France

So, heading straight on from Switzerland into France, we arrived in the small town of Guebwiller.

 Immediately we all sensed the "small town" vibe of what we were getting into. It was as if the whole world was closing in around us. Not that it was that different from the ancient, winding cobblestone streets of Schaffhausen, but it just felt quieter, more local and not touristy in the slightest. 

On the recommendation of our host at the following night's gig at the Hotel de L'ange, the Italian transplant Franco, we drove straight into the countryside to a hotel a bit outside of town. We were all tired from the day's drive, so after the usual van luggage unloading routine, it was straight upstairs and into bed. It was dark and late and difficult to register too much in the old observation banks regarding our environment, but we couldn't help but be critically aware of the insanely cool space-age decor within the hotel. It was as if we were suddenly transplanted to some uber-hip Palm Springs hot spot! I mean, I'm talking orange molded plastic chairs and nebulous shaped tables!

This alone made the hotel a great location, but upon waking the following morning and seeing the grounds in the sunlight, minds were further blown! 

Turns out the place was situated on it's own lake, complete with ducks and swans, and right on the banks of a soothingly flowing river. Again, it was like something out of a postcard.

The day turned out to be quite a leisurely one, filled with wandering the tiny little streets of Guebwiller, finally doing some laundry and getting situated at the next hotel for the gig.

 We did stop at a cool little local music store and found ourselves involved in a spontaneous jam session on "Apache" with some local kids and were also treated to Lorenzo sharing his softer side, as he serenaded us with a calming rendition of The Commodores' "Easy." 

Later we also patronized a particular little cafe on the main pedestrian drag that served the most incredible home made pastries and seemed to specialize in these crazy elaborate marzipan creations!

The gig itself turned out to be the first of several of what we have lovingly referred to as "Spinal Tap" gigs on the tour. The hotel was very nice--clean, well lit, perfectly laid out with a number of amenities. 

However, we slowly began to notice that more and more of the guests appeared to have white, if not blue-ish hair and be somewhat advanced in age, so to speak. It became even more apparent as soon as we stepped into the stage area to play the gig. We all got plugged in, tuned up and turned around to find two adjoining dining rooms filled with elderly folks enjoying their nice, quiet dinners staring at us like deer in headlights! 

And that's not all...at sound check we had been advised to keep the volume at a "reasonable" level. In this case, basically meaning as quiet as humanly possible. Now, we're not fussy, particular or demanding in any way, shape or form, but playing this quiet was definitely a challenge and took some getting used to. I have to say, though, that when all was said and done, playing that quiet forced us all to concentrate on the playing, the dynamics and our interaction with one another that much more, like being under the microscope. There was no high volume to cover or hide mistakes. It ended up being a really fun show, we felt like we all improved as a band from the experience, and best of all, just had to walk up one flight of stairs to bed! Actually, the highlight of the entire night came next, when our cute bar staff brought us a gigantic platter of cheese as a late-night after-show snack! The 3 cheese heads Dave, Lorenzo and I were extremely happy!

Full of cheese, it was off to bed with sights set on Belgium the next day!

Switzerland

See ya Holland, onward and upward to Germany! I can't believe how far behind I've gotten! With all that's going on every day and night, it really is dificult to post with any kind of regularity. We end up back at the hotel at 4 or later and are just too wiped out to do anything but sleep. Blog veterans have suggested writing while driving and uploading when wi-fi is available, but unfortunately for me this isn't an option, as I become car sick very easily if I do anything other than look out the window. Especially with Lorenzo's driving!!!

We're now on German soil after an incredible string of adventures through Switzerland, France, Belgium and The Netherlands! The whole gang is in extremely good spirits--we've had the Shadows cranked on the van stereo, Dave and Bernard have been discussing all variety of geeky topics and I'm reminiscing about the journey thus far. Let's see, where'd we leave off? Ah yes, Fat Joe's hot sauce and steak debacle!!! Haha!

Well, after departing Keiko's hotel, where young hooligans kept us awake drinking and making noise in the hallways until all hours, it was off for the morning coffee ritual and then to find the closest music store to replace some tubes that were acting up in our Bassman. Thankfully we're armed with 2 ipads, iphones and 2 Macbooks, so any kind of information is always right at our fingertips. After a quick search, we made a pit stop at a music store in the middle of nowhere in Northern Italy that actually had quite a nice selection of guitars. 

