Mytrip - 'DRONE THE BALKANS' Tour

About a month after I came back from the 'Vultures Became Eagles' tour w/ Expectations I'm hitting the road again. This time for a shorter tour w/ Mytrip. This is the second time I'm travelling around with my drones for this year and I hope it will be even more awesome, because this time I'm going to Serbia and Romania for shows with awesome friends and artists. I guess I'll be maintaining a tour diary again, so if you are interested how the droning of the Balkans is going keep an eye on this place! Below is the tour event that I'll update with details and news while on the road and each date from the tour with a separate event in case you are there and coming. See you somewhere!

DRONE THE BALKANS // mytrip october '12 tour @ facebook

12.10. Belgrade, SRB @ Panic Room Zica w/ Lebdi, Sergey Klein

http://www.facebook.com/events/530096137006211/

14.10. Bucharest, RO @ Fabrica Skatepark w/ Environments, Semiosis
http://www.facebook.com/events/284556598315310/

15.10. Varna, BG w/ Abandoned Shelter, Mloski, Swamp Fire
http://www.facebook.com/events/284384041671535/

16.10. Plovdiv, BG w/ Abandoned Shelter @ Bar Gramophone w/ Abandoned Shelter, Deflax
http://www.facebook.com/events/113152382175807/

17.10. Thessaloniki, GR w/ Abandoned Shelter @ tba

18.10. Sofia, BG @ Suspicious Art Space w/ Abandoned Shelter, Shrine, Arkhitektur Noir
http://www.facebook.com/events/374815329259746/

Amenra at Fabrica, Bucharest 06.10.12

I waited almost an year to see this band and experience their ritual. I wrote a review for the lovely Rawk'n'Roll. It's in Bulgarian though, so I translated the paragraphs describing my time in the Church of Ra. Read it below in English, and if you know Bulgarian click HERE for the full story. It was a total life-changer.

...the time in Fabrica suddenly starts to function in a different way. Darkness is getting thicker and is only interrupted by black and white visuals. In front of the stage bodies are gathering, and on it a blurry image appears. It is showing the insides of a church. The five men from Amenra are there. Mathiue is staring through our bodies and his guitar lets us all in the Church of Ra. I've seen tens of photos of their concerts, I've heard the stories of few dear friends. But this here is different. Amenra's music is thick and massive like a wall. It's dragging you to itself and wants to show you what is beyond. It swallows you in a space created by slow and heavy sounds, anxious and sick melodies and ritual rhythms. In front of you there are four people, staring in the very same space you are inhabiting. They are not playing but are pulsating in one with your senses. And among them you see Colin. Never looking at the audience during the whole show. With the mic cable around his hands, he's like trapped in his own pulsations in his own space. The Amenra poetry tears his throat and turns into the last missing texture of their sound environment. You oftenly feel your eyes are irrelevant. You share the blank stares of the other dark silhouettes and you are just listening. You hold her hand and think you are at least controlling this. Then you feel your bodies moving in an unison, engaged in the common pulse. During the whole show I see Colin's face twice. I see his lips moving even when he's not singing. And this helps you understand what are those people and what music means to them. It is their ritual, we are their ears and all together we are in the domains of Ra.

At a point the screen goes black. The worn out images are gone. Only the Amenra logo is still there. The five men are gone. The grip around your neck is loosened. Her hand is still here but the oxygen insufficiency remains for few more hours. Actually it is a pleasant reminder of where you were - the place where air was replaced by the black and thick substance which is actually Amenra's music.

