Saturday, March 8, 2014
We are traveling today to Untermietingen, Germany to play Four Corners tonight. Bill had the big super bus at the hotel by 9:00 am for us to load up and head out. Everyone was downstairs on time and started getting the equipment from downstairs..at least we thought we got it all 🙁
Left Zurich on time. Darrin hasn’t been sleeping well so he slept the whole way over. About and hour from the club we stopped and ate lunch. Made it to the venue around 1 and unloaded the equipment. Then we went to check into the hotel. Normally we stay at the hotel next to the club, but it has been sold out for months so Bill is having us stay at this other place about 10 mins away. It’s pretty cool but different. LOL. Jamie and Darrin are in one building and the band and I are in the building where the restaurant is. The rooms are small…as in, if I smile, by cheeks touch each wall. Seth HAD a bigger room next door to mine with rose petals all over the bed. Hmmm…??
We left Jaime and Darrin to sleep and went back to the club to do sound check. That is when we realized that Darrin’s collapsible upright bass he had been using was not on the bus. It wasn’t in Germany! I called the hotel in Zurich and yes..it was still down there in the storage room 🙁
Now, Darrin is going to have to play the electric bass, which he hates. Bill had an upright bass, but we had no pick up and we couldn’t mic it. Once we realize we aren’t going to have it for the show, we are just trying to figure out a way to get it before we fly back to the U.S. tomorrow. Bill and I are calling and messaging everyone in Zurich we can think of that might be willing to drive it over or know someone who will.
Oh.. and someone from the hotel we are staying at in Germany called the club and said that Seth was in the wrong room. He went into the wrong room upon check in. It was the romantic suite and it was booked for the night. Explains the roses on the bed. They had moved his stuff the room on the other side of me.
We go back to the hotel at 5 and dinner is set for 7:00 pm. Around 5:30 I have a message from my friend Annalise in Zurich asking me what’s wrong. I guess she is talking to Bill and I at the same time and has agreed to get the bass and bring it over. Whew. I can not thank Bill or Annalise enough for all their help in getting it back. We all went to eat downstairs at 7. Oh my God. The food was amazing. I had the best tomato soup ever along with some sort of noodles with ham and sauerkraut. Darrin ordered a shrimp cocktail that had about a head of lettuce on top, but he said it was very good 🙂
At 8:30 the drivers were there to pick us up and take us all to the venue. It is a sold out show tonight here too! I have seen Dailey and Vincent 3 nights in a row and each one has been amazing. I know Darrin was a bit upset having to play the electric bass and not giving Bill and the audience his best show.. but you couldn’t tell. The crowd loved them. They did 4 encores! Oh, and Annalise showed up with the bass about 30 mins before the show was over!
After autographs a few of the guys went straight to the hotel while the others were tearing down. Since we couldn’t store the luggage at the hotel, we left it at the club to pick up in the morning on the way to the airport.
So the hotel is an old farmhouse. It really is quite charming, but it’s location just doesn’t work for us. There is nothing around and their is no one on duty late at night… which sucks when someone knocks on your door at 2 am saying they have locked themselves out of their room. Not much you can do… thankfully (I think) another guys key opened his door and he was able to get inside and get some sleep. I talked with a few of the guys for awhile before going to bed for a few hours. They said they took a vote and unanimously voted me their new tour manager!
Sunday, March 9
We had to leave for the airport by 8:00 AM. The bus and everyone were ready to go, except one. I went and knocked on his door…nothing.. no answer. I came back downstairs and Darrin said he would go up and get him. Someone from the front desk let Darrin in and yep..he was sound asleep. About 5 mins later he came out and was ready to go!
Stopped by the club and grabbed the equipment. AND THE BASS and then off to the airport. I think the lack of sleep is finally setting in on everyone. The guys are flying out on US Air through Philly about an hour before I fly out on United through Chicago. No problems getting them all checked in and we said our goodbyes after security as we were at different gates. I truly enjoyed working with them and hope we can do more together soon.
Landed on time in Chicago – I have to say it was the easiest airport to clear immigration and customs. I think it took me all of 10 mins to go through passport control, grab my bag and recheck it. Finding my gate for my Nashville flight.. that’s a different story. LOL.
Mom brought the kids to the airport to pick me up and again. I got hugs and “Did you bring our hamburger shaped chocolate?” Man.. I have missed them 🙂