Touring is always tricky because I have to balance all the things I would usually do to prepare for one gig with what is practical with this particular tour. It usually involves starting with what I want and then condensing that down. Even for very short tours, you often can’t take everything you want.
Firstly – deciding what to play, as I can’t, on this occasion, take the keyboard or my 12-string, or multiple guitars for weird tuned songs, or my harmonising looping pedal gadgets..
Secondly .. What to wear. Naturally, I am a scruff. I like ripped jeans and torn t-shirts, ties dye, fluffy slippers and when it’s warm enough, bare feet! I have a few outfits, and several dresses I’m comfortable in on stage for various types of gigs, ranging from casual to super posh. None of these are really suitable for aeroplane travel!
So when being faced with no luggage, as it’s all taken up with instruments, we have to get creative with these things.
In order to make music up the Mattahorn, we had to leave home at 2.30 am to collect John at 3am, be at the airport for 4/4.30 ready to fly for 6am. After a short flight of only a couple of hours, we landed in Geneva,picked up our luggage and car, to begin the 4 hour car journey to Täsch. We had a lovely modern car with the latest sat nav. Unfortunately it became apparent that whilst we had the maps for all the latest roads, construction hadn’t necessarily kept up with that, and they weren’t all finished! So after a few diversions, we made it to Täsch, at the base of the Mattahorn.
Upon parking, we then took the short train ride up the mountain to Zermatt, a stunningly beautiful 20minute ride between fir trees, glaciers and snow drifts.
When we arrived in Zermatt town, we still had to find the venue, which of course was uphill in a snowstorm! There is no traffic in Zermatt – another aspect to its charm – it’s all horses and carts, and your own hoofs. At this point we’d been travelling for over 12 hours. We carried our guitars and luggage up the mountain to our venue, where we received a very hospitable welcome, complete with a lovely meal, beers and Jägermeister. After dinner we were showed to our room, and had a little time to get ready for the gig which started at 10pm. We played for 3 hours, which was great fun, great crowd and great band!
I was really really ready for my bed that night, but it was a great day!
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