Germany Tour - Day 1, The Bang Bang Club, Berlin - Sunday 23 March 2008

The Left Outsides plus our friend Mark Cremins, a little worse for wear at The Bateau Bar, Kreuzberg, Berlin. L-R Matt Ashton, Mark Cremins, Mike Smoughton, Alison Cotton, Mark Nicholas.

Eight shows and thirteen days in Germany and here I am, on a snowy Sunday afternoon in Camberwell with Amon Duul II on the stereo, recalling what I expect willone day account for some of the happiest moments on the road for me. So I've decided to write about it on this blog.

Mike Smoughton and Matt Ashton - this blog cannot start without giving them a mention - Mark and I could not have been in better company throughout the whole tour and their playing at the shows every night was just brilliant.

My brother Chris Cotton - thanks to him too for all his help in selling our merch, and being such a great and happy companion.

Thanks to Ursula Maurer for her generosity and help in Berlin, and to the promoters in Germany who all went out of their way to organise such great and enjoyable shows for us, and for their kind hospitality - Siegmar Roscher, Arne Paulson & Pauli, Sarah Asling, Tanju, Jacques Tiergarten and Stefan Prange. 

Berlin - The Bang Bang Club - Sunday 23rd March

On our walk to the first show of the tour, a mouse runs past me. I scream. I take a few more nervous steps forward only to see a dead bird on the ground. This makes me panic even more. I doubt the two were linked, and I am not usually superstitious, but at the back of my mind I couldn't help but wonder. I was left with this horrible image in my head for some time after but I am pleased to say that this event had no impact on the tour at all. 

We played at The Bang Bang Club last time we visited Berlin and we're pleased to return. Situated under a railway arch in Mitte, The Bang Bang Club is run by a team of very cool, friendly young people who are passionate about music. It is very clear that that is why they are there and that is always comforting to arrive at a venue and to see that. It just somehow creates a good vibe from the start. It was good to be back.

Outside the Bang Bang Club, Berlin. Matt is behind the camera

Grimm & The Brothers who are from Berlin supported us at this show. They play beautiful, fairytale folk with echoes of Jefferson Airplane - lovely vocals and an inventive, unorthodox drummer. They were a perfect band to share a bill with. 

We played our first set of the tour, introducing a few songs we were to play live for the first time - 'Out of Time; Out of Place' and 'Always the Last to Know'. Thanks to Jacques Tiergarten at The Bang Bang Club for organising this show and I hope we can come back soon..... 

Matt and Mike disappeared off into the night with Mark Cremins to play ping pong at a ping pong bar in Prenzlauerberg and Mark and I returned to The Bateau Bar, Kreuzberg.

Late night/early morning Ping Pong action

Stay tuned for day 2 of the tour....

Alison

xx