What began with a chance meeting with Ulrik Rasmussen in The Vine, Cheltenham on 30 October 2011, resulted in an experience of a lifetime through Europe for Stressechoes. Since that time, we have been preparing ourselves and practising a selection of our own songs and a bunch of covers ready for the show hosted by Ulrik in Berlin in September 2012, as well as a number of shows on the way to Berlin and back.
After months of practising and hard work, the four of us were set to embark on our first ever tour, and our first ever gigs abroad. What followed was a week full of experiences, long journeys, exciting opportunities, beer drinking, intense gigging, and meeting interesting people.
Day 1
We all met at my garage at 6:00am on Saturday 15th September 2012 to load the cars with all of our equipment and to have a cheeky energy drink, then we set off Folkstone bound.
We all slowly woke up as the sun shone over the Cotswolds and the M25 respectivley and we're greeted by a fleet of air baloons, which wofted scarily close to the road.
After 35 minutes, we had landed in France, which then lead to the drive to Brugge.
After we had unloaded all of the equipment in the Snuffel Hostel in Brugge, we made our way to the bustling city centre.
Naturally, we found a quaint bar and chilled out after the long journey with a few beers, which came free with a small, yet questionable, pot of shrimps. We then made our way back to the hostel and set up our equipment ready for our first show of the tour.
The gig itself was witnessed by a handful of locals, a group of travelling Australians and a bunch of English guys from Bournemouth. It went down well, and the reception from the crowd was good. Despite a couple of blips due to tiredness, we played well and retired to the adjacent storage room for some band pizza and beer. By this point, we were all exhusted and eventually made our way to our shared dorm room for a much needed sleep ready for another drive the next day.
**
Day 2
After the obligatory showers and breakfast, we loaded up the cars, stocked up on water and energy drinks for the journey and set back on the road again, Cologne bound.
As the drive went on, the weather seemed to brighten up, which in turn lifted our weary spirits ready for entering Germany. The excitment really kicked in as we approcahed Cologne and the city lay outstretched before us.
Once inside the city limits, we negotiated our way through the heavy traffic and criss crossing trams until we had found The Black Sheep Hostel where we were staying. This Hostel, out of view from the rest of the city, was really welcoming and was decked out with charming imaginative names for the seperate dorms. For example, there was the Ocean Dorm decorated with a huge illusration of waves and boats, and the Dragon Dorm decorated in a similar fashion. Our room, the Sheep Dorm, was complete with big pictures of sheep as well as a large selection of postcards from all over the world depicting different sheep, hmmmmmm.
After we had inspected the room, we treated ourselves to a schnitzel each and a beer, then headed to the venue we were to be performing at that evening, The Boogaloo Bar. At first glance, the stage that had been provided looked too small for us and all of our equipment, which was worrying. However, after we had had a sneaky beer at the Beirgarten, we returned and managed to cram everything onto the stage.
**Day 3
As we had a long drive ahead of us, it was another early start the next day. So we grabbed some breakfast bagettes and set back out on the road again, waving a teary goodbye to Cologne.
It was on this day that we encountered the infamous German Autobahns and the odd service station Bratwurst along the way.
We eventually ended up at the ICC Conference Centre in Berlin in the early evening of Monday 17th September 2012 to establish our stage set up for the following few days' shows. When we arrived, we had our first glimpse of the conference itself and Ulrik's consession that we would be performing upon. It was here that we also met Fleming, and Pascal, who would be assisting us during the next few days.
Following this, we made our way to the Albergo Hotel that Annika had booked for us for the week. The hotel rooms were fantastic, luxurious and full of commodities, such as a safe in every room and mini bar. We had been spoiled!
After we had sussed out our amazing rooms, we all met at the Italian resturant situated next door to our hotel for some half price steaks, salads and, er, beers. We then all round down and went to bed after a long day of travelling.
