I guess I started this blog preemptively on the last one. The travel day getting here was pretty harsh. I still haven’t quite figured out why we did the 9-hour ferry, vs the 2-hour ferry with a similar drive, but oh well.
May 30
Köln, Germany
I came to Köln on a trip with my family when I was about 13. I have 1000 stories from that trip. And my mom, dad and brother and I still laugh about a lot that happened on that insane undertaking! (My dad decided to drive! Soooo there is that!)
One of the funnier stories of the trip slipped my mind until I came back to this amazing city on my Heartache and Hilarity solo tour a few years ago.
I think this was like 1985 (funny), so there were no iPhones or Mapquest, or even the internet. So somehow my parents navigated us around 5 countries without killing each other, and sometimes even got us to where we were supposed to be going!
Our hotel in Köln, they said, would be easy to find because it is right across from a huge “dome.” My dad stopped and asked several times, and the people would be friendly enough and say, “Yes, yes…Look for the dome!!” The entire trip was so much like European Vacation that I often wondered if someone had been listening in to our conversations!
It took almost 4 hours to find our hotel. We were within a 2 square mile space, and never found the DOME…Because there isn’t a DOME! In fact, we had been literally driving around the Dom Cathedral and it’s two huge towers all day! We had even gotten out of the car and taken photos. Probably standing in front of our hotel…Never putting together that dome = Dom in German.
Annnnyyyywaaayyyyyy….
If you saw the photos we posted on Instagram, or read my initial post, we were absolutely blown away by the response in Germany.
Honestly, these shows wouldn’t have ever happened if it weren’t for two things.
The festivals we have coming up taking a chance on a band that has never actually played in their respective countries
Less Than Jake agreeing to do them with us so we weren’t out on an island alone!
It was an absolutely beautiful day. The sun was shining but in that sorta “California way” that we Texans don’t get much of. In fact, we found ourselves sitting outside most of the day and getting some much-needed Vitamin D.
Tonight was going to be interesting. You see, when we booked these shows with Less Than Jake, we assumed they would headline. Meaning, they would play LAST! After us! But, when I saw the line-up, we were to play last. And no one seemed concerned about it whatsoever!
The band Beauty School opened both of these German shows. They are a UK band. Really good and lovely lads as well. The singer might have the longest warm-up in the history of pop punk, but it works for them…So fuck it!
Watching Less Than Jake is always uplifting for us. We have loved this band for so long and now are just like family. I don’t even think we hug every time we see each other anymore. Which is weird. But I think it always just seems like we just saw one another!
The crowd was amazing. The place was packed. And I was anxious to see how it would go.
Rob and I agreed, if half these people stay, and a few know some words to Girl All The Bad Guys Want, we will be happy!
Well, EVERYONE stayed. And they didn’t just know that song. They knew EVERY song! I swear, and if you know me, you know this to be something that would happen, when they sang at the start of Two Seater, a non-single, UK and US fan favorite, I almost cried. I full on had to choke back tears.
The show was HOT! Like, UK, no AC, zero air moving hot! But the energy and the happiness was overwhelming. I walked into the dressing room after the show and said to the guys…
“I guess we just tour Germany now?”
May 31
Munich, Germany
I had to eat my words.
Our agent, Ed, and I were talking after the first Slam Dunk show.
He was surprised when I said, “This will probably be our last trip to Mainland, Europe.”
“Why?” Ed asked.
“Because the logistics have gotten out of control with the movement of gear…And it is SO expensive…And frankly, the ticket sales in Germany are not great!”
“Well, I think Munich will be good.” He was taken aback. Maybe we were drunk.
“We will see man. But I think we are just destined to be a UK band over here.”
After the show in Köln, I sent him a text. I posted on all my social media that I was wrong. I don’t know how this happened, but we showed up in Germany after not playing here for 15 or so years, and people knew us! They knew the songs! They knew what we looked like…And they LIKED it!
I always admit when I am wrong! And sometimes, it makes me happy!
AEG is one of our promoters, along with Live Nation and a few others throughout the world. AEG has bought up a bunch of venues all over the place and called the Back Stage. You always know you will be taken care of when you get one of them in the States. Munich is no different! The venue was SUPER cool and clean. Staff was awesome. Accommodations were dope! Again, it was a beautiful day. I could get used to Germany in May!
We played after Beauty School. The crowd was absolutely AMAZING!! They picked up right where Köln left off! I tip-toed during the banter both nights. I asked if they could understand me. They did. I tried some German words. I failed! I apparently said we were a group of “American Eggs”…To which they laughed.
We had to leave directly after the show. Regulations for drivers work differently over here. After a certain amount of driving, the bus MUST stop for 45 hours to give the driver adequate rest. So we had to leave immediately and park at the Slam Dunk Italy site. We will be here through tonight and tomorrow's event. Then heading for another day off somewhere. Haha. These days off are so strange! But I am getting used to them!
At least we get to hang at the show tonight! Zebrahead, Destroy Boys, and Sum 41 are playing. Not too shabby for a day off hang!
Love ya’ll
Jaret