The MoFo Party Band's Euro tour journal
Fresno's MoFo Party Band just concluded a three-week European tour and along the way, drummer Daniel Burt was sending e-mails home to with details and pictures from the group's journey.
I collected them all to share with Beehive readers. It's a bit of a read, but a very interesting one. You can also see videos from the the MoFo's travels on YouTube.
The band is back in California to play Saturday's Sonora Blues Festival, then will head to Texas later this month and back to Europe in September. No hometown dates on their schedule right now, but keep your eyes and ears out.
7/21/07
Yesterday morning we got up at the crack of dawn and started our journey back through Germany in route to Luxemburg. Passing the familiar giant windmills again, and finally on to the Autobahn. We drove a good 10 hours and figured it would be best to get a room for the night to get some good sleep and head out the next day.
The next morning (today) as we traveled deeper west, we were in the areas of Dusselfdorf, and then the outskirts of Koln, (which we took the tour of the Koln Cathedral last year, and was simply amazing) and just as the last tour, we were reminded of the big factories with smoke and/or steam billowing out of massive concrete cylinders off in the distance.
The hillsides were very picturesque with miles and miles of perfectly manicured crops, in various shades of greens and golden browns. Corn, wheat, oats, barley, and other rich vegetation provided for the perfect landscapes. Little villages and towns seem to pop up out of nowhere between the thickets and forests.
So I'm told, Luxemburg is one of the richest areas of the world, and if modern architecture is any indication, there were very large buildings under construction at every point of the compass. The use of mirrored glass must be a favorite of the trade and the area, as the exterior of most structures we're very reflective.
We checked in to the Sofitel Luxemburg Hotel, and were pleasantly surprised at the rooms that were provided for us. This is probably one of the nicest hotels that I've ever stayed. Anytime there is a bathrobe and slippers waiting on the bed for me, I know it's gettin' to be a pretty sweet deal. We were given the 5th floor, so the view is amazing to say the least.
The band is to go on around 7 p.m., and a shuttle is arriving at 5 to pick us up. The festival is supposed to be similar but not quite as big as the Peer Festival in Belgium. At this point I'll know in a matter of hours.
Until later,
Daniel
7/22/07
My, oh my, oh my. I didn't think things could get any better than the Peer Festival. Welcome to the Luxemburg Blues and Jazz Rally. It was like a combination of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Disneyland, and something out of a Harry Potter movie.
The cobblestone lined streets had 11 different stages stretched about a mile across, looping around various castles and huge stone structures. A massive stone bridge over a little river connected the areas with an occasional train passing by. We walked up and down the winding road checking out the various bands restaurants and events. We looked at where we were to play, and our stage was right where the street went under the bridge -- a very cool panoramic view of the whole event. The event was scheduled from 7:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. and our slot was scheduled from 11:30 to 1:00 - again a very good position to be in - right in the middle of the whole festival.
The back line was very nice. Fender amps for the other guys, and I had a really cool vintage marine pearl Mapex drum kit. Marine pearl is the color that I have collected over the years, so was thrilled to have this to play on.
As we were sound-checking, people we already gathering together, and by our first song all I could see was a sea of people from the front, and to the left, and to the right. (Behind us was the river) - We did our normal smokin' set, and about 15 minutes before we were to end, the ominous clouds opened up and unleashed a fury of rain. We all thought this would be the end - but no. We saw a few umbrellas open up, and everyone else just kept on partying, dancing, screaming and staying right in the spirit. At the end of our set, there was a burst of applause, and again we thought this would definitely be the end, but the crowd was chanting "One more song, -- One more song," -- so of course we gave them what they wanted!
We sold some Cd's, signed some autographs, and away we flew back to the hotel. (Well, not really flew, but got on our shuttle bus).
Today we drive back through Germany to Poland, and to the little village of Zakrzewo.
Good day to all,
Daniel
7/23/07
Hello everyone. Well, yesterday we got the official news that the Polish President has declared 3 days of mourning due to the tragedy of the Polish pilgrims that were traveling in France. A sorrowful day in Poland, and therefore all entertainment has been cancelled throughout the country. Unfortunately we lost a gig due to the cancellations. We decided to do a little shopping in the city of Pila, as well as book some more recording time in the studio.
