-->Germany Jan 07
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Japan Tour Feb 2007 ll
16.02.07 Kobe Helluva Lounge
Levelload's debut in Japan was not Tokyo or Hiroshima, it was here in Kobe.
Kim who has organized our tour (apart from the Nagoya date) has a place called Helluva Lounge where the whole stage lights up.
We were surprised to find that everything runs really early in Japan. We had to be at the venue for 2:30 for sound check. The doors open at 6:30!!
At the front of the thankfuly full house, we found our first dancer of the tour who kept shouting 'Rock and roll!'.
Indeed.
After the show, we went with Kim and some others to an 'IZAKAYA' which is kind of a pub a bit like a tapas bar, where you can eat and drink till morning if you want. We got to about 3 before the first casualties.
18.02.07 Osaka Hard Rain
Everything was going smoothly until sound check when we discovered we had blown the the speakers which we borrowed for the drum machine.
Fourtunately one thing you find in Japanese venues is that the sound engineers are very professional, (+ no attitude - British engineers/venues take note!) so you can work around these things.
We played with Umlaut who also played with us in Kobe. Some myspace fans turned up, too.
We were driving to these shows, and i have to say the motorway service stations are amazing, with so much nice food and stuff to buy you have to watch your spending
19.02.07 Nagoya File Under Presents
Listen at Buddha
File under records is a UK/US indie record shop in Nagoya run by Takehiko Yamada.
He puts on a night every so often at Club Buddha with great DJs playing the best from the UK/US atlernative scenes but we were the first live band to play there.
With the help of some radio play and the sterling promotional work of Takehiko, the place was packed.
The whole thing was more like a German gig in that it was later and we played for longer,but still everyone listened intently to the whole set and then called for more.
Our hot and sweaty DJ set seemed to go down well, too.
20.02.07 Kyoto Yasou
This event organized by Japanese punk legend Hide from Ultra Bide, included Watusi Zombi, the front runners of the Osaka Zero generation scene who played a fantastic set.
The slightly surreal cross between a subversive poet's cafe and yakuza hangout provided the perfect backdrop for a meeting of real characters, including a young child sleeping through definately one of the louder gigs we've been at, someone else in a kimono and an american guy in a dinner suit.
Some great naked dancing from the drummer of Watusi Z during our set, quickly growing into full scale moshing from all those present, knocking Mariko's bass way out of tune for a version of "comanche" in a new key completed a very memorable evening.
Unforunately our camera ran out of battery though so you'll have to take our word for it.
22.02.07 Tokyo O-Nest
In the middle of the love hotel district of Shibuya, is O-Nest, which makes it sound like a dive but actually it's very smart.
.
We were invited by Mahiruno, for this, their record launch party.
Some friends we had'nt seen in a long while came along, and it was good to spend some time together.
Shibuya though is MAD - it makes London seem like a quaint little village.
There's so much of everything it can be overwhelming.
27.02.07 Tokyo Yaneura
Back to the neon of Shibuya and Yaneura which means 'attic' so naturaly it's in a basement...er, yeah.
One band on the bill had formed so they could play with us, sweet,but the place was deserted. It was then the last show of the tour miracle happened - about 5 minutes before we were due to go on it suddenly filled up.
Then off to another izakaya for end of tour boozing before catching a bit of sleep and the plane home.
So thanks again to those who made this all happen, especially Kim and Takehiko.
ll German Tour jan 2007 ll
18.02.07 Darmstadt 603qm
After staying over night in Antwerp, we arrived in Darmsadt just in time for the worst storm for decades,with closed schools,bridges,and trees across roads. People braved the weather to give us a really warm reception at the venue- 603qm, a really cool space in the university, with a yellow theme and evrything measured, so on the fridges was written "4.3deg C", and on a step "7cm" ,and for the toilets...
19.02.07 Dortmund BAKUDA CLUB
Next north to Dortmund on the 19th, and BAKUDA CLUB for a hot and sweaty night with a very noisy packed house with support from PRISTINE (thanks for the bag!!), who kindly lent us their bass amp after ours broke down, on the 2nd gig dammit!!
20.02.07 Halle DRUSHBA
After not enough sleep, and running around trying to find amp spares we drove 6 hours to Halle, a place we instantly took a liking to. Halle is a very beautiful city with a sense of history and culture. Club DRUSHBA is part of the theatre/cultural centre,with a kind of red square theme going on. When we returned from the hostel, we found the place packed with people eager for us to start playing. A great response from people who would'nt let us stop.
21.02.07Trier THE EXHAUS
The 4th gig in Trier involved an insanely long drive across the country from north east to south west. THE EXHAUS in Trier is a great place, it's a youth centre and covered with amazing graffiti. It's like a big family there. We were so happy that people came to see us, some who saw us before in London.
+ there were lots of vinyl fans here!
23.02.07 Heidelberg STRORCHENNEST
...Heidelberg Storchenest, great place run by Jan and Felipe who's efforts made for a very successful night with a crowd that literaly would'nt let us off the stage untill we had played every song we know.
Then it snowed. Winter had arrived, and although Heidelberg looked v pretty in the snow, it did'nt make for nice driving up to Gottingen.
24.02.07 Göttingen CAFE KABALE
Cafe Kabale is part of a collective with a cinema and a hall(theater?/music). Volker, the man who put all this together(thanks!!) came along for a cosy show with everyone crammed into the side room of the cafe. Boys and girls who turned up late were begging us to play more after coming back on stage twice... Sorry guys, next time!!
25.02.07 Berlin MAGNET CLUB
After dropping in on some friends in the city, we head for show no7 at the Berlin Magnet Club which was the biggest of the tour. Despite the size and chaos of so many people and goings on they took such good care of us. By the time we played the venue was full. Our good friend, Mini Horse has turned up as well to support us and we felt very at home.
Next day we wake up to find it snowing heavily and f**king cold. Of course our car takes this as a cue for the windscreen washer to pack in, meaning we had to keep stopping otherwise we could'nt see out. So that and some bad traffic made for a long journey to Munster.
26.02.07 Münster AMP
Wow! yet another really up for it crowd - people really seem to enjoy their music in Germany. We've been finding, too, that when we announce some songs we get a cheer. How did we ever manage before myspace?
If you're ever in Munster and want to go out, go to Fieber Tanz Party at Amp,you'll have a good time, believe me.
27.02.07 Osnabrück WESTWERK
Last show (boo!) was at Westwerk in Osnabruck, another collective type place, in what we reckon used to be a school, and the most, and possibly the best dancing we had seen on the tour.
They have a music festival there in April and we are arlready invited!
After the show everyone was off to a party in town, but by this point we were just too tired, so got our hosts to drop us off at the hotel.
Then back home. Not to bad a drive really, we were back in time for dinner.
So BIG thanks to eveyone who made this possible, and we'll see you when we're back in April!
Pics by PICZO
