POLAND 2007...Fri 31 Aug
LEN: Steff had just travelled by train all the way from Falmouth in Cornwall to
Twyford, Berkshire, where I picked him up in my trusty purple Ford Fiesta. The next part of the journey consisted of the 240-mile M40/M42/M1 trek to the Britannia Hotel, 2 miles from Leeds/Bradford Airport.
About 11.30pm, as I
turned into the hotel drive, I could see that the green lawns around the hotel were dotted with dozens of bunnies. Surely I wasn't hallucinating
from tiredness already? We booked in and made for the bar.
Hanging around were a number of people who'd just been to an Iggy Pop gig. It was 12.30 am when we got to bed, and we had to be at the airport at 4am. I could have got 3 and a half hours quality sleep if it hadn't been for Steff's snoring and the fact that his sister sent him a text at 2 am with a picture of her new cat.
Sat 01 SeptPAUL: I set off to meet the Hebden Bridge contingent at 2.00am on Saturday morning as we had a taxi booked for 2.30. The taxi driver was completely bemused by taking four musicians (or should that be three musicians and a drummer?) to Poland to play Ukrainian music for just one gig.
We arrived at Leeds/Bradford to find Rat dozing on the only comfy
chairs in the airport, and Len and Steff turned up a few minutes later. We
were in good time for the flight so we went for a coffee and lingered rather
too long - almost missing the flight. Rat had security problems too but we
just made it. Will we ever get the hang of this jet-setting lark?
LEN: Just a short taxi-ride from the hotel, we staggered into the airport - eyes full of sleep - and in no time we found ourselves being brutally subjected to x-ray machines and security checks. We'd arrived at the airport in plenty of time but as usual we left it very late to go through security. Our names were now being called and there was a certain amount of hurry-up involved otherwise we were going to miss the flight. We began to break out into a collective sweat. The security area was a bustling room of anxious travellers and short-fused security staff, and amidst all this Rat was told that he couldn't take his roll-on deodorant stick through. The next minute I saw him, one arm in the air, liberally coating his underarm. He said to the official, "this has got to last me three days, mate" and casually handed over the stick. The first flight was to Amsterdam Schipol Airport, where we were to catch our second flight - to Berlin. LEN: As we boarded the KLM Amsterdam to Berlin flight, Steff asked one of the cabin crew if he could put his accordion into the luggage area just behind First Class. "It's full of instruments already", Steff was told, "'cos we've got Kool and The Gang on board". We laughed, thinking this was an example of KLM Airline staff humour, but in fact the 'funky 1980's popsters' WERE on board! STEFF: Not knowing quite what to expect after our previous debacle at Shipol airport in 2002 we eventually arrived in Berlin unfazed & unscathed. PAUL: We finally arrived in Berlin with all bags and instruments intact...! LEN: When we arrived in Berlin, both The Ukrainians and Kool and the Gang waited for their respective transport to whisk them off. Within a few minutes a line of limos arrived for Kool. Almost an hour later our transport arrived...
STEFF: We were met by Jurek the driver and Mundek the promoter dude... PAUL: ... in a splendid red van!
Sections of the Berlin wall, and view from the van as we approached the Brandenburg Gate, snapped on Paul's 'phone LEN: As we were all to spend many hours together in the van, Mundek and Jurek became our new friends. Jurek drove us past remaining parts of the Berlin Wall to Berlin East station, where we picked up our Polish label man and gig organiser, Wlodek. STEFF: After a short drive through the city via the Brandenburg gate we adjourned to a railway station to meet up with Wlodek, who was decidedly chirpy.
Snack bar, 'Berlin Ost' station - with Wlodek, Rat, Steff, Mundek and Jurek LEN: Together we had hot coffees in the station snack bar and I nipped across the road and bought a hot, cheese-filled pastry snack from a Russian food and drink stall in a small market. After a while we set off to Kreuzberg, a heavily-graffitied part of Berlin where according to the original plan we were supposed to be staying overnight in a squat. Instead, we were now to spend a few hours in Berlin and then drive across the border to Poland. So, with a few hours to spare, we found a nice little Berlin booze shop where Wlodek bought us carrier bags full of bottles of German beer, including one brand called 'Hell'. We sat on benches and got steadily drunk, which made us blend in well with the locals.
Outside the Geschenkartikel und Strumpf shop: Len, Mick, Woody, Paul, Jim, a 'chirpy' Wlodek and Rat get slowly bladdered PAUL: Unfortunately we didn't get much time to see Berlin. After the beers we drove through the city and on towards Poland. Hopefully we'll see more when we play in Germany next year. STEFF: So, a few beers later we embarked on a mainly bumpy ride into Poland.!
In the van. Top pic: Jurek & Mick. Centre pix: Len, Mick & Jim. Botom pic: Rat & Mundek, and Steff LEN: It was 240 kms or so to the Polish town of Lubin so... PAUL: Len and I bought some Russian vodka from a service station (can't do that in Blighty) to help pass the journey, though it very quickly melted the plastic cups we decanted it into!