**
Before sleep, I had a quick butchers at some of the German television on offer and stumbled across a show dedicated to showcasing local bands and DJ's. It was on this show that I heard the fantastic track 'When The Evening Comes' by the Berlin based band Super700. After having now listened to this track and more of their material, I implore you to do the same!
Day 4
After a brief lie-in in our swanky hotel rooms, we all did our own things that morning. For example, me and Will found the nearest underground train station, Fehrbelliner Platz, and somehow made our way across Berlin to what we thought might be the city centre, Alexander Platz. The underground trains were yellow and box like in appearance and trundelled into each station with a rickety clatter, which just appeared really charming.
Upon walking up the steps of the station at Alexander Platz, my breath was taken away by the immense and intimidating nature of the buildings and commerse that was taking place around us.
After we had soacked up the sights around us, we headed back onto the underground and headed back to the hotel to meet the others. At this point, Will went off an explored on his own, whilst Andy, Alex, Steve and I walked to a near by park and relaxed for a bit with a beer before the impending gig later that afternoon.
When all of us were back at the hotel, Alex, Will and I made our way to the ICC Conference Centre by taxi, while Steve and Andy went with the equipment by car. As we had not yet been provided with the necessary admission passes for the venue, we were stranded in the main foyer upon arrival, surrounded by hundreds of suit laden international businessmen rushing all around us. After we had made contact with Pascal, who came and directed us into the conference, we began to set up our equipment.
The first half of our set was a bit shakey as we were adjusting the sound levels to the meet the requirements of Ulrik and the conference in general. In addition, further sound levels needed to be set for the other performers intended to play. Collectively, we played until 9pm and had gained a better understanding of exactly what was required of us for the subsequent Berlin shows. I personally don't think that I played at my best for this particular gig, but this, and the good reception that we recieved regardless, only encouraged me to try harder for the next day's gig.
After we had packed away the kit, we once again headed back to our hotel for some much needed food and beers in the Italian resturant.
Day 5
All 5 of us awoke on the wednesday morning with the intent to explore Berlin further, so we set out and headed of the nearest underground stop for the Brandenburg Gate.
The Brandenburg Gate was spectacular and impressive in the morning sun. Afterwards, we walked through the Gate and walked round to where the Reichstag parliment building stands, which was, again, stunning.
We then made our away through the Teirgarten to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews Of Europe Musuem, which was situated underneath a grand and haunting monument made up of tall gray concrete pillars of differing heights.
**Following this, we grabbed some food and then decided what to do for the rest of the time we had before the next show. Some of us followed the road round to find Checkpoint Charlie and fragments of the Berlin Wall which line that route.
We then all gathered at the hotel again, before all heading for the Conference centre for our second Berlin show of the week.
This nights show was far better and all were in good spirits. We played mainly covers as this was what was required, but received a great reception from our own material also. Special mention should also go to the two guys from Crash Kurs who played a fantastic selection of covers, including the Rolling Stones and Doors. The two from Flensburg playing an acoustic and electric guitar respectivley excecuted these covers with an impressive talent and really put us to shame. Check them out at http://www.crashkursband.de/
**
In addition, following our show that night, we travelled across Berlin to meet up with the guys, which resulted in heavy drinking and dancing in a rock and roll resturant till the early hours. It is safe to say that all 5 of us felt humbled having been in the presence of true rock stars for the night. And in a drunken weary state, we somehow made our way back to the hotel by taxi around 4 in the morning. Oh dear!
Day 6
The next morning was effectivley a write off. All concerned were laden with hangovers and any attempt to make it out of bed was a mission in itself.
I braved the death grip of the achy head and broken body and somehow made it to the Deutsches Technikmuseum
Berlin (The German Museum of
Technology) and had a look around the huge transport exhibit there. The museum contained two large engine sheds displaying a range of locomotives from the early 1800's up to present day. Also rest of the museum told the story of Germany's martime and aeronautical history and housed a flurry of examples of boats and planes through the ages.
