Indienational Spring Tour 2008

Indienational Tour 2008
(featuring Gustav and the Seasick Sailors, Helena Arlock and Shooting John)
March 28 - April 6 (Germany, Holland, Belgium)

I remember we said during the indienational tour last year that nothing had gone really right, but nothing had gone really wrong either. This time everything was right. And I mean everything, I finally could bring GATSS rythm-section along. Patrik (drums), Jon (bass) and me have played together for almost 10 years. Also traveling with the caravan was again Helena Arlock and Peder Gravlund from Shooting John - a band which I used to play in. So the setup this time was me, Helena and Peder one set each. And all five of us backed each other up. I got to play a lot of lead guitar which was great, I don't know why I keep singing all the time - I just want to play telecaster in the back. One band playing songs from three bands, you get the picture. I get the feeling that it will be more Indienational tours.

Friday, March 28
'Eisen', Bremen, Germany

Me, Peder, Patrik and Helena got into the Marilyn Records minibus, left Sweden and started driving towards Bremen, Germany. Jon was in New York City so we had to manage without him this evening. We met up with old music and soccer-lover Nando who once again took us into his big Bremen heart. The gig was a great start of the tour and maybe we were lucky that Jon wasn't with us because I don't think we would have fit on stage!


Saturday, March 29
'day off', Bremen, Germany

It's kind of funny that the second day was our only day off but it suited us fine since our dear friends Nando and Benno had planned a busy schedule. It started with brunch before we took off to the arena of the soccer team Werder Bremen. It was great to go and see a big game again. Too bad Bremen didn't play to well...actually Nando told me it was the worst game since 1999.. so much for timing. I had a great time although it was a shame that the Swedish Markus Rosenberg played awful. After that we went to see a show and it all ended at a place called Heartbreak Hotel...ouch

Sunday, March 30
'Astra Stube', Hamburg, Germany

It wouldn't take long after leaving Bremen that we would meet more familiar faces, Nils Rose - the brain behind Astra Stube and Mikael - our excellent sound man. The show was going to start 9.30 pm and Jon arrived by train from Amsterdam at 9.15 pm. He flew from New York City, landed in Amsterdam, got on 5 different trains to get to Hamburg. Thanks Jon, you're the best.




Monday, March 31
'Ä', Berlin, Germany

I have to admit, we didn't take too much chances when we booked this tour. We had been to most of the places already and we knew that the venues were run by great people. This night though I didn't know much about but our great friend Ute made this night beautiful. Check out her myspace! She set it all up and played with us, the venue was like a big living room packed with perfect people, there were even people on the streets cause they couldn't get in. Thanks Berlin, thank you Ute. Also thank you Paul for giving us a place to stay for the night, we didn't want to leave any instruments in the car so we carried it all up to Pauls flat on the 5th floor. The rule stands, no elevators in cool old buildings. Watch some live clips from the show:
Sweden Slow
Homesick
Seven Nation Army (Encore, White Stripes Cover)

Tuesday, April 1
Desmet Live, Amsterdam, Netherlands

7 am the car left for Amsterdam. But first we had to carry everything down again. We had to be in Amsterdam early since it was a radio show so we had no choice but to leave one of my favorite cities without giving it the attention it deserves. Watch live clip from the show:
Don't Stop (to let it die)

..and none of us thought of making an April 1st joke...


Wednesday, April 2
't Elfde Genot, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium

We reached the home of Jerome and Veerle, our great friends who we got to know on the last tour as well. They run Cafe Carnot in Kruibeke but managed to arrange 3 shows for us in Belgium. Two of the days would be the Folk You Festival but we started up with a show in Sint Niklaas.

Thursday, April 3
'Folk You Festival', Cafe Carnot, Kruibeke, Belgium

I've mentioned before that the Cafe Carnot is one of my favourite places to play. This day as the first day of the Folk You Festival and it was GATSS + Helena Arlock who were performing this night. It was a typical Carnot night in all its glamorous ways During the daytime thought, we went into Antwerpen to check out the city and celebrate Jerome and Veerle's 4th anniversary. We saw the church with one tower and I bought some vinyls. For the show we got Jerome and Veerle a candy cake which looked great but when they had eaten everything on top it was just foil left, the Belgium pastry store ripped us off..

Friday, April 4
'Folk You Festival', jugdhuis 'terwalle, Kruibeke, Belgium

Day 2 was about Shooting John and another Swedish band Giant Wide. I was on stage but only as guitarist which was perfect. It's just the best feeling to back someone up, not taking the responsibility, just to play without singing and drink beer..I am a very simple man sometimes. Anyway, it was a fun night and later that night I met a guy who said Clawfinger was the best band ever to come out from Sweden. Maybe he was right. We all ended up at the Carnot once again and someone was stupid enough to order a bunch of "wake up the dead" shots.....why would you want to mix vodka, gin and tobasco?








Saturday April 5
Tonenburg, Höxter/Albaxen, Germany

We said our farewells to our Belgium friends and starting driving back to Germany. Everything was looking great but then the GPS ate some space-cookies and didn't direct us anywhere.....we took a chance, started driving but after one hour in the wrong direction our agenda did not look too good. I mean, who brings maps anymore? Finally we ended up at Tonenburg one hour too late and it was a great finish on our tour. God damn the sound was good, wine extraordinary and people really seem to like us...we ended up at Glitterhouse Records somethingsomething party in Beverungen playing fussball.

Another indienational extravaganza is completed. Thank you.