When cooped up in a small van for hours on end, us creative types have to make our own entertainment.
Inevitably reality begins to warp...
...you fall asleep, feeling a bit sick...
...then you wake up headachy and bursting for a pee that seems to go on forever.
Paul woke up not just with a thudding head but also with a bad case of hic-cups. He's got a foolproof cure for them though. STEFF: And so we finally arrived at our hotel in Lubin in time for supper.
PAUL: The rather swanky hotel was a nice surprise. It was holding a
huge wedding feast that was in full swing when we arrived and was still
going strong the next day when we left!
LEN: It was called Hotel Bomabol. We all congregated in room 103, sat in a civilised fashion round a nice big table and devoured a welcome hot meal, washed down with a couple of Polish beers. The sensible ones then hit the sack while the rock'n'roll animals went out, found a bar nearby and had one or two extra beers each. STEFF: Some of us were still up for a few more local drinks but a few of us opted for an early night after our daytime drinking session...
PAUL: We were too tired to do much that evening, just a quick pint for some
of us in an Irish bar before catching up on some zzzzzs.
Sun 02 Sept
Hotel Bomabol, Lubin, Poland - swanky LEN: I decided to have a walk round Lubin, took a few photos and then bumped into Steff who was having a quick sunbathe not far from the hotel. We were approached by a few locals who had clearly started drinking earlier than us and who insisted on trying to speak to us in German, even though we'd told them in English that we were English.
STEFF: The festival site was a short drive from the hotel, so after breakfast and some vodka shopping we hung around outside the hotel until Jurek arrived with the van, with Len and myself chatting in Polish and German to a few local ne'er-do-well itinerant well-dressed bums who tried to cadge loose change and cigarettes. I was keen to hold on to my zlotys but proffered a roll-up to one of the tramps who thanked me politely and went on his merry way. LEN: I had a brief 'business' discussion with Wlodek back in the hotel and then we headed off to the festival site about 25 minutes away for the 12.45 soundcheck. I was looking forward to the gig, which was to commemorate those who were shot by the communist police 25 years ago in 1982. The festival was called 'Do Wolnosci' - 'To Freedom' in English - and there was a great line-up: NRM (grungers from Belarus), Plastic People of the Universe ('60s-'70s avante-garde Czech group), Misty in Roots (a brilliant reggae band who I think are based in London) and Bob Geldof. PAUL: We arrived at the festival site around midday to sound check and everything seemed OK. LEN: We had a look around the site and the backstage area. I checked out the dressing rooms - in a building behind the stage. I walked down a corridor and looked in the rooms one by one. Plastic People of the Universe had a small white room, so did NRM, so did we, so did Misty. Then I got to the last door... which opened out into an unbelievably huge aircraft hangar that was bigger than an IKEA building. I guess this was where Bob Geldof's plane would arrive. Rock stars, eh? Anyway, we soundchecked and afterwards we headed back to the hotel for a hot meal, then many of the band wanted to find a shop to buy vodka.
Lunchtime: Paul and Mick at the hotel cafe contemplating the forthcoming gig...
...while Woody and Len plan revolution and a new Socialist order PAUL: We spent an eternity buying some vodka to take home, which meant we missed The Plastic People of the Universe, which is a shame as I was looking forward to seeing those Czech psychedelic legends. In fact, we were rather late back for the festival. We had to run and get our instruments and get straight onstage, labouring under a heavy burden of sobriety. LEN: Missing Plastic People of the Universe did really piss me off, and also meant that we arrived back at the festival site stone cold sober with six minutes left before we were due onstage. Luckily I had my 'emergency' bottle of sparkling wine that I keep for such occasions and took that with me onstage. To make things worse the whole gig was recorded for national radio and was televised. At one point I turned away from the audience to take a desperate 30-second swig from the bottle, hoping they wouldn't notice, then caught sight of myself on the massive screens to the back and sides of the stage. PAUL: The stage was huge with a giant screen behind us. It was quite a shock to turn and see yourself towering over the stage. The atmosphere was a bit strange and the gig didn't seem to catch alight, not just for us but for the other bands too. Sometimes the best habitat for the Ukies is a sweaty punk club! Perhaps the Ukrainians, as the most punky and upbeat band playing, would have been more at home closing the festival. The first song didn't start well for me. One of the mandolin's E strings had slipped and was dreadfully out of tune so I had to switch octaves for the rest of the song. Not a good start though.
Also we'd lost the kick drum in the monitors and were getting out of time but
things were quickly sorted out and got better. Except for Michael who
was stung by a wasp early on in the gig. I hate their yellow guts, wasps.