After this I made my way back to the hotel to meet the others who had been dealing with their hangovers in their own way. Once again, the time came to make our way to the Conference Centre for our final show. It was clear to see from our slow walk to train station which would deliver us to the ICC that all of us were in a fragile state and were on a mission to just get through the show, and the subsequent gig we had in Berlin later.
The Conference show itself went well, and yet again we received a good reception to both our original songs and the covers we performed.
**
We finished our set at 8pm and after carrying the kit to the car, we went back inside and said goodbye to Fleming, Pascal, the boys from Crash Kurs and of course Ulrik, all of whom had made us feel very welcome throughout our time there, and had all worked hard in assisting us when needed. It really was a pleasure.
We then made our way across Berlin to the Circus Hostel where we were playing at 10pm. From start to finish, I feel that we played very well and that our sound was perfect. This may have been due to the fact that we were all willing for the show to go well, but also it was due to the infectious atmosphere in that bar. This bar again reminded us of Slak with its laid back attitude and great taste in music. After talking to different members of the crowd, we really did feel welcome and appreciated. This was a relief after having played a series of intense gigs up to that point.
Satisfied and buzzing, we headed back to the hotel for the last time, in preperation for the 5am start the next day.
Day 7
After separating the kit into the different cars, we set off from Berlin at 6am for the 8 hour drive heading for Brugge.
The journey that ensued was made up of a mini tour of service stations on route and a second helping of the autobahns.
By 6pm, we had all reached Brugge and were ready for sleep. However we made the most of our spare evening and proceeded to drink our way through the local beer.
Day 8
Our last full day of the tour was dedicated to exploring the city of Brugge and sampling the delights that it had to offer.
This involved stocking up on choclate and alchol, amoungst other gifts and treats, before heading back to the hostel, Charlie Rockets.
Andy managed to secure a gig at the hostel that night on the basis of free beer. I admit I was relectant at first, mainly down to the fact that by that point in the week I was broken. This was due to the severe lack of sleep mized with the excessive amounts of beer drinking that I had undertaken throughout the tour.
**
But, eventually we collectivly decided that we would do the show, as a kind of final send off to Europe on this tour. The show itself actually went off without any major hiccups and was met with cheers from the Saturday night crowd, beers in hand. After everything, it was a a really gratifying way to conclude the week and the tour, as it allowed us to have a relaxed and fun gig to remember our experience by.
Day 9
After the night before, we all awoke considereably weary, and broken. However, all that was needed was the journey back to England, and we could all get back to our homes and crawl into our own beds.
So we set off from Brugge and made the hour long journey to Calais for the Euro Tunnel. This in itself was not without its suprises as the first train that we were directed onto encountered 'technical problems', meaning that we were waiting for another train to go onto to. By this point everyone concerned was frustrated and yearned for sleep.
Once we had been divereted onto another train, we made the same 35 minute journey under the sea that we had made 8 days previously, but this time with less naivity and more learned experience and gratification.
Ultimatley, we reached my garage in Cheltenham again and nestled the equipment back into its sleep after a busy and hard working week. We said our goodbyes and went our seperate ways, based on the promise of meeting up somewhere soon to debrief and reflect upon the weeks events. But more importantly to set our sights on the next big adventure and to discuss the next decisive phase of the Stressechoes.
An end has a start........
The week certainly changed all of our opinions on how to transmit our music to other people in different countries. But also I believe we all learned to have more fiath in ourselves and our performances, due to the unexpected and pleasing feedback that we recieved all week not just for our covers, but especially for our own songs. It is important to note that our experiences througout the week would not have been as fulfilling and as memorable if it hadn't have been for all of the individauls we encountered along the way who helped us, cheered us on, and gave us the confidence to play in an otherwise alien environment.
We are now a stronger band and can only get strongerer.
**
**(additional photos by Will Feirn)
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