I’ve just made breakfast for Joel and Vince. Bacon and scrambled egg. It was delicious. I was up early this morning chatting about last nights show with Jazz’s housemates. I’ve only had a few hours sleep after partying until the early hours.
Yesterday we left Bajesdorp around 2pm. Before leaving me and Joel record a lovely version of ‘Medusa’ we set up some cameras and I hope to make a nice video out of it. Vince had told us the previous night that he had seen a guitar that he wanted to buy in Amsterdam. We devise a plan to get to the guitar shop and fill up at a nearby petrol station to avoid parking charges. Vince returns with a beautiful Tanglewood acoustic guitar. It’s about time he bought a decent sounding guitar. I have been loaning him mine over the last few months. Now we’re all set for the two hour journey to Nijmegen.
We arrive around 4.30pm. We head to one of my favourite bars Kafe Bijstand. I have played here a number of times previously. We all grab a drink and play some pinball until the guys from Barleycorn Bastards finish their shifts. When we played together in Amsterdam on Sunday we decided to make a reservation to eat at Cafe Funkenstein. It was lovely for both bands to sit around a huge table and eat the delicious food.
We barely have time to let the food settle because we have to load in at the venue. De Onderbroek. Not only do we bring in the amped etc… but we also help the staff load in the many crates of beer. I set up our merch stall whilst the lads set up the stage. Then we sound check. I’m in pure agony with my throat. I feel like crying. I don’t know how I will perform. I decide to tell everyone in the band to try not talk to me and to let me rest. I pull up my hoodie, take some painkillers, and try to sleep.
The room is filling up in time for David’s performance. They love him. Vince goes on straight after him. As we have been doing all tour The Yallas join him for his closing song. A cover of Social Distortions Ball and Chain. I’m on bass guitar duties. I have fun swinging it around the stage try to recreate Paul Simonon poses.
David enters to stage to perform another couple of poems before introducing Barleycorn Bastards. The room is electric. The Bastards are even better than they were in Amsterdam. This is their hometown. The crowd are going wild. Our friend Jazz joins them to sing a song. She is amazing. Because the crowd are in full on party mode I instruct my band and David to get onstage as quick as we can after The Bastards as not to lose the momentum of the crowd.
David introduces The Yallas with The Spirit of Keith Moon. As I enter the stage I look at the crowd and we captured them in an instant. My voice had somehow returned. It was like my body knew I needed to do it. Our third song of the night was ‘Kaassouffle’ the crowd go fucking wild. Joining us for shouts of “Lekker, Lekker” they love it. We love it. Insane. We smash through the rest of the set. I invite Jazz to sing Retaliation with us. She joins me in showing the crowd her pants. We played our last song Rock n Roll Kid and I’m still full of energy. We decided to give one more song. We had decided to drop Under Attack from tonight’s show. However we put it back in as an encore. We invite Maarten from Barleycorn Bastards to come and play the bagpipes with us. The crowd are going mental. Mosh pits. Nakedness. Mental. I’m amazed that throughout our set people knew the words to all the songs. We finish Under Attack and the crowd still want more. We decide to play Kaassouffle again and this time the crowd are even more wild and loud than the first time. Everything I’ve ever wanted to do in music I achieved last night. I found it nearly impossible to get out of the building. Everyone wanted to talk. I was buzzing.
After the show we decided to go to the Bijstand again for post-gig drinks. Me and Will are ordering Black Russians. I sit at the bar and chat to my friend Audrey. Whilst doing so Maarten had brought me a gift. A Kaassouffle. Good man. We start singing the Kaassouffle song whilst I munch on it. I’m having such a brilliant time. I don’t want the night to end. We end up back at Jazz’s house. We have another beer or two before calling it a night.
Tonight’s show is in Gent. I’m already excited though I don’t wish to leave Nijmegen. I wish I could stay another day or two.