'Vultures Become Eagles' Days 12 & 13 (Serbia) and that's all

15/09/12 Subotica, Serbia
w/ Cvlt Of Grace, Minus Three, Sparks

Trve Serbian black metal

After the small but super packed and intimate show we had in Pecs we were about to have one of the craziest gigs for the tour in Subotica, Serbia. A place that first looked almost as calm and quiet as my hometown actually turned into hell. The venue started to fill around ten when there were already around fifty people and I guess by the end of the night they surely doubled/trippled. We were five bands that night and we were supposed to play last so it was going to be a long one. So again unloading, setting up the stage and the merch table and finally a dinner. Dario, who was setting up the show led us to a studio near the venue and all five bands enjoyed a freshly cooked meal. Beans with lots of veggies for the vegans and sadly meat for the offal eaters. We were kinda separated on the tables so we could throw offensive jokes to the other guys who still haven't realized how lame their food of choise was hhaha. Shortly after that the show started with Sparks and weird stuff started happening. First of all I was so amazed to see so many people showing up to a gig in such a town. Then while we were at the merch table a guy came took a shirt of the Minus Three distro and ran away. Our singer Georgie ran after him and after few minutes I discovered the guy (a friend of the promoter) actually stole it, George reached him and when he tried to take it back the guy hit him. Not something serious but still quite a fucked up thing to happen. However when that dude tried to escape again local punks got him and beat the crap out of him and while we were enjoying the rest of the show I heard he was in a hospital. Quite cool! The rest of the show went smooth, people were having a lot of fun, moshing all the time. Some of them moshing quite violently but still I don't care it was better than Western European crowds just standing with hands in their pockets. After the show we went to sleep in the same studio. Few of us chose the van and on the next morning we heard that was the right choice because another fight happened in the place where all other bands slept. Fucking crazy small town, fucking Expectations/Eaglehaslanded thug life.

16/09/12 Novi Sad, Serbia
w/ Cvlt Of Grace, Minus Three

Last day of the tour. Sad and kinda relieving at the same time. So we woke up pretty late, had some decent wi-fi times and headed for Novi Sad which was only 100 km away. And we reached a damn beautiful city with loooots of beautiful women. The weather was awesome unlike the radical cold in Austria and Warsaw, Poland. We had a plenty of time to kill so we roamed around the city, slept on benches, hanged out with the ducks in the park and enjoyed Serbian women which surely are on the second place of my tour chart (after the Polish girls). After we met with Vuk from Furtive Forest we went to the venue where we were about to kill some one or two hours more. So again sleeping on benches, drinking juice and coffee, small talks you know how it works. Then after we unloaded for a last time we set up the stage and did a soundcheck after which we were certain this would be one of the best shows in terms of sound. Again five bands that night. Eaglehaslanded started playing first in front of around 20 people but I think they played one of their best sets for the whole tour (not as destructive as in Warsaw but pretty much so tight and powerful). After them were Cvlt Of Grace. I really hope we'll play with those guys again soon because I totally love their music live. Minus Three were awesome too, I really dig their vocals although the music is not my cup of tea right now. Our set was okay, nothing special, not bad at all and obviously people were enjoying it a lot. Especially our mates from the other bands who didn't save energy and showed us so much support. It was a great moment as everybody knew it's our last show so they made sure we have the best of it. And we had. What was left after that was a terrible and exhausting night drive through the rest of Serbia because we had to return the van early in the next morning. However we survived it and here I am writing this one from my place in Sofia.

Expectations & Eaglehaslanded 'Vultures Become Eagles' Tour 2012

Those days we'll never forget, those days we'll never regret 

Brassov baby w/ our main mate Marius Costache

After thirteen days on the road and that bunch of stuff I had already written there's so much more to be said. There are bands touring with months but for a two-years old DIY band driving almost 6000 km around Europe was an intense enough experience. Still everything worked out so well. I wrote that somewhere else but I'll repeat it here - we have so much friends, we just have to find them. And we found many of them. Huge thanks to Eaglehaslanded who are the nicest dudes in the whole universe.

It was great to see them playing twelve nights in a row, it was great to see them playing even after their equipment was stollen. It was just to hang out with those guys, no matter if they were playing, cursing in Serbian or just sleeping in the next seat of the van. I'm really happy that we met such awesome people like all promoters who booked us, cooked for us and all of their friends who shared their food, homes, time and pets with us. Huge ups for all our Romanian, Hungarian, Serbian, Austrian and Polish friends who made this happen. We really enjoyed all places we visited, played and stayed because everywhere there were people who made them feel like home. I hope we return on the road. Soon. 