It was here that I learned two things..one, that Lorenzo has an obsession with music stores and must always stop if given the opportunity, and two, that no matter where you are in the world, some kid in a Megadeth T-Shirt is always playing Metallica in a guitar store! It really is a small world sometimes.

Tubes acquired, it was time to make the trek out of Italy and up into Switzerland! The drive was quite dramatic as we ascended into the mountains. Tiny little ruined castles seemed to be perched on every hilltop with the greenest brush between them. The road became more and more winding and narrow, until the most spectacular view of Lake Como suddenly appeared out the window to the right. Definitely a location I'd like to come back and explore more in the future. The scenery's impact didn't get any less dramatic, however, as we proceeded on and into Switzerland! Unreal sights of waterfalls, streams, green mountains and old farmhouses lined each side of the highway like some kind of surreal out of body classic European scenery slideshow! 

After oohing and aahing for sometime, it was time for something completely different--the dreaded and notorious third-longest tunnel in the world (16+km), The Gotthard Tunnel!

Now, I'm not claustrophobic, but your mind does begin to go to very strange places when inside a tunnel for this long. When the half way point is reached, you can't help but think "what if something crazy happened out there while we were in here?" Very strange indeed.

Emerging at the other end felt like coming up for air and immediately, the scenery opened up again with spectacular lake and waterway views.

After a short drive further we ended up at our destination, the small town of Schaffhausen, which seemed to wind around in circles with Medieval looking buildings on all sides and a grand central castle looming in the distance on the tallest hill. The gig was at a really cool club called Dolder2, which as a joke, was apparently named after one of Switzerland's swankiest resorts. The place was anything from swanky, rather, it was warm, down to Earth and comfortable, with almost a Swiss hunting or skiing lodge vibe.

The proprietor Tom was another gracious and kind host and went out of his way to make us all feel at home. Also, the guys from Tony Dynamite and the Shootin' Beavers were not only extremely cool guys to hang out with, but put on a damn fine show, especially with their unique song mash ups and unusual trumpet use. 

We had a chance to hear and enjoy them at The Surfer Joe Festival, but they really knocked it out of the park at the Dolder2! We had an absolute blast playing with them and the crowd seemed to really enjoy the entire night!

Afterwards, the only solution was to grab a late-night Doner Kebab in the center of town, as guided by our intrepid local guide and new friend Markus, the Tony Dynamite drummer. 

Retiring to our accommodation was especially interesting on this night, as we had one big room filled with old rickety bunk beds! It was like being back at Summer camp or having a sleepover all over again!

The next day was kind of lazy, as everyone had a bit of housekeeping/responsibilities to catch up with, most notably Lorenzo finalizing the artwork for his new album. So, we took our time, finished what we needed to do and wandered around the little town. Of course, this led to some wonderful food discoveries including the most delicious local specialties of pretzel sandwiches and grilled bratwurst! 

And I couldn't help but be completely mesmerized by the incredible baked goods and gourmet chocolate around every turn!

  

OK, we couldn't possibly be that close to the largest waterfalls in all of Europe without checking them out, right? Just down the road were the legendary Rhinefalls, so we proceeded to have a look on our way out of town. 

Mainly because we could, we next had a quick pit stop to look around Zurich, but were put off a bit by it's shi-shi-la-la nature, extreme expense, and focus on high end shopping. There were some nice views of the lake and sunset, however.

We decided to push on through, continue driving and just make it to our destination for the next night's show in Guebwiller, which is in the Alsace region of France, just near the German border. Next catch up post...France!

Catching Up: Surfer Joe Festival, Livorno, Ungawa! and Fat Joe's Hot Sauce Challenge!

I can't believe how easy it's been to get so far behind in posting! So much has been going on every day, sometimes wi-fi is limited and we've been super tired by the time we get back to the hotel at the end of the night. Sometimes we're not even back until 3-4 o'clock or so. Apologies to those following close that have been wanting an update.

Right now it's 2:49AM and we've arrived at our hotel for the night in Alessandria. It's a totally funky and ramshakle sort of place run by a Japanese woman just off the main road. It's extremely basic, but when you're this tired, no one really cares anyway. This is one of the good things about coming home so late. Although, the place we stayed last night in Bergantino was quite nice.

