A brief summary of touring Europe in times of the pandemic

I made it. I didn’t seriously believe it could work even halfway through. Too predictable were cancellations, in fact the majority of shows towards mid-autumn have been pretty much in question. I knew then and I’m still aware that touring amidst a pandemic is most certainly not among the most sensible things one should do. A lot of, if not most of my fellow touring artist friends decided for good reason to stay home. I do respect this and I absolutely understand it too.
I’ve been thinking a lot about things like responsibility before setting out. About the dangers for me, audiences and promoters too. There were difficulties likely to face especially with crossing borders. Too many to make it a task realistically to be mastered.

I think I wrote in here before what it means to me to play shows. It’s not only a job to make a living, this is an important part of it, sure, but an equally important thing to me is telling stories, singing my songs and — this might sound a bit mad — making people feel something, change something in their hearts, their minds. And it keeps me from going mad. Something I have to admit didn’t work particularly well during the time of the first, strict lockdown in spring when there was no chance to play a concert.
I’ve been touring a lot over the past years. I think it’s safe to say an average of 150 shows a year. I wouldn’t have done that without serious reasons. If a routine like this comes to an immediate halt this feels like I imagine it must feel like stopping a vehicle going 300 KMH down to zero in a split second. It has a strong physical effect. Or at least it had on me. I felt mentally and physically terrible in any imaginable way. Never thought it could be like that, never thought I’d need it that much. By June/July I more or less decided for myself I’d bloody do that tour if there’d be the smallest chance it could work. Even if it was for just half of the shows. I just don’t want to fall into that big black hole again. Everybody has to decide this for him or herself, I was to at least give it a try. If things went pear-shaped I’d have to deal with it. If I was to end up in hospital — not good but damn, you can’t escape your destiny anyway. It doesn’t make a big difference whether you pick up your infection in a supermarket, a tram or a concert. Or a hospital. I’m not ignoring the virus, I’m not one of them twats to deny it. I’m afraid of it, like a lot of other people are, and I was worried throughout the whole journey. At the same time it was the most intense thing I experienced in terms of touring. Been asking myself after every show if this had been the last one. Last on this tour. Or the very last one. But believe me, I’m more than glad I decided to do it. This will remain one of the things I’ll always remember.

Halle in Germany had been cancelled. A lovely little venue there and right on my way to Warsaw. Had to change plans which later turned out to be what I was quite occupied with all along the way. Left a day later than planned and booked a cheap room for a night in Görlitz, a small-town bordering Poland thus cutting short the good nine hours drive to Warsaw to bearable driving stints. As also the show in Biala Podlaska wasn’t possible due to the town being in a yellow zone I stayed in Warsaw for three days. As I had been a bit disappointed about the Polish capital on my last year’s tour this was a chance to possibly discover it’s hidden beauty. And guess what — it was worthwhile.

15/09/20 GER-Halle, Cafe Ludwig CANCELED/POSTPONED
17/09/20 PL-Warsaw, La Boheme
18/09/20 PL-Biala Podlaska CANCELED/POSTPONED
19/09/20 PL-Warsaw, Ada Pulawska
20/09/20 PL-Krakow CANCELED/POSTPONED

When the Krakow show turned out to also not happening — this one not due to Covid — it was an easy decision to move on to Wroclaw. I fell in love with the city when I played there last year. It’s among the nicest, most interesting places in Europe. Three nights there I reckoned would get me enough rest for the long distance rides coming. This is talking European long distance. Not Canadian…

But things started to pick up speed once I was there. Received a message from Jozef, the promoter in Trnava, Slovakia, to double-check if my border crossing are going to work out as there are new regulations in Slovakia. By that time I still had a show booked in Prague on Friday, 25th September. For several reasons that particular one meant a lot to me. But: Slovakia decided to declare Czech Republic a risk area. This meant once I was in Czech Republic for the Prague show I’d have had to quarantine after re-entering Slovakia. That would have meant cancelling my concert in Trnava, Slovakia. One of the places that confirmed the date very early this year to make sure I’d be really coming. A good place run by a dear friend. No way to not play it. Well, that was the situation on 21st September. So with a heavy heart I cancelled Prague to make sure I could make it to Trnava. Thanks to my mate Dasa Fon Flasa I got a replacement show for 25th in Banska Bystrica. They added me to the line-up. Two death-trash-metal-whatever-core bands plus me. I’m fine with shows like that, or like Dasa says, “at the end of the day we’re all punk rockers, aren’t we?“. Few hours later both bands cancelled. Alright, so then it’s just me. Another couple of hours later the Trnava show had to be cancelled. The town became a red alert zone in Slovakia. Even though it was already set to a private event it became impossible to do it.

