The trip started and ended in Austria, at two of my favorite places in the world to play, the Blue Tomato in Vienna and in Wels, respectively. Quite nice that a number of the same people were at both shows. Maybe they were comparing notes about how the trio started and finished its tour? Everyone in the group really felt that we should continue with this project, and there was discussion about bringing Paul back to Chicago for the first time in years, to play some trio gigs there and in the American Midwest during the summer of 2006. And back to Europe soon? I sure as hell hope so.
After one of our 12 hour train rides, this one from Nantes, France to Dachau, Germany, our last leg of the trip was spent on the S-Bahn out of Munich. We we fortunate enough to be joined by an alcohol liberated professor who kept dropping his bags of sandwiches while demanding to know who we were and why we were carrying musical instruments. His lecture took place completely in German which left Paul alone to deal with the situation. I’m not sure what Paul told him, but it inspired repeated cries of “Placido Domingo!” and the declaration at each stop that the train had arrived at “Hollywood! Hollywood meine engels!” A nice, cozy, relaxing end to a long day.
Tomorrow Basil and the Willem de Kooning exhibit, and possibly the Tinguely museum. Then the Frankfurt Moderne on Tuesday. Time to recharge before heading to Norway with the new Vandermark 5…
-Ken Vandermark, train to Frankfurt, 11/5/05.
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