Dekker Nordic 2008

April 12, 2008 -- Bastion, Kirchheim, Germany

My favorite memories of the trip that I haven’t mentioned  in the below blog include: getting Jason to play squash with me, having a real drink on the ferry and buying a bottle of wine in duty free there, the glorious daily breakfasts and daily bakery visits, listening to the Finland band speak as their language sounds like they are singing, our first ferry trip which included waves crashing into the 2^nd level of the ferry and things rocking off the shelves due to bad weather, Jason and I buying sports jackets in Berlin (good to gift yourself!), seeing friends and fans from the past few years, seeing posters in places that I bet some posters have never been, listening to more rock in the car than I have my whole life, running from venue to hotel in blizzard conditions and high heels,  being toured around in Sesslach where a wall still surrounds the city, laughing and laughing and laughing a lot.  Kirchheim at the Bastion was a perfect place to end the tour. The show was sold out before we got there, the front row was all female and I threw out the CD suitcase as it was beaten up and completely empty. I am full however. Full of new experiences, new shared stories, new levels of my music and new ideas…just in time for SPRING! Thank you for tuning in, to music and to yourselves!

April 11, 2008 -- Schloss Geyersberg, Sesslach, Germany

Our morning?... not so good. A driver hit and ran our car and took of the rear view mirror while we were sleeping. The police came and we had to get to Avis to get a new car. So, not time to visit Heldisheim. No one spoke English at Avis…my little German frustrated me then. When most things we sorted, we booked it out of town (not before giving the hotel staff a private show though!). In Sesslach: Pre-sales were hot. Lots of Camera’s, musicians and recording devices. Yeah, that’s one way get me to kick it up a notch! The concert was in a building that was part of the Schloss! Hans, a fan planned the whole event! What a fine, fine night it was! Fulda fans & Bamberg fans came, Thomas PF & his family, Fortune records, Angie, Martin & Felicia too! Thank you for all of the surprises tonight. The flowers on the stage were breathtaking and Sesslach is the most immaculate and interesting small town/village I have ever seen. Known for its best bakery, best meats and its surrounding wall, it also has a church that has art forms from three periods: Roman, Gothic AND Baroque! I have left with a plum liquor and a honey stick and the warmest feelings in my heart.

April 10, 2008 -- Bischofsmuhle, Hildesheim, Germany

It was Jason’s birthday today, but thanks to the drinks and girls at the party last night, he spent most of the day recovering and together we drove across half of Germany from CZ! Heldesheim is interesting with lots of different areas-though there is little time to do anything but eat dinner, where the server mistook Jason’s order, they insisted with smiles that he eat both what he ordered and what they mistakenly brought him! Our concert in a renown concert place and lies right next to a fast moving controlled river and we can even see the water gushing past us through the lower windows of the cellar type concert hall. I wrote Jason a song for his birthday, but he hasn’t heard it yet! We had our 2nd night of mad audience members who sent us on stage for a second series of encores. I am not sure anyone saw but as the applause hit the 2nd time I had a rush of gratefulness & pride that brought a warm tear to my eye.

April 9, 2008 -- Museum Stribro, Stribro, CZ Republic

There is something so magical about Stribro that I dedicated  “We’re the Angels” to the audience as I think that there are many that live here. My 2nd visit here, and I am so glad we made the trip! Most things are much cheaper here than back home (good for tourists then!), and there are many old and beautiful colors and structures here. The people’s souls are smiling and warm. Jason got many kisses (customary on the lips for a birthday boy) when the clock struck midnight and a very loud happy birthday from a group that took us out to ‘party’. We hadn’t done that this trip yes and it felt awesome.

Click here for a fan video of this event.

