FinnDave Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 We (the Grateful Dudes) are on a little trip just now. Four of us met up at Folkestone yesterday morning, travelled through the channel tunnel and then drove for 13 hours to reach the town of Plauen in Germany. It is on what was the GDR, not far from Leipzig and Dresden (and Prague). Interesting drive with the four of us plus gear for six, but not amps or drum kits as they are being supplied. Lot of traffic, frequent hold ups as today is a holiday in most of Europe. Sleeping two to a room in the centre of town, we will go to the venue, the Malzhaus, this afternoon to set up and sound check. The two remaining Dudes will be flying in this evening and hopefully will make it in time for the first of our three evenings playing here at the Playing in the Band festival. Looking forward to meeting the German heads and other musicians that will be here. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 sounds great, would love to play in Europe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 That area around Leipzig and Dresden is a great part of the world. I have some friends from that part of Germany, I love going over to visit them and experiencing their culture. Lots of fantastic people there. If you can, try to get to see Halle, Leipzig and especially Dresden when you're not on duty. The trains are quick, cheap and reliable. Enjoy your trip, it sounds like it could be a great adventure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 Enjoy it. My band are heading to Hamburg on Wednesday for a short run of dates in that area. Love playing in Europe, so very different to gigging in the UK. Next time you're going through the tunnel, get yourself to the burger stand in the parking area (where you queue to drive ion to the train) and treat yourself to a 'dog and egg'. Perfect way to set yourself up for the journey!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 (edited) - Edited March 3, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 If you have an interest in WW2 Colditz Castle isn’t far from Leipzig. We went there a few years back when we played in Halle and I was so chuffed that my hobby enabled me to visit I place I’d read about for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 23 minutes ago, Jus Lukin said: What a long strange trip that will be! I find that getting out of the UK is always a pleasant lesson in just how little respect musicians get over here. Enjoy! Quite, it’s really a different world the way we get treated overseas, proper meals, drinks all night be they alcohol, soft drinks or tea/coffee, plus thank yous at the end of the night for playing. And many promoters also book accommodation for the bands as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dov65 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 1 hour ago, Lozz196 said: If you have an interest in WW2 Colditz Castle isn’t far from Leipzig. We went there a few years back when we played in Halle and I was so chuffed that my hobby enabled me to visit I place I’d read about for years. Stayed overnight in Colditz 2 years ago heading down towards Brno for MotoGP. Some very clever p.o.w in what they made especially the glider upstairs, worth a look & makes you wonder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 (edited) - Edited March 3, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted May 30, 2019 Author Share Posted May 30, 2019 I wish we had time to visit Colditz, that would really be something. Treated very well so far, the festival has put us up in a fine hotel in the centre of town. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBike Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 7 hours ago, FinnDave said: We (the Grateful Dudes) are on a little trip just now. Four of us met up at Folkestone yesterday morning, travelled through the channel tunnel and then drove for 13 hours to reach the town of Plauen in Germany. It is on what was the GDR, not far from Leipzig and Dresden (and Prague). Interesting drive with the four of us plus gear for six, but not amps or drum kits as they are being supplied. Lot of traffic, frequent hold ups as today is a holiday in most of Europe. I've driven the E40/A4 a few times, but usually did that Dresden bit in the dark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigman Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 (edited) 9 hours ago, Lozz196 said: Quite, it’s really a different world the way we get treated overseas, proper meals, drinks all night be they alcohol, soft drinks or tea/coffee, plus thank yous at the end of the night for playing. And many promoters also book accommodation for the bands as well. Aye - that's why we play almost all our gigs on the continent. Northern France, Belgium and Holland we drive to, taking our own backline - promoters put us up, with our own rooms, in Holiday Inn style hotels - we get at least one proper meal a day thrown in - on top of the hotel breakfast. In the rest of Europe we fly, the promoter pays for flights, minimum 3* hotels with our own rooms and hires backline and drum kit (as close as our tech rider specifies)..we're always picked up from the airport and returned to the airport in ample time to fly home, as well as bussed around between, hotel and venue, radio if required etc....last month, while in Italy,we were even taken on a detour to the leaning tower of Pisa rather than going straight to the airport. Every gig seems to have more beer and whisky and soft drinks and water than we can consume. It almost feels like being proper rock stars! We're flying to Berlin next weekend where we'll get bussed down to Leipzig to play at Wave Gotik Treffen - headlining Haus Leipzig on the last night of the festival (Mon 10). Edited May 30, 2019 by Twigman 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 My former covers band did some gigs in Munich three years on the trot: http://lightning.tauzero.org.uk/munich.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 Great to hear! Enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikNik Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Toured Europe many times as a tech and have a fondness for Germany and Denmark especially. Everything Twigman says, two posts abovd, is spot-on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted May 31, 2019 Author Share Posted May 31, 2019 So far, I can only agree with the above, we’ve been treated very well by both promoters and audience. As a result we played a cracking couple of sets last night, but I was surprised to find it was quarter to three in the morning when we finished! Walked back through the deserted town centre to our hotel, about ten minutes, and slept well. We are playing nothing twice over the three nights, so a different set tonight, and it looks very strong, looking forward to playing it. We’re first on tonight, so might get back to the hotel before midnight. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petebassist Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Sounds amazing - I bet those dead-heads are great fun to hang out with. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Sounds amazing! Enjoy the remaining gigs! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted June 1, 2019 Author Share Posted June 1, 2019 One more (Saturday) night to play - we opened the festival on Thursday and tonight we close it, followed by a few hours sleep and an early start for the 850 or so Km drive to Calais, with another 150 miles in my own car from Folkestone to home. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted June 1, 2019 Share Posted June 1, 2019 Sounds brilliant Dave. Hopefully you will post some VID clips of the gig for us jealous musicians in UK. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 My goodness I'm deeply envious of all this. Compared with poor pay, changing in toilets, sleeping in cars, being ripped off, sounds like a different world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 On 31/05/2019 at 08:17, FinnDave said: We are playing nothing twice over the three nights, so a different set tonight, Well 'Dark Star' on it's own sorts one night... 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 Got home just before one last night, after a 17 1/2 hour drive* - mostly as a passenger as keyboard player drove us from Plauen to Calais, then I collected my car in Folkestone and completed the journey. Great week, starting from our Hebden Bridge gig on the Bank Holiday Sunday and finishing the following Saturday with our third consecutive night in Plauen. Back to normal life today, though. * In Grateful Dead terms - that's at least three Dark Stars AND a Playing in the Band! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 Darn it. Listed to a couple of versions and now I'm stuck with a 'Dark Star' earworm. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 Hebden Bridge? Was that the Trades Club - those steps aren't much fun when it's raining!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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