22/09/20 PL-Wroclaw, Piesniarze
23/09/20 SK-Bratislava, Cyclo Kuchyna
24/09/20 SK-Zilina, Hajovna
25/09/20 CZ-Prague, Proti Proudu CANCELED/POSTPONED
25/09/20 SK-Banska Bystrica, Bosorka

At the Banska Bystrica gig, which was possibly the nicest I played in this town so far, I met Miro. He surprised me a lot with telling me he came to see the show because of particular songs. “Lily Of The West“ was one, the others I don’t remember. Doesn’t happen too often. After the show he asked me about my plans for the next days. Nothing special actually. Saturday show cancelled, so probably trying to find a place to stay. That’s how I got into the wooded hills near Zvolen. Miro and his family living there middle of nowhere in an old farmhouse, self-sufficient, mostly cut off from system and society. He asked me whether I’d be up for playing a house show for him and his family. I did it. It was one of the most rewarding and intense things in a long time. Maybe some day I’ll write more about it. Maybe.

26/09/20 SK-Trnava, Archa CANCELED/POSTPONED
26/09/20 SK- somewhere

Hangin out two days in Moravia. One night in red zone Uherske Hradiste, a second night in not so very red zone Brno (from a Czech point of view). Waiting to pick up my mate Pavel Cingl at Brno station who’ll join in on violin for the Czech dates. So far my experience with all the shows is: everybody, almost everywhere is absolutely aware of the situation. No wild parties. People behave in a most responsible way. I’ve got a feel most European governments love to exaggerate about how devastating the situation is and point their finger first thing at all the neighbouring countries. Of course this is a big mess. And yes, no one should underestimate the threat, but being there myself I actually don’t think people are not giving a fuck.

29/09/20 CZ-Brno, Jazz bar U kouřícího králíka

Enjoyable show in Brno. Thanks Pavla. How come this works in Jazz venues now? That’s a new thing. Word reaches me Linz in Austria and Prien in Germany are cancelled. Predictable. But France seem to still be mostly fine with the shows even though being rated a red area by the Germans. Same with Spanish Basque country, which is in fact rated a high risk area by Germany. What’s that then? Dark red? Mega red? Deep purple?
Either way, the cancellations will let me leave Czechia, do the mandatory covid test in Bavaria, quarantine until receiving the — ideally — negative result and move on towards France. Oh – and I urgently need a negative result as I need to see the dentists before leaving Germany. Since Zilina I’ve got a painful, bad cheek tooth.

30/09/20 CZ-Prague, Parukářka
01/10/20 CZ-Tabor, Tabook 9
02/10/20 CZ-Milevsko, Domeček Šrot
03/10/20 CZ-Semanovice, Nostalgicka Mys

Now after five excellent shows in Czechia with Pavel on violin, highlighted by the last one in the small village of Semanovice this seems to become a race against the pandemic or rather it’s side effects, the shutdowns, lockdowns and curfews Europe will have to face or already does. Sunday after our last show I met the The Spermbirds guys for a cuppa whom we shared a show with on this tour in Tabor. They’re one of the most exciting groups you can currently hear in Prague but from this very Monday — that’s tomorrow — there won’t be shows for them over here for the next four weeks coming. And that’s just the start of it as it looks like. Germany seems to be still more relaxed due to lower infection rates but that’s just a matter of weeks, maybe days.

No reply from Saint-Romans, my first French show. Assuming it’s not going to happen.

06/10/20 AT-Linz, Kapu CANCELED/POSTPONED
07/10/20 D-Prien, Piraten Pub CANCELED/POSTPONED

Test result arrives Wednesday afternoon (8th October), seeing the dentists midday 9th and leaving for Basel in the afternoon to stay over at friends making it one third of the distance down to Tarbes. Switzerland by this time still OK. At least for travelling through. The forty CHF parking ticket is a bit annoying though.

My Basque friends get in touch. Two shows cancelled, but one extra booked. So we’re still good here. They want to know if I’m really coming. Yes. I am.

09/10/20 F-Saint-Romans, Association le Fair'ailleurs CANCELED/POSTPONED

Sunday’s show in Basque country also cancelled on short notice. One of the venue guys tested positive. Shite. We’re down to three now. I’m on my way, so no use in a change of plan. I knew beforehand it wasn’t going to be an easy one. So — fuck it. I’m still lucky I can do what I can do best and love most. Gotta keep moving on.

10/10/20 F-Tarbes, Celtic Pub

Great show. Fantastic evening. I love JL’s Celtic Pub Is Not A Pub. Name as crazy as the man. I love this. Checking the latest covid restrictions in Europe. My fave website these days is https://reopen.europa.eu and the Spanish seem to let me in. So far so good. First rumours the Czech are going to close down their borders. The shit is definitely, seriously preparing to hit the fan.

