EUROPE - WEIMAR

After starting off in Hastings at 4am we arrive in Weimar at 9pm. Back in the wonderful Gerber squat, playing their first indoor show in 2 years. Masks on unless you’re playing or sitting drinking. Catch up with the promoter, the always-lovely Luca. My third gig here, this is always the perfect way to start a tour (tho the last time, the punk stew gave me the shits for the whole excursion, but I did look svelte as fuck and would get drunk off 3 beers so, swings and roundabouts). Slayer is playing on the PA.

Last minute decision is made for dual bass attack. When I remember the riffs, it kind of works. Wouldn’t do it again tho. Towards the second song in the encore I take off my bass, partly to jump into the pit and rock out, partly cuz I can’t remember the song. In doing so, I responsibly turn off the bass head I’m using, not realising it’s daisy-chained to Jack’s head, and so I shut off all bass at once and dive into the pit. Really good Gerber crowd, lots of hardcore dancing, broken glass, beer-soaked floor. My earplugs get knocked out of my head by some pit-thug, lost forever amongst a sea of shards and sneakers.

After the set, I sit to eat the catering provided, a supremely decent curry. Two weird older German rocker ladies stand a few feet from my table, watching me eat. They speak to each other while staring at me, then approach the table and ask something, like my age, and then go back to their conversation, all the while still staring at me. I put my mask back on as I get up to return my bowl to the kitchen, and they beg me to keep it off. I think they mean it in a flirtatious ‘Don’t hide your pretty face’ way, but they’re so German it just comes off as a disturbing command.

Simon and Charlie score some beautiful weed off one of the über-accomodating sound techs. We stand getting stoned in the raining sleet in Hitler Square (at least, that’s what I call it after being told he used to make speeches from one of the balconies) outside our hostel. Much laughter back in the bunks and a solid 4-5 hour sleep.