Leipzig

Thanks Leipzig!  And Big thanks to our new friends Future Islands

backstage in Leipzig

Paris

Paris show with War On Drugs was rulin'.

backstage Paris

Paris crew

Thanks to our new buds War On Drugs

Matt Merchin

Back On The Trail

We got a loaner van for a couple days.  An antique piece we dubbed "the Bulldog".  She went real slow and rickety, but got us back on the trail.

Limoges and Lille (FR)

homemade savory pies for dinner in Lille!

Shiko Shiko opens the gig in Lille.

Limoges and Lille were great fun.  Lille was one of the best yet.  We had a rulin' time with the local band, Shiko Shiko, who slayed.  The space was a packed house and many kids knew the words and sang along as we did our best to bring the rock to them.  Thank you for all the love, Lille!

I drew the gang in Bulldog on the wall of our band apartment in Lille.

We learn our original van is not gonna make it (RIP).  So we get a swap for replacement.  

NEW VAN!! (left).  Farewell, old Bulldog (right).

We feel much relief.  Psyched to be back on the trail.  

on to Paris!

Broken Down in France

After Italy, we head back to Switzerland for a show at a place called Bad Bonn.  Drive through the mountains in Italy was most beautiful.

We arrive at the venue in the middle of nowhere in the Swiss countryside.  We all really enjoyed the openers, PNEU, from France.

The next day our van breaks down on the side of the road near Lyon, France.  We are stranded for the night and miss our show in Bordeaux.

phenomenal cat.

Taxi to hotel.

Buffalo Grill, next to hotel.  The French take on Texas Steakhouse.  

Help is on the way!  Hope to be back on the trail soon!

Italia

We have two more shows in Italy after our Carpi show.  This is first time most of us have visited the great land of Italia.  We play Faenza next.  We have a short drive from Carpi - nice treat since we've been logging some heavy van time so far.  We load into the venue - a real unique place called Clandestino - part bar/venue, part high-end restaurant.  Since we arrived early, we explore Faenza a bit while it's still daylight.  We get a tip to visit a beautiful old palace in town.  She's a stunning joint with amazingly detailed paint and plaster work covering the walls and ceilings.  Below somewhere you can see the painting on the bathroom ceiling.  Not too shabby for a crapper room, right?  We wander back the venue.  After soundcheck we are fed dinner in the in-house restaurant.  The hospitality was above and beyond.  We enjoyed freshly baked breads and olive oil, local wines, a first course of pork jowl with apple and greens, and a second course of potato-stuffed green ravioli with venison.  Dessert was hazelnut mousse.  A mindblow meal experience.  The clubhouse pulls a sort of modest but real enthusiastic crew to see the show.  Sound was great.  Show felt just right.  A few clams here and there, but we can feel the set tightening up real good.  Big thanks to Morena and the whole gang at Clandestino for going out of their way to make us feel like family.  We leave with super warm vibes.  She's an unforgettable one..

...

Faenza (IT)

wall of Clandestino

co-owner/mascot of Clandestino.

exploring Faenza

A Pterodactyl flying around in Faenza

we tried to climb this tower but they done gone and locked it.

not bad for a bathroom ceiling.  in a palace we explored in Faenza.

dinner at Clandestino

later we find ourselves on another type of menu there.

driving to Genova

Genova (IT)

our parking spot in Genova.

Genova is a beautiful old city right on the Mediterranean.  There is a vast maze of small medieval streets running through in the middle of the city's center.  

dinner with the opening band and crew of the Claque, where we play in Genova.  we share a real fun meal at a humble restaurant we were taken to nearby.  old time family style Italian food.  our hosts say its been a local staple for ages.

solid crew.

i got the pasta with pesto for first course and the cod fish with potatoes (below) for the second course.  

soundcheck at Claque.  Theater is very large, so we think we will be lucky to get anybody to come out, but we are surprised bigtime later.

The gig at Claque is the best yet, by far.  We return from dinner to find the theater filling up fast.  The opening band is local to Genova and sounds mighty fine.  They are real solid dudes to hang with.  By the time we take the stage, the theater is real full.  We play real good to a packed house.  Sound is way huge.  We do an encore of 'Share the Shade' and 'White Water' too.  Honored to do this kinda gig.  Big surprise!

Genova at night

inside the cathedral

view from the B and B that hosted us

Our time in Italy is unforgettable.  Big drive now back to Switzerland.  We're pretty dirty. 

 Big thanks, Italy!