Our thoughts and prayers to out to the Polish people, and anyone that may have lost a friend or loved one in the tragedy.
On a lighter note, I'm getting accustomed to designing my own Polish breakfast - bread with butter, a layer of thinly sliced ham, cheese, and topped with a thin slice of tomato. Sausage and/or kielbasa are always present. Sometimes a small portion of berries is also offered.
Wishing wellness for everyone,
Daniel
7/27/07
We had a great day and night off yesterday visiting the tri-city port area of the Baltic Region. Gdansk, Gdynia, and Sopot. It is here that we saw some of the most incredible architecture on this trip so far.
Giant churches, cathedrals, and other historic monuments dating as far back as the 1300's. We climbed a narrow twisting, turning staircase in one of the cathedrals all the way to the top to take in a spectacular view of the whole city of Gdansk. The stone lined streets weaved there way around the city where there were many merchants peddling their amber pedants, earrings, necklaces and the like. So I am told, this is one of the few areas in the world where native amber is found.
Some street musicians and artists were also displaying their crafts. Later in the night, we took in the opportunity to see Rod Stewart in concert at the old shipyard. It was nice being a spectator for a change. It was his "Greatest Hits" tour, and he was right on the money -- never missed a note, and had a really great band. At one point he made an announcement thanking the Polish people for coming back 2 days after the show was originally scheduled.
(I guess we weren't the only ones that had a cancellation due to the accident in France).
Today we prepare for 3 nights of shows. 2 of which are in the area of Zakrzewo, and the other, in Warsaw, in the town square very near where the President resides.
Until next time,
Daniel
7/28/07
This show was a funky little shindig in the middle of the forest, near the village of Chodziez, Poland. It was dubbed a "Motorcycle Meeting." Basically their version of a biker run / Harley Davidson party as we know of in the US.
A cool, big rock stage, with amphitheater style seating. It wasn't necessarily full of bikers, but there were several that were showing off their stuff by throttling around the big concrete slab of a dance floor. Some of the other bands seemed like kind of a throwback to the 70's blues and southern rock styles.
A unique event to say the least.
We were a little worried about going on last (about midnight), because everyone seemed to be in that spirit of the southern rock vibe, wearing jeans and t-shirts, and here we were changing into our nice stage clothes.
Nonetheless, from the first note forward, the people were rockin' and cheering us right along. We played our "festival set" - about 90 minutes of non-stop energy, then did our usual meet and greet with our new fans.
7/31/07
Unfortunately, I've been very sick the last few days, so I won't be able to be very descriptive or capture many details from the road trips due to being laid up in the back seat of the van. The shows were extremely difficult to play. I will give a brief summary of the last few days:
7/29: The Polish Boogie Woogie Festival - in the town of Czluchow, Poland. It took place in the courtyard of a 12th Century Castle. A sold out crowd, and it was POURING rain up until 20 minutes before the concert was to start. It didn't seem to bother the people, as they were lined up walking from all directions in route to the show.
7/30: Concert at The History Museum in Warsaw, Poland - A big beautiful city with the same style of architecture as Gdansk. We played in the old town area in a courtyard setting. Another sold out show in a smaller more intimate type of crowd.
7/31: Now we're back in the village of Zakrzewo for a couple days off and perhaps mix the songs we've recorded.
Our final 3 shows are set for this Thurs., Fri., and Sat.
Until next time,
Daniel
8/3/07
Last night we played at a really cool club in the town of Ciechanow, Poland. It was at an all ages underground rock and punk rock club. Just by looking at all the posters of previous acts hanging in the lobby, we could tell this was a scene that we had yet tapped.
Nonetheless, we had a warm greeting by the club owner who said he had heard so many great things, and was anxious to hear us perform live.
There was an opening act of a young band called "The Without." A group of hip-to-the- scene youngsters, with a really cool sound. It reminded me of what was coming out of London and the UK in the late 70's.
The place was packed full of mostly youth, with a few 30's, and 40's mixed in. We of course had wondered if most of the people were there only to see The Without, which a band always wonders when the club is full and the opening band has just started.