April 8, 2008 -- Berlin Guitars, Berlin, Germany

We treated ourselves to a day of playing ‘tourist’ before our show at Berlin Guitars.  Berlin is big & exciting and right now the cheapest city in Europe to eat and shop! For our show  I wore a  Hard Rock Café Copenhagen t-shirt and Jason had his new Berlin jacket on. We permitted a recording and a video of tonight’s performance. Gorgeous guitars lined the wall (I became especially fond of the acoustic guitars by Alhambra from Spain), and beer and wine was served. I haven’t had people sit this close to a performance before – other than my own living room! It got hot in there! Jason picked up a bass for one song in our encore and we honored “blue blanket” with this addition. I used a fancy new tuner that has  a lit up LCD and clips to the end of my Taylor guitar.

April 6-7, 2008 -- Ferry Ride from Denmark to Germany

April 5, 2008 -- Kulturecafé Ludvig, Soro, Denmark

Mike Sears -a guy I have known since kindergarten (Deep Cove, N. Vancouver, Canada) came to the show with his beautiful Danish wife and newborn boy. That was a very big deal for me! wow! Thank you. Surprises are so wonderful.  I got to say “thank you Denmark” on the microphone and it felt a little sad…our last show in Denmark. Nothing to be sad about really, just the ending of a journey. It was packed, we had rehearsed a little so things were tight and still spontaneous (no set list). A shelf’s worth of cigarettes are available in the bakery here. There is a popular pizzeria in town-like every town! An automated Sun spa heated me up for a few minutes (just need coins –Danish crowns or ore). A man smoked while awaiting his wash in a Laundromat (euw!). Girls here and in all of Denmark and Sweden wear lots of different types of light fancy scarves, like an accessory fashion statement (I picked up a blue and silver one a few days back!) and we have learned a few new knots too. Guys tend to wear spiky hair styles and tight jeans. The government building and an enormous church sit majestically together in the middle of town. I noticed a pair of artsy statues in the street that I liked (see photo).  The following day, Denmark sent us off in the warming sun (which we have seen only twice in this cold & wet weather month). We took a 2 hour ferry from Denmark to Rostock, Germany. We enjoyed serendipitous customs shops, some final Danish TV and the glorious air and ocean view.

April 4, 2008 -- Kulturhållplats Hindås Station, Sweden

"Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress." A quote that was sent to me by mama today, and indeed, every cell of my body agrees. This tour could not happen with out it. Hindas is a train station concert hall that has never had an international artist and has been there for 100 years! During the encore Jason took a photo of me in the audience for fun. We couldn't fit them all in, but we tried (see photo!)!!! We stayed at an airport hotel that offered all sorts of international goodies, including the best wine we have had on tour (from ITALY!) and the sexiest sauna ever!

April 2, 2008 -- Kulture Islands Brygge Copenhagen, Denmark

What do you think of when you hear “Copenhagen hotel”?! Four seasons and chandeliers is what I would have thought of, until we got there. Assume nothing. I thought of the book “The four agreements” and I smiled all over. KIB is a great concert hall with a great reputation for being a great venue and includes a funky eatery in the building too (not uncommon in Denmark).  Coming from North America one might perceive some of these venues when you first walk in as an un cool thing or a just big empty room, but it’s only because it’s what we are not used. In N. America we are used to the rooms never changing and the seating includes booths and a there is always a bar. Not here. The rooms cater to whatever type of act is performing.  And then pro lighting is directed, a sound tech or two arrives, tables and chairs are rolled in, a stage is adjusted, and wow! The concert hall is ready and suited to the act (whether a rock show, a classical evening or singer-songwriter night). We had a double bill with Nanna Larsen and her band and hanging out with them after was cool because we could hear about things like: Age of drinking in a bar: 18, age of buying liquor in a grocery store: 16, and really, and get a vibe on what it’s like to live here and how it is different from Sweden ( a little more relaxed in DK perhaps?).  The word ‘Pick’ translated means ‘Dick’. Perhaps we won’t talk about our “Pick’s” on stage to avoid any confusion.

