It's been a week since we got home from our one concert trip to Berlin (Germany) and I've been thinking a lot about it.
The trip was great. It was quite a long time since last time we packed into a van and travel for like 6 or 7 hours to reach a God's forgotten land. This time it wasn't really forgotten, since our first stop was in München, the city of beer. And, as you can see for yourself, Jesus was on our side, leading our way from the top of a pencil.
Unfortunately (or maybe not?) there was no concert booked there, so we spent the night around the city, eating, drinking, smelling each other's gas and, obviously, puking. So yes, here's the incontrevertible evidence... we're back on the road!
Except this, the night was quite "standard" and even short, since at 1 am we were already sleeping.
The next morning we had a good breakfast, watching an incomprehensible German stand-up comedian on TV, we packed our bag and sit back in the van for another 6 hours run.
At mid afternoon we reached Potsdam, that happens to be a tiny wonderful town not far from Berlin, the town that hosted our concert as the final show of the Potsdamer Jazzfest.
The venue was called Waschhaus, that means laundry, and it was a pretty good venue, with a beautiful stage, great lightings and all the stuff that seems to be normal in Germany but looks quite special for anyone who has to deal with Italian venues: buffet with foods and drinks, dinner, towels, dressing-room, hostel accommodation and so on.
Right after the soundcheck, a quick shower and a quicker dinner, we step on the stage and start playing our show. The sound was terrific, the lights were awesome and we were totally enjoying it. Then everything seemed to turn into what I would call a beautiful failure: we took a look off the stage and there was no crowd. Like ten or fifteen people were relaxing on some couches at the very bottom of the room, comfortably enjoying our sound but commiting us the most difficult task a band can ever have to do: playing a great show for a few people.
I don't know if we made it great but I guess we did good since we also sold some merch to that few listeners, who said to have really enjoyed the show, despite the huge hollow off the stage.
On our end, we had quite a good time, even if the condition were almost tragic. So this is it, you would say. Unfortunately this is not. Here it's were the hard part began, at least for me.
Far before the show, the promoter agreed with us for quite a good fee that would have bear our costs, and at the end of the show my only thought was: "How the hell can we ask for that money?". And I mean not literally asking for the money, but how can we took that money knowing that the guy is probably losing half of it. Yes guys, despite our metalhead habits, we have a heart.
The equation was quite easy actually, we did our show, we did our job so we have to get paid. The promoter probably didn't consider all the risk of hiring a not-very-popular band from Italy and that's part of his business. Yes, that's true, but I felt quite bad anyway.
How did it end? We took our fee, the guy lost his leverage and we couldn't even cover our expenses. So, isn't underground music a losing game?
To me guys, you are one of the best bands in this genre. Really! I'm quite familiar with this "scene", and know what am I talking about. And it's really sad that these things are happening, but that's reality. I'd totally agree with that last sentence, it's a losing game and many bands are in the same position. No/little gigs, small fee's, bad promoters, uninterested people = today's metal scene. Hope that things are going to be better for you guys in future and one of my biggest wishes is to see you live in Sarajevo.
ReplyDeleteThanx man. Indeed the scene is dying and it's like climbing a collapsing wall: only the ones at the top have some chance to do it. Unfortunately we haven't reachead that place so far.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, no worries about your wishes. I am quite sure we'll hit your town next time!
Ciao ragazzi, leggendo questi post (anche quello scritto a luglio) da una parte provo amarezza, dall'altra condivisione e ancor più vicinanza di quanto possa averne da semplice fan della vostra musica. Da italiano e da under 30 come voi condivido le stesse problematiche socio-economiche a cui alludete (io lavoro nel socio-sanitario, un ambito in profonda crisi come tanti altri) e pur non essendo un musicista professionista (nemmeno dilettante direi ehehe) conosco molte situazioni di gruppi più che validi su cui non si scommette minimamente nel nostro paese. Al tempo stesso vi rendo partecipe di un mio minuscolo punto di vista, ogni volta che penso a voi e ad altri gruppi come Lento, Forgotten tomb, Viscera ///, Ufomammut, Void of silence, Illogicist è una boccata d'ossigeno, perchè nonostante la cultura venga così impunemente osteggiata da chi è al governo da oltre un decennio, ci sono gruppi musicali nel mio paese che hanno una creatività pazzesca (e voi siete tra quelli senz'altro, e senza paraculismi) e che riescono a dire la loro in questo quadro così deprimente. Avrei apprezzato molto Shifting anche se non foste italiani, ma il fatto che un disco così mente-aperta sia italiano mi fa sentire ancora più solidale. Suonate in una scena musicale che ha pochi seguaci, è vero, ma suonate bene quel che vi piace. Quando penso che faccio un lavoro che rende poco ma che mi piace è una consolazione, magra, magrissima, ma penso che questo abbia un grande valore.
ReplyDeleteVoi in più siete dei musicisti e vorrei solo dirvi che la vostra musica tocca veramente nel profondo, ne parlo veramente spesso e ormai affinando sempre di più col basso il giro principale di Caofedian sto urtando non poco gli umori di mio fratello e dei vicini di casa, che hanno cominciato a odiare quel brano. Ho scritto un commento per Shifting sul mio blog(http://solouninsiemedibugie.blogspot.com/search/label/At%20the%20soundawn), se vi va fateci un salto, ci tengo a precisare che non è una recensione, non sono un professionista, il mio blog è solo un contenitore di emozioni. In bocca al lupo e massimo supporto!
p.s. sarei tanto voluto venire per la tappa con gli east of the wall (che adoro) ma suonate troppo fuori mano per me che non sono automunito..sarà per la prossima