Washington DC!

Yesterday we left Albany, sat in a car for 8 hours because of heavy traffic before we hit Washinton DC. We were so lucky getting a ride with our newfoundfriend Kelly Maguire! I don't quite know where I am right now but we are somewhere in the Washinton area..going downtown later today. First breakfast and since we don't have a show today we'll go open-mic hunting tonight I guess. We did another show at Flavour Cafe, Troy the other day and found a bunch of new supporters. We are gonna be here until Thursday night and we'll leave for Catskill again after the show at Wonderland Ballroom, don't miss that Washinton ppl! I'll be back with a report soon!

New show added: March 4. Muddy Cup, Kingston.

/G

Flavour Cafe, Hudson Valley College and The Red Square,

Red Square, Albany

I'm writing in a tiny office at The Red Square where we played last night and where we'll be playing tonight. It's a great bar and live venue so I'm really enjoying myself! The Troy gig went great and we made new great friends! Kelly Maguire who hosted the place let her sleep at her house and the day after we played at Hudson Community College. The reason for that was that we met this professor that teaches psychology there and he wanted us to come to his class, talk about our adventure and play a few songs. It was a great experience and we taught them that there's more to Sweden than ABBA and that no, polar bears don't walk on our streets!

After the show at Flavour Cafe we played a couple of tunes at a bar called Positively 4th street, the place didn't really have a Bob Dylan feeling though but it was nice. Kelly is going to Washington DC on Sunday so we got a ride with her, I can't believe the timing!

Ok, I'm tired and I'm going to stop writing now..

/G

Albany, Troy and ABBA

I'm writing from a coffee shop in Troy called Flavor Café and someone is playing Joni Mitchell songs right now. I like Troy; small and friendly and it's filled with art galleries, coffee shops and small independent shops.

I'm trying to fix my tour schedule because the shows just keep on coming! 21 upcoming shows are not too bad.

A lot of stuff has happened since I last wrote you and I don't quite know where to start I've met new crazy and wonderful people here in Albany and Troy. Our hero Nick drove us to the train station last Sunday and we said our farewells agreeing on our return March 9. We had such a great time in Clinton, really..

Anyway so we arrived in Albany late Sunday without a clue on where we we're going to sleep for the night. We found the Yellow Pages and started calling around but all hotels we're expensive and my cell-phone units were running out. For my last units I called Alina and she helped find a cheap Econo Lodge outside of Albany. It smelled of urine and vomit but we were so happy to find a bed because we'd been running around Albany in the cold for hours.

Next day I phoned Ralph who owns the Bayou Café here in Albany where we are going to play tomorrow. Ralph helped us find a good price for a good hotel room so it worked out well. We probably went from the worst Hotel to one the best. Ralph is an amazing and funny guy who I am very glad to have met! When we showed up he screamed to his staff: "Hey Guys! These two are from Sweden. This guy has been emailing me for a year trying to get a show here and now he just shows up! That kills me!" He got me a show, though…

We've also been hanging out with Ralph's business partner John who has been showing us the Albany Nightlife. He wants to hire us to play 3 ABBA songs for a friend of his! That's funny stuff. He was pissed off at me for not knowing the song Fernando. He just couldn't believe it.

Ok I guess that's enough for an update, feel free to comment – fun to read!

Latte, broken fingernails, aching backs, one dollar buses, disgusting hotel food, ABBA, Russian, fat Tuesday, hangovers, doggy bags……………………………………………

/G

Photo sessions, Utica, New Show and Swedish pancakes

We started this day by making some original Swedish pancakes to Nick and Jenifer and they seemed to appreciate it. I'm trying to learn this Maple Syrup stuff but it's going slow..

In the same house as Melodic Revolution there is a Norwegian photographer named Karen and yesterday she did some shots of me and Helena that I will put up here when I get them.She was very impressed by Helena and said that she should model and stuff...she said I looked moody..hmmm. We had a great time, though.

When we we're done we all drove to Utica where we did a show at Cafe' Domenico. Thanks to all of you who dared to come out and see us although there were snowstorms everywhere! We shared the bill with a guy called Rocky Graz, a great half-Italian musician! Nick at the Revolution helped us out once again and loaned us his PA and mics and everything.

New show added today in Catskill (what a name for a town, love it!) at Muddy Cup, March 2.

Tomorrow we leave for Albany, we're gonna try to get a show there in the beginning of next week.

That's it I think..talk to you soon/

Gustav

Valentines gig cancelled..