April 1, 2008 -- Herning, Denmark

We had three sound techs (two of who’s name were Anus-uhmm, it’s all in how you pronounce it!), a stage hand and a light tech. I wondered if they were expecting my 12 piece band!? The sound was full and warm and the room had a big rock style to it with black walls and ceilings that seemed to reach the sky. By signing CDs and spelling out many new and very unique names I am learning the sounds of the language. The language seems basic, but the vowels are tricky and some involve having your tongue loose and just about resting on your bottom lip. In the center of town I was tempted by all the lingerie swaying in the wind on the sales (Fertig!) racks outside the shops. Time for a new pink bra! It’s also time for a Laundromat as Jason and I both have chocolate stains on the crotch  part of the pants we wear in the car. Dark chocolate flakes become chocolate brown stains. At first the tide stick is ALL you need (it’s like liquid paper for a typo!), but after about three or four smudges, it is time to just do a real wash. Last time we did a wash we found a completely automated Laundromat whose dryer was so hot that I lay down now to get my jeans over my ass and Jason’s wool/cotton toque with skull and crossbones has become a half-sized beanie.

http://www.flemmingscully.dk/thumbnails.php?album=97

March 31, 2008 -- Folketshus Struer, Denmark

Within minutes the room was converted from a politicians lunch to a concert hall. Flowers on the stage and the hall full of fresh listeners and healthy faces. The booker says they don’t use posters to advertise otherwise their shows would be over booked! So they have a good thing going here. Indeed I saw no advertising, but heard we were on the radio. Irish Stew was served at 6:30pm for all audience members. It was odd and special. My agent, Kevin Kennedy, thought that this was a name of an Irish folk band opening for us at 6:30 (18:30). I called him before our show and said: “…Nope! They are really serving veal and potatoes!..and yes we are indeed eating the opening act.” Hahaha! We also talked about future concert accommodations where we remember to request non-smoking rooms. We are both definite non smokers and though Denmark is converting most public areas to non-smoking, some hotels are slower to accommodate the new laws. Jason is  reformed ex-smoker which he says is the type of individual who is the most bothered and repelled by anything that smells like it. The more comfortable we are on tour the more we kick ass. No doubt. This tour is slick ( I love you Kevin! Do you know a musician who has can say that about their agent?!) I am a positive person perhaps to a fault, so I am not sure that I would not see the flaws that others would anyhow. Nothing is ever easy but it is much easier to appreciate how lucky I am now when I look back. A not so long time ago, just to be on stage and payin’ the dues to get better I lived much “lower on the ladder”. Before these past 5 years I think about the 6 years I spent slogging it out in Albertan & BC country dives playing 5 sets a night plus a Saturday jam, followed by a 23 hour drive in minus 35 degree white-out conditions in an unheated truck that tends to break down in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere, and may, at any time, self-implode or steer itself off the Fraser Canyon highway, taking all its screaming occupants down with it; or if we’re "lucky" and make it to the next gig, where we get to sleep in a bed in a dingy little room with a pre-'70's shag carpet which is in serious need of a mowing, or at least a vacuum; and waking up, not to the sound of your  '60's era T.V. which might get two fuzzy channels, but to the thumping of the sound system below you in the stale smoky bar because the deaf morning-bar-cleaner likes to listen to Shania Twain. You do but you don’t want to realize you’ve got a couple greasy strands of someone-in-the-last-band's hair in your mouth because nobody has bothered to clean the sheets, and you were too tired to check this one time… It is indeed such times which have equipped me to see a good thing when it's in front of me…and it is indeed right now. Thank you Folk Club & Folkethus gang for the laughs and the mini party after the show (and too much wine).

