got up about 3:30am. taxi to Golders Green looking menacing, very quiet driver looked like he thought we were gangsters. Coach to Stansted listening to new Elysium for first time on ipod. packed coach full of other easyjet types.
Stansted read some mag about 80s electronic bands in WHSmiths. Found Pete. Bought a round for the lads, went down well. knocked over a chair on way out…let the rock n roll begin!
picked up some orange juice (and sarnie)
compact fkn Ryan Air. got a bit of zip, dozing off not enough though.
arrived at gothenburg city airport (15min or so early), saw a little mouse dead as we were in passport queue. Quaint place, looked like a shed/barn. Tried promoter’s number, got text back ‘wrong number’ oh shit. stood around getting worried. Bastien conspiracy theories/paranioa kicked in “is this a stitch up? a wind-up…sometimes the whole Detachments project seems like a wind-up” (only semi joking). Ended up resorting to paying about 30kroner to get 30min internet and right on queue, Tobbe arrived. I guess he was only about 15min late as we arrived early.
He had a sturdy old volvo that he said would die after him.
Had a chat about how we don’t play much in England, helped clarify for ourselves – we’d sacked Primary disgrunlted with them for not getting us enough good shows and taking a percentage on all shows inc ones they’d not booked (also Bastien was paranoid/uncomfortable with the agent who was a friend of sacked mgt). Also mentioned the swearing incident with the new bookers after that. Perhaps we should have stuck with Primary, but anyway.
Had a good chat. Listened to Cabaret Voltaire.
Hotel Posidon. 
Nice cozy place. Pete and Edward got the twin rm. Bastien got the lead singer suite.
Went for a cheerful wander in the quiet Goteborg drizzle, went into a rec store saw some amusing but somewhat unnervingly weird covers – e.g. the guy with his big hairy dogs all had the same (red)eyes. Nordic occult shit etc. Soon found the charming old town,
wooden buildings, cobbled st, market – tried a bit of beetroot sample. Sat down in a restaurant, but sneaked off we realised we didn’t have enough SEK.
Had a look in a
few pubs
shops.
not a real dog!
Finally settled for meatball(kottballur) dish from a chain in town – school dinner type mash – not so jeti bra…inter bra. Good recommendation reply text from Bastien’s Gothenburg Ex(now in spain) wasn’t read in time.
Wandering back (now in rain) to hotel realised how small (but perfectly formed) Gothenburg is.
Hotel chilled with some beers and get some rest.
Looking out at the rain
mused over which European countries produce the best music…no1 obviously UK, but second – most probably Sweden. Maybe it’s partly to do with the melancholy weather.
The swedish TV was a bit notably risque for daytime – gay sex, hanging suicide in one drama, ‘Penis’ said on a programme advert etc. But maybe we’re too stuffy in england. Dunno.
Saw the football scores come in online, City comeback to win 1-2 in the dying mins! Av it.
Venue was up some stairs.
Soundcheck+beer, spent a lot of time getting it right.
Decided to use live bass guitar on Never Knew.
BAckstage Had sate and fat rice, pretty good.
Freshened up back at hotel. Short walk back to Jazzhuset venue showed that Gothenburg nightlife streets seemed quite quiet at 10pm.
Backstage
had a good chat to Andy, Tobbe’s right hand man.
Sat out in the club area…old school telephone decor
he complimented Bastien’s coat for Ultravox Vienna look. lol. Bastien then namechecked it to Cavalli, +shirt Versace, belt Westwood, shoes Loake.
All switched from beer to white wine.
Live stage room totally filled up…
THE GIG
Audiovideo – nifty start
Morning Light – sounded really good, first time ever played with Pete and Edward.
Play – cool
Never Knew Me – intense, something went awry with order of parts though (but probably was unnoticed)
HAL – power
Words – elegant
Hol Rom – impactful as ever
FNF – hypnotic intensity.
Circles – end section stuttered a bit on bassguitar but everything else kicked ass.
nothing you can do – didn’t have quite as much impact withpout ac guitar.
Flowers – energetic as always
After what seemed like ages we didn’t return for an encore despite the all the shouts. Pete didn’t want to play a song twice, right decision actually. Ba stien sat down with towels, needing wine
Good chat with more intense fans backstage, all v. serious with their knowledge of the genre. Passionate hearts.
Got out to sell the merch and do signings. Almost everything went including the last Hol Roms and vinyl albums, this lot deserved them actualluy. Good to meet and chat with the fans. Some fans had travelled 3or4hrs up from Malmo.
Ended up on the dancefloor for one song – tempted by the Soul Inside (soft cell).
Backstage one of the main guys was saying Detachments did one of the top gigs he’s ever seen on that stage.
More wine. Mem blurry,
Good times. Everyone on danceloor in end.
‘seeing double…’ said a forgotten text (seen next day).
Got back about 4am.
Pete banged on the door at 8:45 or something.
Quality breakfast downstairs, decent meatballs with all the fish relish etc, ham, eggs, krackerbread etc. Unfortunately we were in too much pain to really get stuck in.
Drive through the countryside
back to the quite charmingly quaint airport.
Everything was very straightforward getting on the plane quick in the little airport (it’s not the main Gothernburg airport). pity we couldn’t have stayed a bit longer perhaps. Bravo Sverige.
Managed to sleep all the way back on plane.
All in all: Thoroughly enjoyable weekend. Great memories.
Detachments 