Hi There,
As you might see, since the new website is online I'm getting more and more into writing blogs. Hope you enjoy reading them as much as I do writing them. I'm once again on a train, best time to write a new one.
I think I did the last blog entry after the shows in St-Gall and Flawil. One week later we were on stage again - so I think I'm going to start there...
On Saturday (23rd) we were booked to perform at a birthday party. I wasn't feeling very well as I caught a cold a few days before. I hope there aren't any children reading this blog, but I'm honest. I was worried as I was supposed to play at a festival near Cologne (GER) on Sunday, so I had to protect my voice somehow - it probably wasn't the best thing to do, but it helped: Right before going on stage I drank a Vodka shot - no, it wasn't Vodka, although I requested it, don't remember what it was. But it helped. We were supposed to play around 9.30pm, but it was postponed to 10.30pm and again to 11pm. I had an extremely bad mood when performing the first songs and I knew that only a few people were listening. We were performing during the dessert, so I actually understood everyone who was talking to eachother instead of listening to the music. After 2 songs I said to Claudio and Orlando that I would stop and go to the buffet to get some dessert as well. I already had some delicious stuff on my plate when someone called me and told me to play... well... we were booked, so we had to do what we were told. The second part went better fortunately and people started listening, singing and clapping - the more they drank, the better it became...
That night, after the performance, we had a lot of trouble with some people, but finally got home at around 2am. Orlando knew he had to get up around 4.30am to catch the plane to the US. I had to get up at 5am to take the train to Cologne.
Fortunately, I felt much better on Sunday, the cold was nearly gone. I drank a lot of tea while travelling, wrapped up my neck in a scarf and read Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". On the train from Basel to Mannheim two ladies with huge suitcases wanted to board the train. They asked me to help with their luggage. They joined me in the compartment and asked me about my plans. I told them I would perform at a festival in Cologne this day. They asked me what kind of music I would do, so I took out my guitar and played a song for them. I love that... Spontaneous "train sessions". Those of you who know me, know, that I love trains - and execising my passion on a train is like killing two birds with one stone. I could tell you a lot of stories...
Last year I took the night train from Hamburg to Paris. In the compartment I met a wonderful girl from Mexico. I invited her for a beer in the bord bistro and there we found out that both of us like the music of Peter Gabriel. Back in the compartment I played my first "concert" on a train. Once in Germany I was the only person in the coach and I took out my guitar to practice a new song that I wanted to play at the concert in Ulm that night. Unfortunatlely, the train guard didn't like it and wanted to throw me out of the train. I offered him to play a song only for him, but that drove him even more crazy, so I put the guitar back into its case.
The two ladies on the Train to Mannheim liked it and no guard wanted to throw me out.
After I passed Frankfurt Airport the weather changed, from sunshine to heavy rain. As I was aware that the concert would take place outside, I was hoping for the sun to shine in Cologne - it didn't work. A friend picked me up at Rösrath train station and we walked to the castle. I had a lot of fun on stage, despite the rain. Even sang the chorus of "Singing in the Rain". Although I wrote a setlist for the show, I didn't use it. I pretty much played what came into my mind. I think at every concert since we released "Fine Lines at Dawn", the song "The Whole World" was a part of the set. In Rösrath I forgot it and I wouldn't have played it if not someone in the audience requested it.
The whole concert was the complete difference of the night before. I felt really happy to be there and to play for those people. I also knew that most of the people were listening - some were even singing the lyrics with me. Those are the concerts that give me the energy to do the other shows as well.
You hardly never know how a show will turn out. It depends on so many things... My own mood, the energy in the audience, the atmosphere of the venue, the town, the people, etc.
I'm looking forward to doing the shows in Klosters, Trier and the two shows in England this month.
But first I'm heading to the studio in Nürnberg DE on Friday to record a new... thing. I'll also be in the studio with a good friend of mine next week, we're gonna record a song for this... thing. Afterwards I'll be living a hobo life until August. Hope to meet a lot of friends all over Europe. Gonna do some promotion etc. - I don't think I'll be bored. Afterwards I'll be relaxing in Spain for some days, across the ocean, across the sea.
Just a few days after returning to Switzerland we will again be one of the headliners of the St. Gallerfest. We had an incredible show there last summer. So if you're around, join us: August 17th, 8.30pm.
I'm just having an idea for a new song, better stop writing this blog now and find the notebook and a pencil.
See ya'll..... Gion x
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