The GoGoGo Week (6/30 - 7/7) - Part One

Y'all know how I can bitch and whine about being tired and stressed out. Well, I needed a week off work and off school and off mommy duties and off the Divorce and relax instead. Of course, I immediately packed this week with planes, trains and automobiles in order to follow the Band that is Back around Europe. Here's a little report on the week and how much fun and exhausting it really was.

Tuesday - Crown Princess opens our latest project

Yes. This was supposed to be the second day of my vacation. But. We had invited the Crown Princess of the Netherlands (Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima of the Netherlands is her full title) to come open our latest project. And to our astonishment, she accepted the invitation. I was in charge of this event, and it completely bit my ass. It's like Michelle Obama visiting your work. And you're in charge of everything. And your everyday work isn't magically disappearing either. Maybe that will give you an idea of the workload.

Another wonderful aspect of this day, was that is was also the deadline for our annual report. Great. Sure, I can do that. I'll just clone myself.

At the end of the day, the event turned out to be a great success and the annual report was online and at the printer. And I couldn't do anything anymore but cry and pack my suitcase.




The Princess and the Mayor of The Hague








Wednesday - We're off to Paris because that's where the Band that is Back, is.

End 2008, at work, I met Merel. Merel is our favorite new freelancer who helps us out whenever the budget permits (because we always need help anyway). Merel likes good movies and great music, so I figured I'd give her ticket to the Paris show, maybe make her a new fan.

So wee early Wednesday morning, Merel and I drive off to Paris. We get there by 11.30 or so, but of course then the real fun starts and it takes us another hour to get to the parking lot. Our hotel turned out to be great (cheap/clean/friendly staff /good location) and we set out to meet Alethea and Sarah. All of us head to the venue where a line is already forming.

I'm having luxury problems. I have four tickets (two balcony and two floor), and I just need three. I was supposed to swap the two balcony tickets for one floor with a Dutch DMB fan, but he bailed on me last minute. And acted like that didn't matter at all. Even when I had to sell my ticket for 15 euros. Fuck him though. The Band that is Back is back and that's pretty much all that matters.

After saying hi to Bobbo and his friend Anne-Sophie and getting something to eat, we see a looooooooong ass line. We decide to take the balcony seats. Since Bobbo is taping and can't get his stand in, I give him my third row tickets so he can tape the microphone to the rail. With my now sixth row tickets, I manage to sneak Sarah and Alethea in to the balcony. Sarah babysits Bobbo's gear and Alethea takes an empty front row seat.

I fucking rock. Really.

And then the Band that is Back comes on stage. In L'Olympia, almost as legendary as Paradiso in Amsterdam. And I want to cry.

[Let me get this in right quick: I cry a LOT when I'm tired. People who know me and my jetlags can attest to that. Sorry.]

I want to cry because he's really not there. And while I know this is old news and to only now realize it is profoundly silly, I really hate it. And I really hate Jef Coffin for a split second. That is, until his first solo.

I read boards. I know what y'all are saying. That the Euro setlists were boring. That they better bring it at Alpine. That they need to bring back [insert Keep Dreaming song]. Basically everything that makes me wonder how far your spoiled little heads are up your asses.

The Band is Back. They are having fun. They are radiating energy. They are pouring out happiness. They are making Good Music.

No, it's not Blue Water >> Digging a Ditch >> Help Myself >> Halloween or what the fuck ever. It's mostly BWATGGK and I. Fucking. Love. It. So quit bitchting and shut up :)

We're all having a ball. The crowd & Carter & Dave & Tim & Rashawn & Jef & Stefan.

But not the Sad Man formerly known as Boyd. I worry about Boyd. Is he under the weather? Depressed? Homesick? On his period? Not good.

At the end of the show, Carter throws about 5 sticks at Alethea before she catches it, we go to the Latin Quarter where Bobbo and Anne-Sophie cannot find us while we are enjoying a Snakebite and that wrapped up night 1 of my little DMB tour. Result: a little mourning, a little worry, a little confusion, shitloads of fun and a new fan: Merel.




Next stop: Rotterdam.

I'm having a guy moment here

Jake Gyllenhaal (I hope I spelled that right) is a great actor.

And the best part about him is that he's so fucking hot, it makes me want to cry.

Friday night movie night - Harry Potter gazillion

Ah, Harry Potter. The Potter. Potty. Potterus. Every now and then, an author stands up, writes a masterpiece (or seven) and gets kids to read again. When that masterpiece is not only a thrilling and captivating story, but also excellent children's literature, what more can we ask for?

A circus. Apparently.

Video games, dolls, board games, wands, capes, hats, stickers, key chains, pants, caps, underwear. Etcetera. And movies.

I've seen them all. And with the exception of number 4, I was disappointed. This time was no different. I was excited to finally see it, and unsatisfied the whole way through and the entire way home from the theater. The next day I realized why - once again, it didn't live up to my (weird) expectations. I guess I still secretly hope that this time, they will do the right thing. But once more, it was one big inside joke fest, rushing through the story because 2.25 hours was the most the studio would allow and they had to cram in the essentials because of the grande finale, which apparently will get the necessary two instalments.

And I will see them. And be excited to. And secretely hate them.

Thank God we still have the books. Can't wait until Yannick is old enough. Hopefully he'll let me read them to him.

