain’s penis is erect when he wakes up EVERY morning.

5. Dan Sartain doesn’t exactly know what a Leninist is, however he considers himself a John Leninist. … weiter lesen

Hamburg.

I seem to remember going to bed at around 6.30 in Berlin and leaving for Hamburg at 12. By the time we arrive delirium had taken hold.

We were welcomed by a beautiful TV presenter who surprised us by interviewing us in the back of a Limo that drives around the Binnen-Alster, an artificial lake, past the banks, fancy hotels and designer shops of the downtown district as we talk.

But oh ‘tis a life of extremes this touring game… half an hour later we were sitting on the Reeperbahn in the rain waiting for the venue, Molotov, to open. The Reeperbahn is a long strip of sex shops, bars and fast food restaurants, and one street away is the red light district. The place is full of tourists visiting a wax works that has the worst model of Robbie Williams that I have ever seen in its window. In fact it’s the only wax model of Robbie I’ve ever seen. But it’s still shit. … weiter lesen

Berlin.

So it’s raining in Berlin. Lots and lots of rain. So what can a band do!!
Well first we get some amazing curried sausage and chips. It’s totally true that the fine people of Germany love sausage, and they have the best curry powder a man could wish for. Lawrence also commented on how good German mens beards were and a whole table of German gents who spoke fluent English heard him. It was pretty embarrassing cause he had full face make up on and they clearly thought he was cracking on to them. What’s a boy to do!!

… weiter lesen

Munich.

We left Cologne at 6 am. Yes folks, 6am. This was what we tend to call in the music industry “a little early for my liking,” but we were terribly mature and stoical about it and only cried for the first 10 minutes of the 7 hour drive.

Having slept for a few hours we watched Bavaria roll by, the countryside is beautiful, even in the rain. The villages look like cartoon illustrations. All of the houses are enormous. How can everyone afford to live in enormous houses like this? We are told that these Bavarians are a rather conservative bunch.

In between radio sessions in the afternoon we visit the Hofbrauhaus (for those of you who don’t know, this is basically a big vaulted hall where tourists get lashed and pretend to themselves that they’re having an authentic Bavarian experience.) Without shame we succumb to the ritual of drinking 2 litres of lager in 45 minutes and eating cabbage whilst an obese man with a moustache plays the tuba in the corner.

… weiter lesen

Unsere I Predict A Riot – Freunde von Official Secrets Act erzählen von ihrer ersten Deutschland-Tournee:

Cologne.

We arrived late on Monday night and stayed in an Etap. Yes, they are just as shit here as everywhere else. But we awoke this morning and pulled the curtains only to see a gleaming glass tower stacked with Smart Cars. What? Towers of mini robot cars and an easy clean bathroom fashioned out of moulded plastic? Have I died and gone to futurist heaven? Well… Its an industrial estate in west Germany. So, I suppose the answer is: yes we have.
… weiter lesen

Wenn das Popblog schon die Duloks-Tour präsentiert, wollen wir doch auch wissen, wie es den drei Mädchen auf ihrer ersten größeren Deutschland-Tour auch gefallen hat. Teil Zwei beginnt übrigens dieser Tage:

*11.Nov.2008, Zum Teufel, Heidelberg
*12.Nov.2008, Café King, München
*13.Nov.2008, Hafen 2, Offenbach
*14.Nov.2008, Münster,
*15.Nov.2008, ARM, Kassel

… weiter lesen

Gerade eben waren Tord Øverland Knudsen (Bass), Dan Haggis (Schlagzeug) und Matthew “Murph” Murphy (Gesang und Gitarre) von den Wombats auf Tour in Deutschland unterwegs. Ihre Platte „A Guide to Love, Loss and Desperation“ schaffte es auf Platz 11 der britischen Albumcharts. Und irgendwie kriegt man so das Gefühl das es sich hierbei nicht um ein Märchen im Stile der Arctic Monkeys handelt.

Just for the Craic

Craic heißt soviel wie ‘enjoyable time spent with other people, especially when the conversation is entertaining and amusing’. Kann man sich schon vorstellen, dass die Wombats aus Liverpool das ernst meinen. Lieber auf “what scientists believe to be the longest and most excruciating UK tour known to rock” unterwegs, anstatt sich den Kopf drüber zu zerbrechen wie es denn bloß weiter gehen soll mit der Karriere. Platte in Japan raus bringen? Geiler Scheiß, machen wir. Auch wenn sie damals gar keinen wirklichen Plattenvertrag… weiter lesen

Als es das Internet noch nicht gab, liebe junge Leser, waren die Fanzines das Äquivalent zu den Bloggs, die von unten über die da oben auf den Bühnen berichteten. Natürlich gibt es immer noch Fanzines, wenn auch deutlich weniger im gedruckten Format – nichts desto trotz fünf Fanzinemacher über ihre Songs des Jahres: … weiter lesen