It was an
early start today: Getting the car at the car rental,
gathering the guys, loading and heading off for Poland.
At 9.30 a.m. we are on the road as planned. Good one!
We’ll be picking John up later as we often do
when the road leads to the east.
Already in the morning it is very warm and storms are
expected – well, it is summer, we won’t
complain. Safely we get to Dresden where another gentleman
is joining us: “The little Lord” who is
doing the merch and taking care of fans in general.
Meanwhile it is incredibly hot and we open every window
of the car as the air condition cannot take it anymore.
What makes this concert at Castle Party so special for
us is that we’re the only ones who don’t
play at the castle but at the church at the old city
square. As we arrive there who is the first person we
see? Matt Howden (SIEBEN) who is also playing tonight
but unfortunately at the castle and more
or less at the same time as we are performing so unfortunately
we aren’t able to see this great performer. It
is a very warm welcome and a good beginning. We are
very happy about being here as it is the first time
we have been to Poland. The crew is extraordinarily
nice, polite and helpful making us feel good. The gothics
which have entered the whole city look great and create
a very intent atmosphere around the beautiful place.
A bit late but still in time we start preparations and
quickly afterwards start with the soundcheck which is
guarded not only by an american film-team but also by
passengers who are standing outside, watching us through
the lattice-door of the entrance. Looks funny.
The acoustics is great but also not too easy to handle
but after a short while we’re used to it and finish
the soundcheck.
The concert: The promoter is taking a little speech
ahead of the show and it finally starts. When I enter
the church I am very much impressed: it’s almost
jam-packed in there. Each place is taken and people
are as well standing in the back! This is an impressive
start. Shortly before the concert began there was a
little shower outside which makes the air highly damp,
so when I pick up
my instrument it is almost like someone had poured water
over it!
The concert itself is one of the most impressive we
must have been playing so far: First there are very
many people around, second it is not too often that
you see the crowd participating the whole thing so much,
in a sense that you see them being into the music not
passively but enjoying openly our performance and taking
something personally out of it with them. This may sound
a bit strange now but I cannot describe it in other
words.
After the show there is still much to do: An interview
with the film-team who seems deeply impressed, some
autographs and then pack the whole stuff again. Luckily
we are allowed to leave our instruments and everything
in the church – in Poland, this must be the safest
place to put something, even safer than in a bank! And
we have to hurry to take some food as the hotel’s
kitchen is about to close its
services. Well, it’s been around 10.30 p.m. so
we could understand that. We make it in time, though,
and get a well-deserved meal and an even more deserved
ice-cold pint of beer to celebrate this day! Most of
us are too tired to go up to the castle which we haven’t
seen yet but at the hotel we meet some old friends of
GARDEN OF DELIGHT who have just arrived and so we finish
the day with some more pints and a nice chat about ancient
times. The next day we take our time to at least take
a look at the castle although there are no performances
running but the whole thing looks great and the castle
is very amazing with an extraordinary view over the
valley. Finally we start our travel back home.
Very special thanks to the local promoters and the
crew who were taking care of us. If we’d like
to return? Hell, yeah!!!
Martin