Brassov again with half of the Breathelast crew and our pals at Next Dog Studio

No meat in this kitchen only the coolest vegan food and people, Rozbrat Squat, Poznan

If you missed some of the older entries and you are too lazy to scroll down here they are in a chronological order:

Days 1&2 Sofia (BG) & Brassov (RO)
Days 3&4 Sibiu (RO) & Budapest (HUN)
Days 5, 6 & 7 Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan (Poland)
Days 8 & 9 Prague (CZ)
Days 10, 11 Weiner Neustadt (AUS), Pecs (HUN)
Days 12, 13 Subotica, Novi Sad (Serbia)

'Vultures Become Eagles' Days 10 & 11

13/09/12 Weiner Neustadt, Austria 

Our hosts keep having the coolest decorations in  the universe

This was probably our calmest show. Despite the fact we were so pissed because of the van robbery the whole atmosphere in Weiner Neustadt was surely not going to take the hell out of us. We were supposed to play in a huge building which looked as a small factory or an office space but it was actually only for band rehearsal rooms. Each band was listed on the front door exactly as if it was their office. We met some really cool people and had the biggest dinner after the one at Darina's place. Two salads, lasagna, pizza and toooooons of juice, no need to mention everything was vegan. After eating everything as the hungriest Balkan monsters that we are we were so into a nap not for playing a gig. However we did both. There were some nice people who showed up, even two Bulgarian friends came from Vienna. But it was more of a calm and chilled out evening than a intense hardcore madness. After the show we hanged out in Steffi's place who's really ranked in our top promoters chart. She had two awesome dogs, one of which was called Tofu and was totally crazy. After an awesome breakfast with tea and coffee we hit the road back to Hungary but this time we were playing Pecs.

14/09/12 Pecs, Hungary @ Mattus Rehearsal Rooms

w/ Cvlt Of Grace

Despite it is located in the same country at first Pecs didn't look like Budapest at all. Maybe because we spent our first hours far from the city center it looked more like a Balkan town than a part of Hungary. However it was really nice. Our day there started with a vegan chilli that our promoter Zoltan from Cvlt Of Grace cooked. It was hot and spicy and kinda brought me a lot of energy as I almost couldn't sleep during the drive. Afterwards we headed for the venue which was a rehearsal room the guys rented for the show. It was a really awesome place with few rehearsal rooms. After few hours of waiting we unloaded our stuff, set up everything and Cvlt Of Grace started their show. And they were awesome. Probably my favorite band I saw on that tour. And the coolest part was we were playing with them the next two days. If our show in the Austrian rehearsal rooms was the calmest stuff ever in Pecs it was super intense. The rehearsal rooms was packed with lots of people and they were really into both Eaglehaslanded and us. There were some issues with few nazi guys who were kicked out of the show and we almost felt like Wolf x Down lol not. After the show we went on a quest for falafels and it almost felt as if we were in Bulgaria because we had to go to four different places cus it seems the closest you go to the Balkans the more scarce falafels become. In the end we had some, even if it wasn't the coolest thing you could ever eat it was still better than every falafel you can have in Sofia. After our second dinner we headed back to Zoltan's place where we had our second real sleep for the tour and some sweet times with his cats.

'Vultures Become Eagles' Days 8 & 9 (Czech)

Tough times in Prague

11/09/12 Prague, Czech Republic
w/ Backjumber @ Cafe Na Pul Cesty

When not in the van this is my ride

After the most awesome times in Poznan we left for Prague. A half day in the van and we actually reached it. It was super crowded and it became clear we'll have tough times finding a place for the van. We were about to have tough times about a lot of things but I'll get to that. So we quickly find the venue as Stefan from Eaglehaslanded had been there before. It was full of kids and we were like 'Nah, we're not spoiling their party', however we did. Couple of hours after we find the venue our equipment was unloaded, set up and Eaglehaslanded played one of their coolest gigs. The sound was great, the venue was small enough to look packed even with the 20 people that came around. Our set was also intense and sweaty and I surely enjoyed it. Backjumper played last and they were super fast and energetic. I think they played around 40 songs in 30 minutes. So after a quick second bite from the nice vegan pasta that the promoter Pawel had brought us we were ready to go and have some sleep. After a show travel in Prague we got to the place we were about to crash and it was so cool. It was an anarchist info center run by a small collective. It had a free shop, a library and a lot of zines and small stuffs you can buy if you want to support the place. I bought few zines and books that are more targeted at social and political stuff than music. So it was both a chance for me to expand my views and modestly support those guys. We got great tea, awesome conversation and we fell asleep just to be woken up the next morning with a tasty vegan breakfast. 