STEFF: We played well to an audience who seemed a bit subdued and
static - probably due to the heavy security presence and alcohol ban in
the main arena. The onstage sound was nicely balanced and quite loud,
especially when I made the occasional foray over to Len via Mick's
guitar amp and Woody's monitors. Rat said it sounded good out in the
audience so I guess we must have played well and enjoyed ourselves...
Friendly festival. Nice stage. Even the toilets were way above the usual 'bog standard'
LEN:
After we finished our set I went out to see Misty in Roots. It was starting to get dark and the atmosphere was
building.
Misty in Roots onstage... and after their gig with a slightly tired and emotional Len After they came off stage I embarrassed myself by drunkenly chatting with them in their dressing room and telling them how much I loved their live album, which I used to play a lot when I was a student. They were very welcoming and friendly and they didn't treat me like a twat, which was very generous of them under the circumstances. PAUL: After the gig our dressing room was full of beer and food, just what we like! When we were booted out of our dressing room so that it could be used for something else, Mundek and Jurek picked up the table laden with goodies and carried it out of the building and into a nearby tent that had a free beer pump and a seemingly never-ending supply of draught lager.
Scientists have for centuries dreamed of inventing a perpetual motion machine, but the Poles have gone one better... a FREE LAGER DISPENSER LEN: We were soon all getting a bit worse for wear...
...worse for wear... and a vague memory of Mundek and Jurek moving the food into the free beer tent... STEFF: Watching sets by Misty in Roots and Bob Geldof and his band later on that night from the side of stage was a nice relaxing way to end the day, particularly as there seemed to be a constant supply of free chilled lager from the nearby hospitality tent. LEN: We were jealous. Bob Geldof and his band had their own caravan backstage and they were cordoned off and protected from us mere mortals by a long line of baton-wielding hard-case security staff. Mind you, they had no chance of getting to the free beer, so it's swings and roundabouts, isn't it?
Backstage: Wlodek, Mundek, Jurek and Rat
The tent containing the food and (have we mentioned this before?) the never-ending beer machine LEN: Some time was spent in the tent backstage, then me, Steff and (I think) Mick stood at the side of the stage to watch Sir Bob and his band at very close quarters.
Sir Bob - resplendent in a bright yellow suit STEFF: At certain points I remember dancing quite drunkenly at the side of the stage and occasionally spilling beer onstage near the drummer, my arms flailing and legs trying to dance. I got a bit garrulous with one security guard who told me off for dancing with a drink in my hand in the artists and crew area, but luckily he didn't hit me with his baton. LEN: Actually, I seem to remember Steff climbing on the stage rigging and getting escorted off the stage! I think he must have forgotten that bit. Here's the proof...!
LEN: He found his way back on again though... STEFF: Anyway, in an attempt to subdue things a bit I stood back a bit and entertained myself by making a roll-up while they played their last song before the encore. When they walked offstage Bob somehow seemed unimpressed and unconvinced. Then he stood right next to me and said to the rest of the band "Bollocks! Well that was focken crap, wasn't it..." LEN: At the end of his set Bob walked past us and muttered "that was shite, wasn't it?" Even the mighty have their moments of doubt.
PAUL: After Bob Geldof finished his set (you should have done more Boomtown
Rats, Bob) we set off for the drive back. The table in the middle of the
seating area of the van was perfect for balancing beers on... we thought.
Within minutes we braked to avoid squashing a hedgehog and sacrificed
several beers spilling everywhere. In fact I'm surprised we managed to spill
so much over the return journey and still get drunk!
STEFF: The drive back to the airport was exhausting and the lack of
sleep got on my nerves, but it was still worth it. Roll on March 2008 -
maybe we'll still get to play Berlin (would be nice after 14 years) !
PAUL: We arrived at Berlin airport at around 5.00 am, late of course and
only just made the plane again.
Mon 03 Sept
Amsterdam - Schipol airport PAUL: Finally, knackered and dehydrated we staggered into Leeds/Bradford to pick up our bags. Congratulations, KLM, on maintaining your standards. Rat and Jim had a bag each missing and Woody's bottles were smashed leaving a trail of vodka along the conveyor belt. Of course, it was KLM who lost our bags and broke Len's fiddle a few years ago on a tour of Poland.
Len and Steff had an unenviable drive down south to look forward to. One day
perhaps they'll do the sensible thing and move up north... The rest of us
jumped on a train back to Hebden Bridge where I could fall into bed for some
well earned slumber. Now I'm looking forward to our next jaunt to Germany
and Poland to promote the new live album next year... just not with KLM
I hope.
STEFF: Len drove us back to Reading... LEN: ...though we did have a snooze on the way, on a grass verge just outside a motorway service station... me splayed out exhausted but unable to sleep properly and Steff snoring away in his sleeping bag. We were right next to a picnic table where a smart young couple and their two children were tucking into burgers and eyeing us very suspiciously. STEFF: When we got to Len's, his other half Rebecca cooked us something to eat and we both fell asleep in our chairs at about 7pm. Zzzzzzzzzzzz ************************ Back to HOME page
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