March 30, 2008 -- Jysk Musik & Teaterhus, Silkeborg, Denmark

Silkeborg is beautiful. I want to explore all of the water and all of its edges. "More tables and chairs...we have too many people!" I love the sound of that! Good start :) and huge dressing rooms all to ourselves. This was the quietest concert that we have played...perhaps the audience and the sound tech have incredible ears and perhaps I am going deaf a little...probably both. The audience favored the REVEALED CD and they flew out of our suitcase in the break. No rest for the wicked! So in spite of all that good, sometimes you just don't connect on stage, this was one of those times...I thought of John Mayer's tune : "Something's missing"...

March 28, 2008 -- Huset, Aalborg, Denmark

Road casualties are as follows so far: I have lost my toque. I don’t remember how or where, but I hope that it is keeping somebody’s head warm. I have lost two earrings (hotel rooms!). One was from Vienna so I am a little sad about that. Good thing I have three holes in my ears I suppose! My black wool jacket got too close to a way too hot washroom heater and left burn skid marks. An evil Danish washing machine claimed one of Jason’s shirts and the zipper to his jacket well, no longer a zipper. Two CD covers are cracked (which is a low amount for a tour). We are out of posters. I am down to 2 picks, though I started with 10. Our CD suitcase is now being held together by bungee cables and at one concert Jason had one of his Jason Nett Guitar quartet CDs stolen. The Takamine guitar case is just barely hanging on and a few stickers, including my favorite Johnny Cash sticker is almost down to nothing. This guitar has seen eight years worth of concerts.  We are short two guitar straps (so we sit for most concerts, which works out just fine) and if there is no DI box supplied for the acoustic, Jason has to ground himself using a cable inserted into his sock or some other sort of grounding wire. (note: acoustic guitar players: always have a DI box of your own if you tour!). The tripod leg bottom of my guitar stand is missing one of the rubber feet-now WHY don’t companies glue those on-they don’t need to be removed ever! (note: glue yours if you have such a guitar stand). Blank CDs have allowed us to make CDs for the car stereo, and though the ROCK that Jason plays has noticeably influenced my phrasing positively, we could use some new music (suggestions or trades are welcome!). I have accidently collected a few room keys (in the form of small credit card cards) in my pocket so I must hit the fancy old building post offices to diligently get them back. During an onramp onto the highway there was a very thin tight merging lane, which due to construction lead us into oncoming traffic…because we didn’t stay far right; another time a left turn led us into train tracks… Yikes! Other than a few bruises from hitting unfamiliar bed corners, our health is good!

March 27, 2008 -- Strandlyst, Svendborg, Denmark

We purposefully detoured to find the exquisitely spectacular Egeskov castle. First built in 1554 and still surrounded by water and draw bridges, the garden and castle are enormous and fairytale like at the same time. A ‘left open’ Do-not-enter gate had us eagerly and cautiously sneak closer. Tourist visits do not start until the end of April!! Oh this little detour was fantastic!  The Svendborg venue has a good history of international artists coming through but you wouldn’t expect it from its tiny small town restaurant/pub style. Our smallest room on tour! It was packed all the same. Our hotel overlooked an inlet from the ocean. Aaah.

March 26, 2008 -- Sonderborghus, Sonderborg, Denmark

I was in a sad mood for a big part of the day so I wasn't really aware of how smooth and slick everything really was until reflecting on it.

Jason & I had a heart to heart that dug a little deeper than usual for both of us and I heard about a suicide back home that created knots of its own in my heart and my gut.

There are no photos of this show, that we took, so if the warm & upbeat fans that were there have any please send them as the lighting was very special and the show was animated and spontaneous; and perhaps extra emotive. The Nordic hotel had squash courts and I got to beat up a ball! That felt extremely good.

I have noticed that even the 4 star hotels do not have porters, like in the US and Canada, or anyone to park the car/bus. It's all good, as on some days that is our exercise (extremely long hallways and steep staircases are common). Not having someone everywhere servicing you or hoping for a tip reminds me of how in Europe generally people take more responsibility for themselves.

Service rarely comes at a price and tipping is never expected. I like it, and some how it can also feel a little more genuine.

