Hotel Acceptable But It's Nowhere Near Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Room With A View --
Dribble dribble. The effects of our long drive yesterday continue into today.
We arrived at the hotel c. 21.00. It was immediately apparent that Switzerland is also a smoking culture. A gentle de-vibration in the Club Room, then to the Business Centre for some e-mailing. As in Warsaw, this is a hotel that features in-room data ports without any connection to a server. So, easy enough to connect a computer to the in-room data port, just that nothing happens next. The Business Centre has high-speed & 3 cables for guests, so a queue of hopefuls line-up and practise patience.
A poor night's sleep with back pain, a result of yesterday's long journey.
This morning, rising at 10.00, sitting & into the club. Morning reading: : Views From The Real World : and then views from the FT.
14.31 Business Centre.
My e-inbox cleared.
00.18 Satch Bus Outside The Smoke Pit Of Horror, Zurich.
The Swiss are second to none, even the Spanish, when it comes to sucking on little death rolls & sharing their exhaled joy with others around them. This puts the US as the only non-smoking public culture of my experience.
He's Really At The Back Tonight --
Merchandising Man With Fruit --
Soundman with fruit --
Tour Manager Interrogates Fruit --
But tonight they know who I am --
Billy came up for Soundscapes. Wonderful playing again, and a different approach.
Steve had problems with his amp, and was borrowing Joe's. I went to the FOH but was driven back by smoke & watched part of the set from stage right. Despite Steve's problems (which I wouldn't have known about from the performance) the set was strong.
Then back into the Smoke Pit Of Horror to watch Joe from the soundboard. Very strong sound & playing.
A fun jam. My contribution is not always obvious, even to those on stage. This is mainly a function of the take-it-as-it-is sound that characterises these impromptus. When we can hear each other, bliss & wonderment. Tonight, at the end, Steve & Joe could hear me.
And, to celebrate Joe's birthday, cake & champagne in the dressing room afterwards. Long drive.
01.18 Listening in the back of the bus to: Dives & Lazarus. : Matt came in, then Joe, and I introduced them to: Say You Don't Mind : by Colin Bluntstone & the astonishing string arrangements by Paul Buckmaster for the : One Year : album.
"Our enemy is our friend."