 OK, I'm getting ahead of myself...let me backtrack a bit and try to catch up.

So, the whole Surfer Joe Festival experience was beyond impressive in just about every single way. The work that Lorenzo puts into the whole thing is simply mind-boggling and he deals with every twist and turn with class and patience. He is truly one in a million!

The setting, bands, sound, lighting, hospitality, food, beverage and overall organization were all top notch! It was so wonderful to finally put actual faces to so many names known only through correspondence or Facebook, SG101, etc. It was particularly thrilling to finally see live so many bands that I've been a fan of for years--The Apemen, Speedball Jr., and The Atlantics! 

And, it was totally impressive to witness for the first time the awesome uber-traditional sounds of Les Agamemnonz, the sheer power and fury of The Mullet Monster Mafia and the upbeat energy of Tony Dynamite and the Shootin' Beavers, Dave and The Pussies, The Tonomats, Surfoniani and Spaceguards! Also, it was a real treat to hear the new Surfer Joe material brought to life by the exceptional musicians of the Boss Combo! 

It was an extremely inspirational 3 days of music, camaraderie and downright good times! Particular highlights that must also be mentioned include playing Psychotronic with El Firetone of El Ray, 

engaging in a communal howl at the humongous full moon on Sunday night, and of course, having the opportunity to play on the main stage for so many as the final band of the weekend! 

As if that all wasn't enough, on Monday night, those still in town were treated to a very special, last-minute intimate performance by The Atlantics on the stage inside Surfer Joe Diner! Wow! What a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be able to hear them so up close and personal! It was like being at a private party in someone's home, sitting 5 feet in front of the band! Amazing! 

The day off after the festival was spent getting some rest and continuing to explore Livorno and it's cuisine. More pizza led to more gelato and a nice leisurely day of wandering around town. 

Tuesday was all about getting down to business and hitting the road for the next gig in Bergantino. It was also quite sad personally, as it meant that it was time to say farewell to Marie, who departed early to visit her family in Poland. It'll be another month before I see her in person again, but it was so incredible to have her there for the festival! 

After condensing and packing all the bags, merch and gear, we had one last healthy lunch and strong coffee at the diner and then off we went! 

It was a lovely and relaxing drive through the Italian countryside, where the roads to our destination just seemed to get smaller and smaller until finally, they turned to dirt and it was clear that the farm-like property we had reached was our destination.

 The whole place was absolutely incredible--totally in the middle of nowhere, completely rustic and in no way whatsoever resembling a live music venue of any kind that we were used to. The main structure was almost like a barn and was fully equipped for a massive party, complete with an elevated stage, bar, couches, and dance area.

 In a separate building across a grassy field was a full kitchen and dining area and there was even a mini soccer field in the very back. It turns out that our gig was actually happening as part of the celebration surrounding a big soccer match, all arranged by local legend Lukino, DJ and owner of Italy's greatest Tiki Bar, Ungawa!, just a short distance away.

 The gig was quite fun and marked a noticeable increase in tightness as a whole. Lorenzo did an incredible job on drums, even at this early stage, after only 2 gigs. Bernard and Dave continue to get inside each other's heads, making for some extremely interesting and creative dual guitar improvisation. I don't really think that the majority of the crowd quite know what they're listening to, but by the end of an entire set, hopefully we've won them over. Actually, most of the compliments at the night's end come from the musicians in the crowd, and that validation is quite a welcome bit of encouragement in a strange new gig location. 

After getting to bed around 3:30AM, we had a bit of a sleep in the following morning and immediately headed over to Ungawa!, where Lukino graciously agreed to show us around. All I can say is wow, wow and WOW! This place was easily one of the greatest Tiki bars I've ever been to. 

Unlike my other favorites, Ungawa! isn't great because of it's history or sheer abundance of Tiki items, but because of it's location, the fact that it is such a labor of love against all odds, and the diy approach, creativity and dedication of Lukino. He was literally limited to just what he had to work with locally and out of necessity, invented new ways of using the materials available. Hence, the most striking decor is all centered around mosaic, mirror and stonework completely unique to Ungawa!. The place has an inside stage AND an outside stage, a patio, outside bar, very cool undulating inside bar complete with posters lining the inside of the booze shelves, and glass cabinets full of Tiki and vintage music memorabilia. What a place! Truly incredible!

