bloodbottom

4 AM start. Driving to Dublin airport in sleet and snow. Very very cold.

We arrived in Frankfurt airport at around 10 AM to be greeted by two friendly German promoters, Nico and Bully. A leisurely jaunt up to Giessen in our mini-bus, nearly ending up in the trees at one stage as a nutcase auto-bahn driver pulls in front of us. I'm informed by Nico and Bully that we have to sample some of their äpfel-wein, "with pleasure". Apparently, we've got a lot to live up to since Dismember (Swedish death-metallers) tore the place up just two weeks ago and since some of the punters are coming as far as Paris and far off parts of Germany. Looking forward to it already.

After settling into our hotel we decided to go for a walk into town (Giessen, which is around 70,000 population). Hungry as we were, we spy the golden arches of McDonalds and decide its too cold to find somewhere else. Once outside we were mobbed by a group of GM food protesters with banners pointing inwards at the McDonalds windows. So, we decide to come back in a while, but only after taking a piss-take photo of Keith in the middle of the protestors with his thumbs up.!!

So on rolls the evening. The promoters have everything ready backstage with a fine display of beers, food etc. EVEN PLUM WINE. The first band to arrive after us is our French brothers Heol Telwen, who seem to be very friendly, especially after me insulting them with words like "branleur", "connard", "salope", "pute". Funny guys, and excellent music. We're limited with the other guys (Suidakra and XIV dark centuries) because of communication, none of us speak german, although several Ja's and Yeah's were exchanged. XIV dark centuries were well kitted out with sheepskins, shields & swords and cow-horns full of mead.

At around 23:00 we hit the stage. The crowd was great, lots of head-banging and joining in with songs. We started with "Bloody Sunday" with the bouzouki and bodhrán. Not too bad at all. At one stage some guy got onto the stage and straddled across and fell down the other side dragging Keith mic stand with him, weirdo. All was going great until towards the end when Keiths amp-head just fused-out. Why does this kind of stuff only happen to us?! So, we're about to call it a day when one of the other bands brings out their's. Thanks guys. We finished up then after another 3, without an encore. *mental note* announce last tune before we run out of tunes that I know!! John C went back to the hotel early with the key of Keiths room and no way of contacting him. Cosy night for us then!!

Next day, we were brought for a stroll around freezing Frankfurt by Nico and Bully. Had a brat-wurst frankfurter (well we were in frankfurt) and some äpfel-wein, nice. After a pint in an Irish pub with a vending-machine of sex-toys in the toilets it was time to go home via the airport.

And so we did...