Mysterious white Swiss cat. Dudingen, Switzerland.
Takin notes and keepin tabs on the road with Balmorhea from 2008-2013. Check out the archive for Aisha's previous European and American tours.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Monday
I failed to acknowledge that two posts ago, Touring Tales reached its 100th post! I feel like some small celebration should be had. I should be like google and try to recognize a festive occasion by redesigning my logo or something to feature small balloons of assorted colors. But that takes time and I don't realllly care that much. So just pretend that something special has occurred, okay?
Well, since my last post, we have left Switzerland and are in the middle of our second day in Italy. We drove through the Swiss Alps, which are still the most incredible piece of nature I have ever seen. I couldn't have imagined mountains so high.
We took a ferry through them. Yes, a ferry. You drive your van onto this large metal cart that's something similar to the shell of a train. Then the long line of parked cars is driven through a pitch black tunnel for about 15 minutes, after which the train stops and you drive away squinting.
I'm not sure what the point of such a tunnel is, but I will say that if it saves you from winding through instense switchback curves at ridiculous angles, it is worth it.
The show last night was so fun. I think it's possibly the best we've played on this tour. Andrew said we rocked out more than usual. He also said I was headbanging in one song, but I don't believe him. He has been so fun to travel with, not to mention incredibly helpful in making us sound great, even on tiny little sound systems. Magic Man. I think we've all loved hearing Merryl songs most nights. I'm trying to convince him to play Hemlock Football and let us sing with him on stage. He said maybe, but I think between the five of us who love that song, we can break him.
Well, we're currently hanging out in the venue we'll perform in tonight. There are probably, and quite literally, 100 bottles of wine on the wall. The lady who runs the place is awesome. She has a dry sarcastic humor delivered with such a straight face. It's hilarious. So is this deaf fluffy grey cat that likes us, but releases such a scratchy pathetic meow. I think she's my new favorite feline of this tour. I think I like her more than the grumpy orange 22 year old Swiss cat. Yes, 22 years old. Alright. That is all for today friends. Maybe some pictures later. Someone leave a comment and tell me something about what's going on in America other than all the Nobel Peace Prize talk. p.s. it is true that people all over the world love Obama. It's pretty cool.
Well, since my last post, we have left Switzerland and are in the middle of our second day in Italy. We drove through the Swiss Alps, which are still the most incredible piece of nature I have ever seen. I couldn't have imagined mountains so high.
We took a ferry through them. Yes, a ferry. You drive your van onto this large metal cart that's something similar to the shell of a train. Then the long line of parked cars is driven through a pitch black tunnel for about 15 minutes, after which the train stops and you drive away squinting.
I'm not sure what the point of such a tunnel is, but I will say that if it saves you from winding through instense switchback curves at ridiculous angles, it is worth it.
The show last night was so fun. I think it's possibly the best we've played on this tour. Andrew said we rocked out more than usual. He also said I was headbanging in one song, but I don't believe him. He has been so fun to travel with, not to mention incredibly helpful in making us sound great, even on tiny little sound systems. Magic Man. I think we've all loved hearing Merryl songs most nights. I'm trying to convince him to play Hemlock Football and let us sing with him on stage. He said maybe, but I think between the five of us who love that song, we can break him.
Well, we're currently hanging out in the venue we'll perform in tonight. There are probably, and quite literally, 100 bottles of wine on the wall. The lady who runs the place is awesome. She has a dry sarcastic humor delivered with such a straight face. It's hilarious. So is this deaf fluffy grey cat that likes us, but releases such a scratchy pathetic meow. I think she's my new favorite feline of this tour. I think I like her more than the grumpy orange 22 year old Swiss cat. Yes, 22 years old. Alright. That is all for today friends. Maybe some pictures later. Someone leave a comment and tell me something about what's going on in America other than all the Nobel Peace Prize talk. p.s. it is true that people all over the world love Obama. It's pretty cool.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Friday
Hey and hello!
It is 3:42 in the morning, and I know I should be sleeping but for some reason I'm up and anxious about updating. Mostly, I just haven't written anyone all week. So I thought I'd post a few things just to let you guys know that I'm alive and well.
I'm sitting on the floor next to an impressive pile of books in our friend Jacques' apartment. After the show tonight, we drove thirty mintues from Geneva, Switzerland to Lausanne. I can't really think anymore, so I'm telling this story completely out of order. But I'll just say that the place we played was crazy. So huge! We were the first band in the "Festival of Obscure Music,"...I'm not really sure what to say about that. Perhaps being obscure is more cool in Europe than it is in America. The night started with strange acrobats performing, followed by a man doing flips in and around the largest hulahoop I've ever seen, with the grand finale of two girls submurged in "aqua tanks" flipping around, waving their arms and looking creepy. yes. an aqua tank. So strange.
I guess I don't need to say that we felt out of place.