Hit me baby, one more time

I owe this one to Alethea and her sign (and a bunch of fingers pointing frantically in my direction). Don't look at the sweat, please.

Copyright Sarah

Livorno - where you have to pay to dip your toes.






















Hard ass





























I know - I just couldn't find my white bra anywhere. At the Ponte del Vecchio, Florence




















Enjoying a Bruno's Special in Santa Maria Novella, Florence



























She's cute.





























First night in Lucca - one of the best meals I had in a while. Great bottle of wine, too.

Last week, when I was running and flying and training and driving and most of all, not sleeping, I thought: "It's just one week - I'll catch up on my sleep next week".

Until I found out that Yannick's new idea of 7 AM is actually 5 AM. Ha. Haha. HAHAHAHAHA.

Help...

A letter to Caleb: Kings of Leon in Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Ahoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands - July 2, 2009

Dear Caleb Followill,

Everyone has their good days and their bad days.

No matter how much money you make, when it’s uncomfortably hot in a 10K capacity venue, filled to the rim with people coming and paying to see and hear you - the heat is still uncomfortable. I get that.

When you just got off a, say, one hour flight from London but with 7 hours time difference to make up for, you will start your show feeling very tired. Even if you flew first class and maybe took some Benadryl. Truely, I get that.

When your breakthrough as a band comes only after the fourth album you made and the venues you play at are not as super responsive to Taper Jean Girl as they are to Use Somebody, that might occassionally bum you out. I also get that.

So some days, you might feel a little grumpy. We all have our off days at work. You’re a person, just like everybody else. Yet you and your band manage to produce an excellent sound, which is an achievement in a crappy venue with crappy accoustics like Ahoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Your music is tight, you’re playing a stellar setlist and making all the right moves for an hour. No exceptional highlights, except for maybe a notable uplift in the band’s spirits during Charmer and The Bucket - overall everything is equally done very well. I applaude you.

Now let me tell you about MY day.

I was in Paris and after very little sleep, I left the city of light early in the morning just and only to get to Rotterdam in time for your show - I was leaving again the next day to go to Italy. After spending over six hours in a very hot car with bad air conditioning, I meet up with my friends. Friends that I have told all about you and your band. For months, we have been anticipating this day. Some of my friends only have Only by the night in their CD collection, but they are just as excited to go to Rotterdam as us, say, a little more informed fans are.

After a quick nap and an even quicker shower, I make it to the venue in time. I’m on the floor, way to the left, but in the front and close to a beer stand. I’ve had worse ’seats’, so I’m happy.

The venue is hot. Very, very hot. I’m tired. Very, very tired. That’s okay though, I’m glad to be there. Glad to finally see Kings of Leon live. You’re going to make it all worthwhile, I’m sure of it.

Promptly, you guys come on stage at 9.15 PM and start with Notion. The crowd loves it. Everybody I can see (which is most of the floor and the bleachers directly opposite of me) loves it. Despite the heat, we’re dancing and singing and howling. Sure, there are some people way up in the bleachers that stay seated.
I’ve had those seats before. It’s hard because not everyone will stand up and you feel forced to sit down so you won’t block their view. Some people are just all about remaining on their ass, some people are just as much into the music as the floor but unable to stand, or pregnant, or whatever. Point in case: bleachers at Ahoy suck.

You’re not a very interactive performer. That’s okay. I’m here to be entertained by your music, not witty punchlines. But after a couple of songs, you start talking. How we’re a funny crowd. How you have had a long journey, you could have stayed home, but you came just for this show (bullshit - you were doing a couple of other gigs in Europe before and after) and people shouldn’t be so lazy. How Kings of Leon deserves respect for all their work, rather than just Only by the Night. How you’re going to leave the stage if you see one person sitting during the next song (Sex on Fire). E-t-c-e-t-e-r-a.

Dear Caleb. I came to your show on my own free will. I paid 45 euros to get in, but it was my own choice. I could have gone to another show, or stay in Paris, or get to Italy a day earlier, but I chose to see you and be bitched at instead. Nobody forced me, it’s not like you owe me anything. But that goes both ways. You chose to be in a band. You chose to play a bigger venue. You chose to play in bloody flippin’ hot Rotterdam on July 2, 2009. With that in mind, you could have chosen to at least give us a one song encore. Yet you didn’t. You could have figured that only a fun show will get an overheated crowd going even more, yet you chose to bitch and whine for an hour. I was dancing my ass off early in the show, Caleb. Yet somehow, you managed to get me more and more OUT of it, even though your music is superb.

You told us that you expect the best of us because you expect the best from yourself. If that is the case, I can recommend a big fat smack on your head. Because you were cruisin’ for a bruisin’ like a two year old. Instead, one person threw a little plastic cup of beer at your legs, which made you decide that the other 9.999 people did not deserve an encore.I won’t say this easily, but next time just shut the f*ck up and play. I promise you it’ll be a more pleasant experience for all parties involved.

Love,
Esther

Setlist:
Notion
Be Somebody
Taper Jean Girl
My Party
Molly’s Chambers
Red Morning Light
Fans
California Waiting
Closer
Crawl
Four Kicks
Charmer
Sex On Fire
The Bucket
On Call
Cold Desert
Use Somebody