Post by DAVE HURRY on Feb 29, 2008 2:57:09 GMT
DAY THREE
Thursday 28th February 2008 - 12:45 PM
Somewhere between Eskisehir and Ankara
Back on the train again, this time heading towards gig number two. We're getting picked up at the station and driving straight to the venue for a soundcheck. As I said in yesterday's installment, the gig was a spectacular success. We can only hope that the remaining three go as well. After the gig we headed off back to the hotel, and sat about with a couple of bottles chatting. I headed off to bed (listening to Bill Hicks!) and then awoke to my new alarm tone, Department S with "Is Vic There?" at around 11 AM. We sat watching some mad singer on a chat show for about two hours, and as I came out the shower and went to say hello to the rest of the band in the next room I realised they weren't there. The room was a total tip, with beds overturned and everything. Images of the rest of the band in orange jumpsuits sprang to mind, and I hurriedly got on the text message machine type thing to find out where they were. The panic was short lived, as they'd simply been moved upstairs having been told their room was "broken". Something in the pipes apparently.
After heading back to the venue and retrieving our gear, we meandered off towards the train station to get on this, the latest in a long line of moving vehicles encountered on this trip. A bit of time to stare out the window and watch the scenery go past - it's very pretty indeed. You would, wouldn't you. Yes.
4:00 AM
Turkey is fantastic!
We arrived in Ankara, and piled straight into a van from the train (rock and roll!). Said van took us to the venue, which was a fair way smaller than last night but you could tell as soon as you went in that the gig would be intense. Upon arrival, Adrian "did I eat my sandwich here?" Swift did not have an amp on his side of the stage, which (after not having a private limousine) was a bridge too far. Thankfully one arrived swiftly (get it?) and soundcheck was on. Once we'd got that out of the way, we sat down to eat the baguettes kindly provided by the promoter. A spur of the moment Stroke Of Genius resulted in us all getting onstage, swapping instruments and playing some choice Maiden tunes. Speed "magic carpet!" Harris picked up my guitar, I took the vocal mic for a while and Nicko "bum AIDS" McBrain Jnr took over Swifty's guitar. Speed sang for a tune (Flight Of Icarus - beautifully done in a Blaze meets Vic Reeves style-ee)
We jaunted to the hotel (Hotel Class!) and I took a fairly splendid shower. I wanted to have a shave, but the shaver point turned out to be a bog standard Europlug so I was destined once again to be Dave "Hairy" Hurry. I discovered Red Dwarf was on the telly, so I was set for a little while. We arrived back to the venue, which was already half full, and made our way backstage. I was feeling a little bit poorly - I arrived in Turkey with a cough, and my star turn as vocalist post-soundcheck had not helped matters. I'd coughed and spluttered my way into some very odd stomach twinges, and was fairly sure I was going to hurl at any given moment, but thankfully I made it through the gig without blowing chunks all over that Fender De Ville.
As for the gig itself, well well well. I've always heard bands say "they wouldn't let us go off-stage!", but it's never literally happened to me. We tried to get down off the stage, but the crowd on my side of the stage formed a picket line and physically wouldn't let us leave. We had to pull three extra songs out of the bag to appease the horde, and somehow managed to still leave them wanting more! I personally played a blinder, even solos (which is unusual for me) despite feeling like crap. Mr McBrain Jnr got through the gig on a difficult kit with effortless aplomb, and Speed made all his mistakes in Fear Of The Dark (apart from the premature ejaculation in Revelations)!
I'm now back at the hotel with extra beer and a ringing earhole (my left earplug came half-way out without me noticing. Oops). We're off at 10:30 AM to pick up the gear from the venue and get going on the long-ish drive to Izmir. I'm told by our excellent soundman tonight that Friday and Saturday nights in Turkey are amazing. Wednesday and Thursday were brilliant - how much better could it be? I shall let you know...
Thursday 28th February 2008 - 12:45 PM
Somewhere between Eskisehir and Ankara
Back on the train again, this time heading towards gig number two. We're getting picked up at the station and driving straight to the venue for a soundcheck. As I said in yesterday's installment, the gig was a spectacular success. We can only hope that the remaining three go as well. After the gig we headed off back to the hotel, and sat about with a couple of bottles chatting. I headed off to bed (listening to Bill Hicks!) and then awoke to my new alarm tone, Department S with "Is Vic There?" at around 11 AM. We sat watching some mad singer on a chat show for about two hours, and as I came out the shower and went to say hello to the rest of the band in the next room I realised they weren't there. The room was a total tip, with beds overturned and everything. Images of the rest of the band in orange jumpsuits sprang to mind, and I hurriedly got on the text message machine type thing to find out where they were. The panic was short lived, as they'd simply been moved upstairs having been told their room was "broken". Something in the pipes apparently.
After heading back to the venue and retrieving our gear, we meandered off towards the train station to get on this, the latest in a long line of moving vehicles encountered on this trip. A bit of time to stare out the window and watch the scenery go past - it's very pretty indeed. You would, wouldn't you. Yes.
4:00 AM
Turkey is fantastic!
We arrived in Ankara, and piled straight into a van from the train (rock and roll!). Said van took us to the venue, which was a fair way smaller than last night but you could tell as soon as you went in that the gig would be intense. Upon arrival, Adrian "did I eat my sandwich here?" Swift did not have an amp on his side of the stage, which (after not having a private limousine) was a bridge too far. Thankfully one arrived swiftly (get it?) and soundcheck was on. Once we'd got that out of the way, we sat down to eat the baguettes kindly provided by the promoter. A spur of the moment Stroke Of Genius resulted in us all getting onstage, swapping instruments and playing some choice Maiden tunes. Speed "magic carpet!" Harris picked up my guitar, I took the vocal mic for a while and Nicko "bum AIDS" McBrain Jnr took over Swifty's guitar. Speed sang for a tune (Flight Of Icarus - beautifully done in a Blaze meets Vic Reeves style-ee)
We jaunted to the hotel (Hotel Class!) and I took a fairly splendid shower. I wanted to have a shave, but the shaver point turned out to be a bog standard Europlug so I was destined once again to be Dave "Hairy" Hurry. I discovered Red Dwarf was on the telly, so I was set for a little while. We arrived back to the venue, which was already half full, and made our way backstage. I was feeling a little bit poorly - I arrived in Turkey with a cough, and my star turn as vocalist post-soundcheck had not helped matters. I'd coughed and spluttered my way into some very odd stomach twinges, and was fairly sure I was going to hurl at any given moment, but thankfully I made it through the gig without blowing chunks all over that Fender De Ville.
As for the gig itself, well well well. I've always heard bands say "they wouldn't let us go off-stage!", but it's never literally happened to me. We tried to get down off the stage, but the crowd on my side of the stage formed a picket line and physically wouldn't let us leave. We had to pull three extra songs out of the bag to appease the horde, and somehow managed to still leave them wanting more! I personally played a blinder, even solos (which is unusual for me) despite feeling like crap. Mr McBrain Jnr got through the gig on a difficult kit with effortless aplomb, and Speed made all his mistakes in Fear Of The Dark (apart from the premature ejaculation in Revelations)!
I'm now back at the hotel with extra beer and a ringing earhole (my left earplug came half-way out without me noticing. Oops). We're off at 10:30 AM to pick up the gear from the venue and get going on the long-ish drive to Izmir. I'm told by our excellent soundman tonight that Friday and Saturday nights in Turkey are amazing. Wednesday and Thursday were brilliant - how much better could it be? I shall let you know...