11/10/20 E-Azkoitia, Matadeixe CANCELED/POSTPONED
13/10/20 F-Lartzabale, tba. CANCELED/POSTPONED
14/10/20 E-Bilbao, Bira Kultur Gunea
16/10/20 E-Ataun, Oargi
17/10/20 E-Itziar, Burugorri Gainean

Safe to say these were three fantastic shows I had the chance to share with Eneritz Furyak. A great, young Basque singer-songwriter. Two sold out, one almost. Amazing audiences. I instantly fell in love with the attitude of these people. New homeland discovered. Eneritz and her boyfriend Mono recorded/filmed my version of „And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda“ on one of the off-days, had the opportunity do a little live appearance on Basque radio and last but not least saw a fantastic concert of a Basque band in a bullring. That was a debut. Never seen a bullring in real. Impressive scenery.

As for now it still looks like Toulouse is going to happen

It’s a bit of a drive from Hendaye to Perpignan where I’m playing next. Distance wise it doesn’t make a big difference whether you go through Spain or France. As I haven’t been to that north-western part of Catalonia I thought it a good idea. Beautiful landscape, book a cheap room in Lleida, spend the night, relax, just a short drive the next day. Lovely idea but I’d have better checked my favourite website. On arriving in Lleida I ask the lady at the reception where I could possibly go for dinner. Erm… nowhere. We’re under lockdown here. All bars and restaurants closed, if you’re lucky a coffee to go. Supermarkets are open til nine. I’m having a walk through town in search of a supermarket. This is a town under wartime conditions. That’s what it feels like. In bigger squares I see big white tents, covid test centres. This, as they tell me, goes for all Catalonia.

Monday morning I’m setting out for Perpignan. Almost no traffic. Passing by towns and places I learned to love over the past years. Banyoles, Girona, Figueres, Darnius… Stopping in La Jonquera to fill up the van and buy a couple of canisters of olive oil.

Warm welcome in Perpignan by Lionel and Vanessa. Good friends who are going to host me until Wednesday if the Toulouse show will not be cancelled, until Thursday if necessary. Things seem to be still comparably normal down here. And yes, the show will take place. Leila’s L'Escalibar. She’s a great, tough, wonderful person. I’m glad this time the show can happen. Last year, touring by train, there was no way to make it here. Severe thunderstorms had literally flushed away the rail tracks then.

Monday evening it doesn’t look very good for Toulouse, on Tuesday we know there won’t be a show in Toulouse. They closed down the city.

20/10/20 F-Perpignan, L'Escalibar
21/10/20 F-Toulouse, La Cave A Rock CANCELED/POSTPONED

Leaving Perpignan after a good show on Tuesday and a pleasant off-day hanging out with my hosts and an enjoyable walk in the hills around Céret. Driving up to Saintes for the night, half the way to Rennes.
En route news reaches me Chateaubriant, my Saturday show, is cancelled. By now nine major cities in France issued strict curfews for an indefinite time. This means my Lyon show in late November is cancelled as well. Brittany still mostly fine for now but time’s running out there too. Still hoping for the Nantes gig to happen next Wednesday, 28th October.

23/10/20 F-Rennes, Bar La Ruche

Things going wild now. The show at La Ruche is not only the last one before strict curfew rules will apply starting midnight. It’s also the last ever show Aurelie will host here as she’ll quit after this evening. Place is packed, people go nuts and so is Aurelie. A fantastic evening and a last goodbye to Bar La Ruche.

As the Saturday show is cancelled I gladly accept my friend Francois’ offer to come to Avranches, Normandy to spend the night and do a house show at his place early Sunday evening.

24/10/20 F-Chateaubriant, La Charrue CANCELED/POSTPONED

By Sunday morning it becomes a fact that Nantes is also cancelled. I get in touch with Meghane in Besancon to let her know I can’t play the Friday show at Les Passagers du Zinc. No point in hangin out in France for a whole week. Only option would be to reschedule the gig to Wednesday. Makes sense as Besancon is right on my way back to Germany. Let’s do it she writes and I love her for this.

25/10/20 F-Avranches, House Show

Leaving for Paris to spend two days at a friends place. It’s a ghost town.

28/10/20 F-Nantes, La Scene Michelet CANCELED/POSTPONED
28/10/20 F-Besancon, Les Passagers du Zinc
30/10/20 F-Besancon, Les Passagers du Zinc RESCHEDULED

Now this is the final one. As it looks like for quite some time. Few days ago I read the Czech closed their borders again and I’m afraid others will consider this the ultima ratio as well. Sold out tonight. As most of you know this simply means the maximum number of people allowed by authorities due to current rules has booked seats. Doesn’t mean packed. It’s another last show. Last for Les Passagers du Zinc as from tomorrow on there’ll be strict curfew rules in effect here. Last for me as all November shows in Europe are cancelled and the same is more than likely to happen in December.