However, somehow people showed up and things went pretty well, save for a slight butchering of Harm & Boone...but we recovered. Friends we made from our last trip to Switzerland came to our show and offered to house us. And it's always fun to stay with friends, which is what brought us to Lausanne. The boys went with the promoters of our show in the spring and Nicole and I left with Jacques and his sister Vanessa. The faint sound of techno beats are sifting through the floor. Jacques' place is just above a night club, but it's cosy, especially with this adorable little kitten running around. It's been so fun hanging out. I thought I'd never see these guys again, so it's been great to spend the day with them.
anyhow. sleep beckons. In the morning, Nicole and I are going to a flea market to dig for some treasures. ! so excited
-aisha
It is 3:42 in the morning, and I know I should be sleeping but for some reason I'm up and anxious about updating. Mostly, I just haven't written anyone all week. So I thought I'd post a few things just to let you guys know that I'm alive and well.
I'm sitting on the floor next to an impressive pile of books in our friend Jacques' apartment. After the show tonight, we drove thirty mintues from Geneva, Switzerland to Lausanne. I can't really think anymore, so I'm telling this story completely out of order. But I'll just say that the place we played was crazy. So huge! We were the first band in the "Festival of Obscure Music,"...I'm not really sure what to say about that. Perhaps being obscure is more cool in Europe than it is in America. The night started with strange acrobats performing, followed by a man doing flips in and around the largest hulahoop I've ever seen, with the grand finale of two girls submurged in "aqua tanks" flipping around, waving their arms and looking creepy. yes. an aqua tank. So strange.
I guess I don't need to say that we felt out of place.
However, somehow people showed up and things went pretty well, save for a slight butchering of Harm & Boone...but we recovered. Friends we made from our last trip to Switzerland came to our show and offered to house us. And it's always fun to stay with friends, which is what brought us to Lausanne. The boys went with the promoters of our show in the spring and Nicole and I left with Jacques and his sister Vanessa. The faint sound of techno beats are sifting through the floor. Jacques' place is just above a night club, but it's cosy, especially with this adorable little kitten running around. It's been so fun hanging out. I thought I'd never see these guys again, so it's been great to spend the day with them.
anyhow. sleep beckons. In the morning, Nicole and I are going to a flea market to dig for some treasures. ! so excited
-aisha
Things have been so busy! But fun. I have about 2 minutes to try and write this blog before Michael comes back up stairs and hurriedly rounds us up to hop into the van. However, I will tell you that we had a delayed passage through the Swiss border which involved paying quite a heavy amount of taxes on our cds. The show last night was great and hanging out at Tribehaus, the venue, has been so fun. We slept in a room full of bunk beds and stayed up till 2am hangin out in our little lounge. band apartments are grand.
ok. I will leave you now and run out into the rainy cold.
until next time my friend!
-aisha
ok. I will leave you now and run out into the rainy cold.
until next time my friend!
-aisha
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Annd we're back.
After much debate, I've decided to attempt to keep a blog for Balmorhea's second European Tour. You've caught me in the middle of a redesign. It's alright starting to bug me, but bare with me here for a few days. Anyhow, my vow to myself and to you is to try and keep it short. We'll see how that goes...
Today has felt incredibly long. We hardly slept on the plane (except for Travis) and have been pretty tired most of the day, stealing little naps wherever we can get them. 10 hour plane ride + 6 hour time travel to the future + driving around + playing a show has made for an exhausting day. Andrew Hernandez is joining us for this tour, doing double duty performing as Meryll and our sound guy. It's so fun already having him around. I'm pretty excited about it all.
Tonight's show was alright. The first show of the tour is never my favorite, but we'll be great after a good night's sleep I'm convinced. We are packed in tight to a small apartment, owned by a gracious host. We haven't had good sleep in over 24 hours (perhaps 36 according to Travis). It's time for bed. I'm sharing a bed with Nicole. Hope she doesn't steal the covers (she does that sometimes)!
gnight,
-aisha
Today has felt incredibly long. We hardly slept on the plane (except for Travis) and have been pretty tired most of the day, stealing little naps wherever we can get them. 10 hour plane ride + 6 hour time travel to the future + driving around + playing a show has made for an exhausting day. Andrew Hernandez is joining us for this tour, doing double duty performing as Meryll and our sound guy. It's so fun already having him around. I'm pretty excited about it all.
Tonight's show was alright. The first show of the tour is never my favorite, but we'll be great after a good night's sleep I'm convinced. We are packed in tight to a small apartment, owned by a gracious host. We haven't had good sleep in over 24 hours (perhaps 36 according to Travis). It's time for bed. I'm sharing a bed with Nicole. Hope she doesn't steal the covers (she does that sometimes)!
gnight,
-aisha
Feel Free to Follow Along..
| Steinbruch | Duisburg, Germany | ||
| Le Clou | Nancy, France | ||
| Treibhaus | Luzern, Switzerland | ||
| Usine | Geneva, Switzerland | ||
| Bad Bonn | Düdingen, Switzerland | ||
| Porcupine | Ariano Nel Polesine, Italy | ||
| Clandestino | Faenza, Italy | ||
| L’Mono | Bilbao, Spain | ||
| Siroco | Madrid, Spain | ||
| Teatro De Faro | Faro, Portugal | ||
| Rincon Don Pio | Don Benito, Spain | ||
| Veneno Stereo | Castellon, Spain | ||
| Teatro Arbolé | Zaragoza, Spain | ||
| La Centrifugeuse | Pau, France | ||
| T´Smiske | Asse, Belgium | ||
| Ekko | Utrecht, Netherlands | ||
| Café Video | Ghent, Belgium |
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