After a drive that almost feels like you're on your way to eternity, all of a sudden a couple of houses shows up. A short while after that you're at Mikes place, somewhere in beautiful Massachusettes. Once again we're invited to someone's personal home, which always is a pleasant change from the "Nightrider" or the hotel. As soon as we enter Mikes garden, a big entourage of people shows up and makes you feel at home almost instantly. One of the guys beeing Al (one of the hardest working men in show biz!) He shows up from out of nowhere, starting to hump equipment, lift bass cabinets onto the stage, helping out Tomas with his 1000 cables, or start to place the wedges in the best possible position, everything with a smile on his face. Touring with a "Nightrider , means you gotta rely on the venues to have showers and so on. Last time we played Arlington, I had'nt been able to take a shower for a couple of days, the soundcheck was as usual running overtime (in fact more so than ever), we had'nt had dinner yet and the theatre did'nt have a shower. As soon as we were ready, I said to the guys, I need to get back to the hotel (20 minutes away, some 70 minutes pre showtime)!! It feels like I've been out on a djungle expedition for 2 weeks and I refuse to go on stage like this!! The following thing happened. Al drove me back and forth to the hotel, we had a great meal in panic ( we knew what we'd miss, we'd been there before and it's a really good restaurant). Al did this just because he wanted to help me out. Thank you man!
A wild guess is that it was Mikes wife, who composed the wonderful Italian influenced buffet we had, but you never know? Anyway, this tour we brought with us: Bob Snyder (tour manager from Pittsburgh, USA), Petrus Königsson (sound engineer from Uppsala, Sweden), Bull (Bus driver from Nashville? USA), Brian Dorbuck (Merchandise from Pulaski USA) and last but not least Chris Curran (Lights from Crewe, England). Usually me and the british gentleman Chris Curran, every once in a while goes for a whisky night in the back of the bus, if the timing is right. Very often together with Chris favourite Highland Park, actually a quite smooth single malt. Anyway, I guess we'd been on the road for almost 2 weeks, with no practising on the subject at all. The tour had been as dry as Sahara on a hot afternoon until that evening, when back at the party all of a sudden a Blended Scotch stood on the table. Chris and me looked at each other like 2 newlyweds, to say that love was in the air would be an understatement. A couple of hours later, after some red wine to the food, many many beers and a whole lotta whisky, we headed back to the bus. I hope me and Chris did'nt embarrass ourselves too much. One funny little thing I remember from that evening, is that except for Bob and Bull, everyone in the bus was referred to as: "them Swedes". Can you imagine the frustration poor Chris must have felt. I remember to this day (quite extra ordinary if you think of all the whisky) the words that came out of Chris's mouth and I understand him. For F..K's SAKE, I don't sound like you and I certainly does'nt look like you. How the H..L can they think I'm a Swede. A man in his best years from "Good Olde England", a country that has colonized and influenced almost the entire world. Sometimes life is not fair.
A big thank you, have to go Mike and his wife (sorry, I can't come up with the name) and the rest of you guys for a splendid evening. Actually, I think Chris needed help to get on board the bus and to find the right bed. I tried to watch "The Man Show" on the TV together with Bob and I guess Roine, but I gave up after a couple of minutes as I saw 3 TV screens, when there should have been 1, went back to my bunk and fell asleep in a second.
A wild guess is that it was Mikes wife, who composed the wonderful Italian influenced buffet we had, but you never know? Anyway, this tour we brought with us: Bob Snyder (tour manager from Pittsburgh, USA), Petrus Königsson (sound engineer from Uppsala, Sweden), Bull (Bus driver from Nashville? USA), Brian Dorbuck (Merchandise from Pulaski USA) and last but not least Chris Curran (Lights from Crewe, England). Usually me and the british gentleman Chris Curran, every once in a while goes for a whisky night in the back of the bus, if the timing is right. Very often together with Chris favourite Highland Park, actually a quite smooth single malt. Anyway, I guess we'd been on the road for almost 2 weeks, with no practising on the subject at all. The tour had been as dry as Sahara on a hot afternoon until that evening, when back at the party all of a sudden a Blended Scotch stood on the table. Chris and me looked at each other like 2 newlyweds, to say that love was in the air would be an understatement. A couple of hours later, after some red wine to the food, many many beers and a whole lotta whisky, we headed back to the bus. I hope me and Chris did'nt embarrass ourselves too much. One funny little thing I remember from that evening, is that except for Bob and Bull, everyone in the bus was referred to as: "them Swedes". Can you imagine the frustration poor Chris must have felt. I remember to this day (quite extra ordinary if you think of all the whisky) the words that came out of Chris's mouth and I understand him. For F..K's SAKE, I don't sound like you and I certainly does'nt look like you. How the H..L can they think I'm a Swede. A man in his best years from "Good Olde England", a country that has colonized and influenced almost the entire world. Sometimes life is not fair.
A big thank you, have to go Mike and his wife (sorry, I can't come up with the name) and the rest of you guys for a splendid evening. Actually, I think Chris needed help to get on board the bus and to find the right bed. I tried to watch "The Man Show" on the TV together with Bob and I guess Roine, but I gave up after a couple of minutes as I saw 3 TV screens, when there should have been 1, went back to my bunk and fell asleep in a second.