The train journey itself was uneventful and pretty boring, especially as we were desperately looking forward to hooking up with the bands, and surprising them by our presence. We eventually pulled into the Hauptbahnhof in Cologne, grabbed some Deutschmarks, and looked for the U-Bahn by the cathedral from where we’d be going to our hotel. Again, I’d booked this in advance, which was just as well as on top of it being a beautiful summers day and all the visitors that attracts, there was a trade fair on in the city and most of the places I’d tried were full. This hotel had one twin room left, and put another bed in for us. Using my best German, we discovered the hotel (which was quite nice), dumped our stuff, and paid in advance to avoid any hassle in the morning. Fortunately we weren’t far from the Rhenania (the venue for the evening) and after a short tram ride and a walk along the Rhein we came across it. Hot Water Music and Discount were running a little late en route from Berlin the previous night, so we skipped off to find somewhere to eat. We eventually did, after a bit of searching, and sat in with a couple of beers watching Finland v Germany on the TV. We bought a couple more beers (Kölsch - brewed only in the Cologne district, and quite light and very refreshing, particularly on a hot summers day) whilst walking back to the venue, where we spotted a large billboard with Ollie Kahn taking up the side of a building opposite the venue where we noticed the band’s vans now parked up.

They were all shocked but pleased to see us, and we caught up on tales of the road. Chris then showed us some video footage taken upon their arrival...Chuck, after a long and hot journey, had totally stripped (with the exception of his shoes) and run past the amazed bystanders and leapt off the side of the riverfront straight down into the Rhein...about thirty feet. He then climbed out, took another run up, and did it again, this time with a somersault, before climbing out, rushing past the gobsmacked kids, and getting back to the van. It was, quite obviously, hilarious viewing, and the subject of some blackmail type threats from Chris!

Having been to the venue before many years ago, it was much as I remembered it. After more Kölsch, and chatting to Burkhard (and showing him "Deutschland’s nummer eins!") we were well up for the evening’s entertainment. There were some other bands on, who to be honest I totally missed, but when Discount stepped up a rush of adrenaline shot through me. Alison looked from the stage, saw my face above the crowd, and smiled and gave a wave. A cool moment. Anyway, despite the appalling sound, they rocked in their usual smiley face way, and everyone seemed to enjoy their set. Hot Water Music were on fire. In the heat of a summer’s evening, in an old warehouse by the river, after a number of beers, it was tailor made for the most incredible live show I think I have ever witnessed. Despite the continued poor sound from the PA (which lead to entirely justified middle finger gestures to the soundman from the stage) we were so close to the stage the guitars and drums still cut through and we all danced and sang along with our new friends. The sweat was dripping from everyone by the end, which lead to more drinking and sitting outside chatting in the cooling night air. I have to include a passage from Jen Angel’s sleeve notes from the split LP with Leatherface on BYO at this point, as she has captured how I felt at that moment perfectly:

"As I’ve gotten to know these guys as individuals and as a band, I’ve grown to like and respect them as people...Because Hot Water Music is a product of these people, and nothing more, liking and respecting them is essential to enjoying their music." Jen, if you ever read this, you’re spot on. And the sentiments of "Moments Pass" also rang true, when they asked us why we’d come back out to see them..."we can watch moments pass, or we can treat them as our last and take them for all they’re worth". That’s why we were there.