12/09/12 day off w/ Expectations; Mytrip gig

w/ Zlozvuk Sound System @ Cafe Na Pul Cesty

Mytrip @ Prague, awesome times

After the best cereal (with fruit sauce) I've ever had in my life we went for a walk in rainy Prague and it felt awesome cus we were about to crash at the same place later in the evening. As we couldn't book a show for Expectations and Eaglehaslanded for that day we decided to stay in Prague for a day off and I used that chance to play a small gig in the same venue but w/ Mytrip. Before that we went to Darina's place for a huge and I mean H U G E lunch with countless vegan meals. When we got there we saw someone had tried to open our van. However we couldn't do anything about that and we just paid for few more hours on the parking and hoped that the nice neighborhood will be cool to us. After eating like kings most of the guys from the bands came with me to my solo show. It was pretty well attended for such a rainy day and for such a twisted music as the one me and Zlozvuk were about to play. It was again a decent show, the people at the venue responded well and helped out by buying some Mytrip and even Expectations merch I was caring. Around 22h it was time for us to go back home. After sneaking in the subway as the dark balkan fucks that we are, and a 20 minute walk we got to the info center. We were about to go to bed when we got a call from the guys who went to sleep in the van and the shitty news came. Our van was broken and some instruments were missing. Two Eaglehaslanded guitars, their drum pedal and a bag full of clothes. Plus two broken van windows. So few calls, cops, reports at the police station and sufficiently fucked up we fell asleep because with or without guitars we are finishing this tour. Shutting down now, hopefully the van stays safe tonight cus I'm sleeping inside and I surely don't wanna get stolen and sold so some asshole could get his fix.

P.S. Seriously the Balkans need such places as that info center and consider the idea of not having meat in your kitchen. It's more than awesome.  

'Vultures Become Eagles' Days 5, 6 & 7 (Poland)

Cold showers, magical vegan food and extremely beautiful girls, this pretty much applies to all three days we spend in Poland.

Touring in the name of Jesus (Cocksucking) Christ <3

07/09/12 Warsaw, Poland

w/ Ceaseless Desolation

After the Budapest show we packed our crap and got in the van for another twelve hours. I'm writing this diary three days later so my memories are a bit blurry. I remember sleeping on a gas station, some of us sleeping outside on the grass, the other ones packed in the van. However after what looked like forever we reached Warsaw. It was grey, cold and immense. Our GPS was surely not able to cope with the route because of construction works. The other GPS we have got fucked up too. So a cab helped us to reach the venue. I think we almost didn't see anything of the city as it was a drive around its suburbs far from the central parts. Maybe that's why we couldn't really feel better about Warsaw. What we saw was grey colors and cold. When we got to the venue things got better. We had the best meal so far on the tour. The best baked potatoes, some vegan gyros and the vegan version of Bulgarian soup with sour milk and cucumbers. However the next hours we spent waiting and I mean we waited a lot. This was the first time I felt the clash of cultures. If in Bulgaria a show would start so late after its announced hour probably no one would stick around for long enough to actually witness the show. However the people stayed. Ceaseless Desolation had way too many issues and technical problems. But what I heard was a fierce mixture of crust and black metal. I guess in Poland and Czech Republic they'll never start playing anything else. And maybe it's a good thing. The tech issues kept happening during the Eaglehaslanded set. Maybe because that pissed them off they played like beasts. Our set was nothing special, just the same old songs. During the sets I felt the cultural clash again. People were mostly hanging around, not partying a lot, but after the show a lot of them came by the merch table and showed appreciation. After the gig we went to sleep in a recording studio, after a cold shower and quick chats with the awesome and hospitable people we went for a sleep. During the whole night there were those people playing in the studio and when we woke up at around 10 they were just leaving the rehearsal room. That's what I call dedication.

