A good overall show, with a strong FOH sound, at The Gasometer. This seems to be a re-developed gasworks, now an entertainment and shopping centre.
Billy came up for the Soundscapes and was stunning. Not only superb, but stunning.
I watched some of Steve's set and felt very much like the 17 & 18 year old who went to see national bands playing in Poole & Parkstone; standing up, near the edge of the stage, seeing the characters deliver. And the Vai band were delivering. I was reminded of seeing an 18 year old Richie Blackmore with The Outlaws in Poole (Richie was an astonishing young player). Tonight, Tony MacAlpine defeated my powers of comprehending how he did what he did.
Joe set's was also superb and the jam was fun for me.
The gig was also yet another Smokefest. I walked around the venue, trying to find a place to stand & watch the show without someone blowing smoke at me. Regrettably, this was impossible.
The catering was excellent, and available at the end of the evening (fairly rare on this tour in Europe).
Driving back to the hotel with Matt, he mentioned seeing Arnie in town, who visiting for the funeral of the Austrian president. The Governor of California was in a shop opposite Starbucks, surrounded by a large number of people.
10.31
Satch Bus.
Left Hotel Very Acceptable of Vienna around 10.00 on the way to Budapest.
A good hotel & a night in a stationary bed. Yippee! Spoken to the luvvie - yippee again!
11.23 Into Hungary.
15.35 Satch Bus at venue, Budapest.
The venue is where the Double Trio Crimson played, with The California Guitar Trio (John reminds me).
He's still at the back! --
Oh no! They've put that other band in my dressing room - again! And I asked Doug Nightwine to Tell Them Who I Am --
19.37 Someone has been sending me goodwill. This was recognisable because:
1. I found myself briefly able to remember who I am.
2. There is more energy available to power habitual behaviour.
So, good news & bad news come together. How to hold the middle?
Both Billy & Steve joined the Soundscapes: powerful, wild & lotsa fun.
John Sinks has corrected me: the club that features in the R. Chris Murphy story of radical fetishisation of inherent & delineated meanings is in Milwaukee, not Madison. I remember landing at Chicago O'Hare in a snowstorm, the cancelled connecting flight, struggling outside the airport with all luggage in the snow & not knowing where I was going, getting onto a connecting coach to Milwaukee airport that was just leaving (the driver was snippy), collecting a hire car, driving to the hotel in blinding snow, and the club where the Soundscape (and R. Chris Murphy) performance took place. But I confused Madison (where john was living) and Milwaukee. My reading at the time was Roger Scruton's The Aesthetics Of Music (in reverse chapter order).
Clearly, I am addled from being too long on the road.
23.03 Good sets, well received, and a fun jam. Now a terror ride to Warsaw of 450 miles. Yow!
"Listen also with the ears of the heart."