We didn't ever want to leave, but had to get moving toward our next destination, Alessandria, where Fat Joe's was hosting the second gig on the road. It was a long day of driving, but always enjoyable due to the upbeat and positive attitudes of the whole Insect crew, the awesome soundtrack provided by Lorenzo and Dave's music libraries, and the beautiful and constantly interesting Italian scenery. A quick turn off the expressway and all of a sudden we found ourselves pulling into a curious industrial complex. Surrounded by car dealers and warehouses, Fat Joe's American-style decor and motorcycle theme seemed to fit right in. 

We were immediately greeted with huge open arms and ear-to-ear smiles by Fat Joe himself and his crew, who went out of their way to make us all feel comfortable and at home. Time was of the essence, so we unloaded the van and set up the gear for a quick soundcheck. For a small outdoor patio stage, the professionalism displayed was quite astounding. Not only was everything miked and run through a full PA, but there was a full pro light system, fog machine, and a whole other guy to operate them! Whaaat? And, the craziest part of the whole thing--they actually cared!! After they got us all dialed in, we were treated to drinks and a full dinner spread compliments of the generous Fat Joe. This is fairly common in the course of the gig night routine, but what made this particular night so special was the epic nature of the meal (absolute gigantic portions, particularly DA's and my T-Bone Steaks!!!)

 and Fat Joe's infamous hot sauce challenge. 

OK, so on the drive up, Lorenzo filled us in on the whole story about what a huge hot sauce aficionado Joe is and that   whenever a band plays his place for the first time, he brings out a tray of 10 pieces of bread, each doused in increasingly spicy hot sauces. Well, being  quite the hot sauce addict myself, I was very excited about this! The first one--no problem. Quite mellow. The second--same thing. It was the third one that got us! I've never seen Dave react like that to anything!!! He literally started crying and had to get up and run into the kitchen for some kind of relief! Thankfully, they were prepared for this kind of extreme reaction  and had a cup of whipped cream waiting in the wings! Well, Dave dove into that sucker and finished the entire thing in a nanosecond. At this point, we were getting a bit nervous, as this was only the 3rd sample!!!! Thankfully, and we still believe this was the joke of the whole thing, the rest were never as bad as the 3rd! (we would much later be informed that the demon sauce was called "Black Mamba!")

Now, what happened next was the true horror of the gig! I've NEVER (knock on wood) had this happen before, but as soon as we began playing I felt a rumble down south (and I'm not talking about the bass frequencies). No biggie, I'll just ignore it, stay focused and it'll pass--or so I thought! Sweat started pouring off my brow, my legs went weak and a stabbing pain started in my stomach. Hold it together, hold it together, hold it together I repeated to myself as a kind of mantra. Until, finally, after the third song or so, that was it! I threw off the bass and literally ran to the restroom! I barely remember what happened next, as the whole thing entered the vortex of bad memories in my brain, but I do remember  curling up into the fetal position on the floor while hearing the faint strains of the rest of the band playing "Rumble" and some Morricone while the Fat Joe's guys banged on the door asking if I was OK. Whew! What an experience!! Road rule learned...do not eat a large, heavy meal right before playing, especially if it's a steak the size of half a cow!!! 

Over and out...until the next entry! On to Switzerland! 

Day 2: Local Market, Rehearsals & Pizza!

Well, I'm already getting behind! I had wanted to be disciplined and post every night before bed, but somehow our exhaustion took over last night and a short nap turned into sleeping straight through to the next morning! I blame the heat, the sweating, the marathon rehearsal and most of all...the pizza!!!

The day began nice and early with a much-needed Espresso at the corner cafe, where Bernard caught up on some laptop activities and Rebecca, Marie, Dave and I attempted to practice our Italian. Slowly but surely, phrases such as "how much" "good morning" "juice" and "water with bubbles" are being prefected and added to the lexicon. After a few shots of the mega-cool "Creature From the Italian Lagoon" fountains in front of the cafe, it was off to find the local open air market behind the main cathedral. 

