"Four countries, eight concerts and almost 50
tea bags!"
"My
trip to The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria, August 2009"
Day 5
We
travelled a long way through the green and quite beautiful rolling hills of The
Czech Republic across the invisible border with Slovakia until we finally found
the motorway headed in the direction of Kosice which is pronounced, wait for it,
Coshitsay! We saw happy cows and lots of farmers and more narrow roads until we
finally arrived at the venue which was more like a Jazz club than anything else.
Sound check was difficult for me because they supplied me with 2 keyboards to
choose from…. One was crap and the other one didn´t work. Not a happy situation
and it was to cause chaos at a critical point during The Last Dance.
Things were a bit rushed now and I don´t like that. It unsettles me and upsets
my concentration. In short, it makes me think and I usually play without
thinking hardly at all. As my good friend Billy Sheehan once said …. ¨When you
think, you stink¨.
I didn´t actually stink but, due to circumstances beyond my control, I did have
a couple of dodgy moments that I am not ashamed to share with you.
First, they had no small bottles of water, just large ones in very flimsy
bottles so the first time I tried to grab one and drink (while I was playing,
like I always do) it kind of collapsed in my hand and splashed water all over
me, the Hammond and the synthesizer!
I thought it might actually improve the sound of the synthesizer but I cared
more about the potential damage to the Hammond but it made it okay.
The show was good but not as good as Zlin and there were no nice-looking ladies
in the front row so the Kens were not inspired.
Everyone did have a great time though and, because this was an early show, we
were able to gather at the hotel patio for some beer, wine and laughter.
In my former career there were moments when I had a lot of fun. This time around
it seems like it´s all fun…. Or certainly most of it. And I am thankful for all
of it.
I do want to say a big thank you to Riita and the others at The Green House
hotel for their kindness and hospitality and did I mention that the local
promoter (and my personal chauffeur at one point) was The Mayor of Kosice?