March 25, 2008 -- Den Smaglose Café, Odense, Denmark

That was a very mellow Easter. I thought of a lot of good friends and family and amongst the snow and the windy beach, that kept me very warm.

Odense is a super cool town, with a buzz of young people everywhere. The PA showed up a few minutes after we were supposed to start, and that didnt feel very relaxing. Jason is much better at that. It was a little tighter, okay, alot tighter quarters than we are used to. Our audience was up for whatever we played and that was cool.

March 24, 2008 -- Easter Days off in Kertiminde

March 22, 2008 -- Det Bruunse Pakhus, Fredericia, Denmark

We were a ‘warm up’ / ‘opener’ act tonight for a famous band from Finland who have been touring for 15 years together. Two are brothers. The music reminded me a little of the doors. Check out: Piste Pirkko. Highlights of this concert were the sound tech named Thomas, who is now an msn friend and knows how to make warm sound quickly, take tasteful liberties on reverb when inspired and is just a cool guy who has travelled with bands all over Europe. Also, the red wine we had was our favorite so far on tour (And I forgot to grab the label!! As I have started a collection of labels! Ah), and we had a long breakfast with Piste Pirkko as we were all in the same hotel, where Jason explained BC’s ice wine and they told us stories about Finland’s berries and their manic collection of them throughout the various weeks of summer. They gifted us a DVD and some CDS. Cool.

March 21, 2008 -- Musik Cafe 38, Randers, Denmark

Hotel Randers is the most detailed and historic hotel I have ever been too. Victor Borges piano is tuned and sits there. Hans Christian Andersen used to stay there and now it is still the Danish Queens choice as well! The Parking lot was so narrow and tight! Our large KIA would have taken the average driver over 20 minutes of wiggling to get into a spot. Jason’s rubix cube and video game mastery must give him an obvious advantage as he squeezed us there in just a few minutes and even without pulling in the mirrors (which is a common adjustment while passing other cars on very narrow streets). This was the first smoking venue we have played and though since January 1 there has been a smoking ban, there seems to be soft enforcement of it. I saw something I have never seen in my 10 years of playing concerts and bars and halls…a lady’s hair caught fire from a candle and foot long flames were coming from her head! It was put out in a hurry and she had incredible thick long hair, so she had some to spare…ooo that smell! I thought of playing Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m on fire”..:)

March 20, 2008 -- Kulturehuset Pavillionen, Grenaa, Denmark

It is Good Friday. We met Sven from Radio Fri tonight over a 5 star dinner served back stage(so we are on for a radio show tomorrow!). Dinner included Salmon and Lamb! I don’t usually drink on stage but tonight Jason had two cold Tuborg classic beers in his hand and I couldn’t resist. It was a bad call as I spilled it within the second song. That’ll teach me to stick to water (which I don’t spill for some reason). Our hotel looked so fancy in its brochures, though it was undergoing major renovations and looked like a deserted motel from the outside! The inside was decadent though, much like the chocolate I try daily. I eat so much chocolate on the road, and it seems that the more I eat the more I crave. We learned that in Helsingborg (where we had a concert a few days ago) is known for being number one for its coffee. Indeed we haven’t found anything that matches its perfection. I forgot the TOUR BINDER at the venue!! Spent half the night and morning trying to find someone on a Good Friday to open the place! Thanks to Trine & Peter for that…!

March 19, 2008 -- Gjethuset, Frederiksvaerk, Denmark

The "a" and "e" are tied together here to form a vowel of their own, and the O also sometimes has a slash through it and also is its own vowel.  The washrooms in our hotel rooms had shower heads in them with no shower stall…so the entire washroom serves as the shower when you close the door! Fun. Jason said this made shaving with the mirror and shower a treat. The venue was very interesting, and looked very important somehow from the outside. The greenroom here overlooked our stage and the audience and that made the lead up to the moment on stage even more exciting. We found a gym the next day! Needed that.