Reading the Children of Hurin. Tolkien is killin it.

ok. so i've been across the pond for nigh on two weeks now, and here's the rub. Me, Jer, and chris (roadie also extraordinaire, besides chad ross-tafarian) flew into amsterdam land of the free 2 days before the rest of 'em cause flights were cheaper that way and checked into the rock and roll hotel right down in the dirt of the red light district. This place had beds that looked like road cases and light fixtures that were snare drums. A musicians nightmare really, (whats the last thing you wanna see after the show when you wake up in the morning?). And also totally corny a la' west edmonton mall's fantasyland theme rooms. However the fellow that runs the joint is so damn cool we're gonna let it go. While there we ran into jesse sykes and her man, Our bros Witch and a couple other fellow north american bands that were staying there as well over the 5 days we had there. 5 days in amsterdam! Not bad at all. Took some long walks in the park, and tried to buy a beauty of a telecaster but the guy wanted 7,000 euros for it, and i am just not there yet. Or my bank account isnt.... Maybe on the way home. Nice Canals though....So after the jet lag we play our first show at the Vera project in Gronigan (holland) which is a great place to start a tour cause the it is the most artist friendly venue on the planet Earth. Peter and his helpers there treat every band like Egyptian kings by feeding and housing them on site as well as just plain acting like professionals throughout the show. I've said it before and i'll say it many more times, North American venues and promoters could take a University degree in lessons from the Vera. Thanks Peter and Vera! Anyways, played a festival in Brussels where we stayed in a very strange "boutique " hotel where every room was painted by a different artist. I know it sounds great, and it was very comfortable, if a little precious and arty. All i care to remember is the lady checking into the hotel in front of us was wearing a thong under her mesh skirt.....thanks lady! Movin on...... Sea France was kind enough to ferry us across the channel to great britain where we joined an assload of bands for our 4th All Tomorrow's Parties Festival in Rye, England. The venue is an English holiday camp that looks like it hasn't been patronized since 1950. Kinda like a concentration camp of rock and roll festivals, without the death, and lots more booze. There is a beach there, and it is so beach-like you can hardly believe you are in England. Lest i be thought a hater, the festival is run by this guy Barry, who is cool as shit and treats bands like gold as well as promoting some of the coolest parties we've ever had the joy to attend. He also does it without any corporate sponsorship, so everyone there is free to mingle and enjoy the music and sun without having to resort to drinking any free red bull. Highlights included meeting new peeps, getting no sleep, Howlin Rain, Bon Iver, Girls vs Boys, the Meat Puppets and just plain mixin it up with the fans and the bands on the beach and at the chalet in the unexpected English sun. Plus i thought we played a pretty good set.... AND THEN DARKNESS FELL, And the good times have ceased to roll. As always, you have to be ready for the unexpected on any tour and this time it was a doozy... Our beloved singer Steve has since fallen ill with some foreign born strain of ear nose and throat infection rendering him in-operable and unable to sing let alone eat or fix himself a snack. And since then we've had to cancel our last two shows in Dublin and tonight in Glasgow. The good news is, I have clean laundry and I am totally in love with Scotland, and plan to retire here in the near future! As Bobby D once said, "My heart's in the highlands..."