08/09/12 Krakow, Poland

The dudes at Krakow had the coolest decorations like ever and Furia we miss you :@

Due to too many shows happening in the region we had to switch the gigs in Warsaw and Krakow so basically we had to travel the same routes twice. So after another six hours we reached our next city. And if Warsaw felt cold as steel this one was totally different. I totally fell in love with Krakow. All amazing little squares, tiny streets and huge old buildings, totally different from what we previously saw in Poland. And the women. I totally reconsidered my dedication to blonde and red-haired women. And it was so nice to see women who are actually appreciating your attention even if it comes by a bunch of punks from Eastern fucking Europe. We went for a nice walk, then we easily found the venue. It was located in the Jewish Quarter and despite such great bands like Finisterre and Beyond Pink had played there, we were told it was about to be closed. I guess Expectations and Eaglehaslanded were the last bands to ever play that spot. And hell it was nice, small and comfortable. Not many people showed up that night however it was the same as in Warsaw. They were enough to sufficiently show us their appreciation by being super nice and buying music and merch from us. Tonight it was only two of our bands playing so it became quite a nice and intimate show which I guess was the main reason people appreciated it. We ended around 10 and an hour later we went to the place where were supposed to sleep. An awesome old appartment in the central part of Krakow, inhabitted by punks and decorated with super cool god free stuff. And most importantly the home of Furia, the coolest pitbul on Earth, who was something between a rad freerunner and a super sweet girl. Few hours of sleep, the usual cock talks and in the morning we're back in the van heading for Poznan. Unfortunately Furia didn't come with us.

10/09/09 Poznan, Poland

w/ Fight 'em All @ Rozbrat Squat

I guess it was okay to be everything in Rozbrat, everything cool and nice of course, such a rad place.

The show in Poznan was the first time we are playing in squat on this tour. All around Poland we met people telling us Rozbrat would be awesome so we were really anxious to get there as it was the oldest squat in the country with 18 years of history. After a walk in Poznan and few moments on their "beach" under a bridge somewhere in the city we went in the squat. It was a whole new world existing in another one. A closed community of punks, bikers, crust punks and all types of people. All of them were super friendly and for less than half a day spent there we were able to feel safe and to feel the atmosphere they were able to create in this place. It's such a pity Bulgaria doesn't have that culture, that willingness to build something more and subcultures existing only online and for a bunch of shows. Actually Rozbrat has some really rough times now and it's highly possible to get closed. So I won't be going further into details about unpacking, travelling you've already read that several times. But I will mention the food, which for a third day in Poland was awesome. Won't be making a chart in order not to offend anybody but those three days were totally my favorite days of the tour in terms of eating. Sandra was the coolest promoter ever, she took us on a walk, put a show for us in the awesome Rozbrat squat and cooked us great dinner with dessert and she even woke up at 5 next morning so she could bring us breakfast. The show was awesome, pretty packed and the people seemed really into it. We played every song we have and this is always a proof we're enjoying our time. And how could you not enjoy Rozbrat?After the show we went to Kebabistan for a quick falafel. Earlier in that day I didn't taste what the other guys said was the best falafel they've ever tasted. And I hope I got a treat by Dancho cus this felt as if I'm eating falafel for the very first time. One more thing Bulgaria has to learn a loooot about in the future. After a nice walk in Poznan at night we went back for a quick bath and went to bed because the road to Prague was expecting us.
Just a piece of advice, don't be ignorant like me. Read more about such active and awesome communities as the Rozbrat one, if your country and life allows it help them, start one, whatever. Just do something. That feeling you are a part of something different, of a collective looking out for something more... that's unique.

Whoever needs words

Seriously... whatever I've written here can describe this. Hopefully you can feel a bit of it, go look.