Around this corner, that corner, past one Gelato shop after another, weaving in n' out of scooter traffic and avoiding tiny yapping dogs, finally, like the first time The Wizard of Oz switches from black and white to color, the bustling, noisy, frenetic market rose from the grey cobblestone streets and delivered a right hook to our senses! 

The colors, smells, sounds and sheer variety on display were truly something to behold! From the freshest veggies and fruit to newly butchered meats to giant blocks of cheese, the sky was the limit! I swear the tomatoes were the most intense and deep red I've ever seen in my life! Marie and Rebecca grabbed a bunch of fruit for the next couple of days and Dave and I laughed, explored and shot lots of photos. 

Our time was limited because we had to be ready for Lorenzo to pick us up for rehearsal at the Surfer Joe complex, so it was reluctantly time to head back. However, 2 hilarious things happened next. First, as if in some kind of strange Italian dream, we heard someone whistling "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly." Were we actually hearing this? Was this really happening? Were our minds playing tricks on us? Absolutely not! Apparently, the local olive salesman/Iggy Pop look-alike saw DA walking by in his all-black Western outfit, complete with black cowboy hat (as only Dave can pull off) and graciously provided a theme tune! What are the chances of hearing that from a local while in Italy! So awesomely satisfying! It was as if the Spaghetti Western Gods were watching over us and offering their approval! Funny event number 2---well, not so funny for Dave, but after succumbing to the desire to indulge in the giant open tin cans brimming with rock salt and anchovies, he was hit with a stomach salt bomb that literally left him cringing for a good couple of hours. 

So, most normal people might have a small taste to appease their curiosities, right? Not Dave, no sir! He downed four whole anchovies in a matter of seconds!!! Well, lesson learned. But, it certainly gave us all a good laugh! Oh, and another strange delicacy that just had to be tried...the fried crabmeat/claw poppers! I was hesitant, but man, they were sooo tasty! 

On to the Surfer Joe complex and a marathon day of the first rehearsals with the incredible Lorenzo Valdambrini on the skins! Although we went to the diner the first night for dinner and had a tour, this was the chance for us to really explore, take it all in and soak up the space. It really is a remarkable Surf kingdom he has built! One could spend hours just checking out all of the posters and other memorabilia covering the walls of the diner! As a continuous soundtrack in the background, the house music system pumps Surf tunes, and one couldn't help but feel an instant affinity for the ocean turquoise vinyl booths and stainless steel everywhere! 

Rehearsals on the upper floor of the diner right next to the worldwide office headquarters for the Surfer Joe empire were nothing short of a mind-blowing experience. It's awesome enough to have Lorenzo on drums for us on the tour, but to play on exceptional gear with a view of the Mediterranean was something out of a dream! 

We got through the whole set and more and things really sounded great. After a bit of diner lunch (a refreshing cold pasta salad with ham, tomatoes and mozzarella), and more coffee (!), we finished up a few more songs and then headed down to the shore for some fresh  air and so Bernard could take a dip. 

It was unbelievable how crystal clear the water was and how many locals were sunbathing on the mossy rocks.

At this point, the subject of having some pizza came up and it was agreed that it was finally time! Ha! It only took 2 days! After a quick request for advice from Anne, we left on foot to find the recommended local pizzeria. A few twists and turns and sore feet from new shoes later (black Converse, of course), we arrived at our intended destination, Da Cecco. Upon Anne's recommendation, we ordered one of Livorno's well-known local specialties, 5 & 5, a garbanzo bean paste on foccacia. A little house wine, some Pellegrino and Birra Moretti, and the pizzas started flowing. I must say, it was a glorious thing! Individual pizzas straight out of the ancient brick oven! 

Those things were devoured in a matter or moments and hit the spot in a profound way! However, the food coma set in immediately, as we really hadn't eaten anything that heavy yet on the trip. Good thing it was a short walk to our hotel. Everyone went their separate ways and it was straight to bed!!! And man, did we crash hard! We set an alarm to get up and be able to hang late into the night, but there was no way we were getting up! Ha! The ling travel day finally caught up to us! Until next post...

Oh, and on a side technical

note...this whole thing is being done in a kind of stream of consciousness way, with a single draft and no editing, direct from my iPhone. So, apologies for any type-os, grammatical errors or other obvious mistakes. It's meant more for the feel and vibe than anything. Ciao!