Everyone in Clinton is snowed-in so the show won't happen tonight unfortunately. We can't come out so I'm gonna try to write songs and drink toddy's tonight instead..they say it's the worst snow they've had since 1992. I've always had such excellent timing!

We made a snowman today and we agreed that it could be a white BB King!

/ G

Currently listening : Buddy's Blues (Chess 50th Anniversary Collection) By Buddy Guy Release date: 08 April, 1997

Extra show added on Valentines Day!

So I'm out in the middle of nowhere in a town called Clinton. For food you can choose between Burritos, Subs or Pizza. I only have Pizza left to try out. Although our host Nick guided us to a great nature-store we could buy Hummus, bulgur, yoghurt and all that great vegetarian stuff so I think we'll be alright.

I just got my first face-masque ever and I feel kind of funny, think it's time to wash it off soon. My face is burning from the dry air up here.

Anyway, we'll play again at the Melodic Revolution on Valentines Day, on Wednesday Feb 14. I'm gonna find a love-song to play..or are all my songs love-songs? Nah.

It will be a great show with a bunch of great acts! See below for more info. Who would have thought, a week in Clinton! I was walking on the main street yesterday and a guy spotted me miles away, came up to me and tried to sell me a flashlight with a radio in it for $10.

Can you believe there are such kind-hearted people that are willing to let 2 stranger musicians stay at their house for one week? We're having a hell of a time.

Do not forget to check the video I just put up on the main myspace page from the last show in Clinton that we did a couple of days ago.

Thanks guys who showed up at our recent shows.

/G

At least one picture..

Hi guys,

I'm still in Clinton freezing my ass off but Nick and Jennifer are taking care of us. I got a picture from yesterday that I would like to share. We'll be playing the Melodic Revolution here in Clinton on wednesday as well for Valentine's Day. See you there, you crazy Clinton people / G

Melodic Revolution, Clinton NY

I'm in this house, writing from a record store, in the same house is the venue where me and Helena will play tonight. Today, we bought hats and gloves and stuff. They have great stuff in Clinton!

The five of us arrived last night and Nick and Jennifer who runs the Melodic Revolution were kind enough to let us all stay at their house tonight. This morning we had to say goodbye since Alina was driving Frank to the JFK airport and Shawshaank needed to get back to NYC to make an interview for a new job. It was sad actually, we became quite a group these last few days. We'll meet again though for sure when we get back to New York City. So if you've ever heard not to get into a car with a stranger - don't believe it. It can be quite an experience.

I'm looking forward to the show tonight. Helena will make her first show ever as a solo-artist but I know she's gonna do great. I have no idea what we are gonna do tomorrow.

/G

Castaways, Ithaca, NY

From a motel in Ithaca.

So this tour started quite good actually. The show yesterday was great and the people too. Right now, my only concern is to leave this motel without paying extra since it's 5 of us in one room but I guess we'll figure it out. I just had my first american breakfast and I'm sorry to say it was quite lousy.

Yesterday we didn't know how to get from NYC to Ithaca but a newfoundfriend helped us out. Alina, you're the best. She drove us up so we got ourself our own crew. Alina: driver/manager Shawshaank: bodyguard Frank: photographer

It's gonna be sad seperating from them today, they will drop us off in Clinton before continuing to Boston. But first I think we're gonna do a show at the radiostation at Ithaca College. I wonder what songs I should play....

Life is great right now, it's snowing a lot so it feel like home. Since we don't have a digitalcamera I've been taking pictures with my cellphone but I lost the cable that you use to upload them with....patience, friends.

Love and respect

/Gustav


Next show:

Arriving in NYC

Ok folks. Here at last. Confusing, freezing but amazing. We landed in Newark, New Jersey on the 5th and we've been strolling around the streets, eating misou soup, trying to buy a car, get a library card, get to know our roommates, eating pizza and trying to figure out all the details of our tour.

I will try to put pictures up later although Helena and her band Shooting John broke my digitalcamera just before we left. We've been taking cellphones-photos so that's good enough I guess. Maybe I'll try to get a camera somewhere, somehow.

Tomorrow we're leaving for Ithaca to play at this place called Castaways but we still haven't figured out how to get there. We will probably rent a car for this week although we're thinking of buying one next week. I don't remember the brand but it looked good enough and the Romanian car dealer seemed quite honest actually.

I have good vibes and I feel inspired. Good times, Bill.

/G