When we went on, the crowd looked just as eager and excited to hear us boys from the USA (maybe more ?) - so we gave 'em hell and they were dancing into a frenzy.
We did an hour first set, then took a little break to refresh and sell some merchandise. We had definitely made some new fans here. We went back on to do another hour, and it was just as electrified as the first set. We tried to say goodnight, but they did the old chant, "one more song........one more song......" so we gave one last dose of the Mofo Party Band.
We signed lots of autographs and talked with the people a bit, and then it was time to load up, and head back to the hotel.
We had an unexpected cancellation of tonight's show
(Fri) so now we head back to the village of Zakrzewo for our final stay at the village.
Tomorrow we leave for Szczecin, Poland, for our final show, where we will play for thousands of sailors in the "Festival of the Tall Ship Races." Sounds kinda like our "America's Cup," but the ships are much bigger.
Signing off,
Daniel
8/4/07
On the way back to the village yesterday, we stopped in the old town of Torun, where we walked around and had lunch. It was similar to Gdansk, in that there were many very big, very old buildings and churches.
Merchants were selling there things on the streets lined with visitors.
Also, we stopped at another 12th Century castle that was the site of some sort of archeological/geological dig. It was closed to the public, but Bartek managed to speak with the chief Archeologist, and was able to get us inside the grounds to do a little looking around. There were many people on hands and knees with little tools digging and sifting through the dirt and sand. Outside the castle walls, it was very interesting to see where they had dug about 6 feet into the ground and giant pieces of wood that were still in tact.
Our final stop was in the city of Bydgoszcz, where we met the owner of one of the larger radio stations in Poland. He gave us a tour of the studio, and in one of the big rooms, there was a Polish Blues Band that was anxious to meet us. They were recording live on the air. When they took a break, the let our guitar player "Bill," and me sit in with them. The other guys didn't really feel like getting the big upright bass out of the van etc. We had a nice little jam, and they went on with their recording.
I'm pretty sure this will be my last entry from Europe. We will go to the Tall Ship Festival today, then to Berlin, to fly to New York.
Peace and love to all,
Daniel
8/5/07
It was nice to go out of the country with a "bang"
just as we came in. The Festival of the Tall Ships was like a huge carnival, fair, music extravaganza, and boat show along a big waterway that was about a mile long. Our performance area was very similar to the Peer Festival in Belgium. A giant tent filled with thousands of people. A big screen was visible above the stage for the viewers way in the back, as well as the reverse image of us if we wanted to gander at ourselves while we were playing. We were the headlining act, and went on about 11:00 p.m. We played a really great smokin' 60 minute set, walked off, and heard those nice chants of "one more song.........one more song." We came back on fire with one more tune to satisfy their needs.
After the show, they were showing footage of the history of the "Tall Ships" on the big screen. A lot of these ships look like the classic pirate ships, with lots of sails, while others have a bit more modern look.
We now leave for Berlin for our flight to New York, then to San Francisco.
There were many memorable moments to say the least.
I hope this finds everyone healthy and happy.
Daniel
8/6/07
New York City was about a 360 degree turn from our European experiences. Kind of a "sensory overload,"
if I may say so. We only had Sunday night to explore, so we called a cab and did our best to catch a few sites. Of the monuments, we only could get a decent distant view of the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and we drove right by Ground Zero. Chills came over my body at Ground Zero, and the only words that came to mind were, "A Hole in the Sky."
We were dropped of at Times Square, and did our walking around there. There was so much to see, so we just walked in no particular direction. Again, so much electricity in the city. Not just literally, but the whole feeling of the place. Sensory overload.
At 5:00 a.m. the next morning, we boarded the shuttle to the airport for our final flight of the trip. I was pleased to get a window seat on the plane near the wing, which provided a great view. It was a little rainy upon departure, but then was very clear once we rose above the cloud line. The tapestries of American soil were neat to see, with the precise subdivided land below. When crossing the border of Nevada and California, there were many bodies of water. Not sure exactly what they were right now, but they were just about due east of Stockton, CA.
We had lots of ups and downs, highs and lows, but overall, an experience I'm thankful for, and will never forget.
Signing off,
Daniel
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