Up and at them early doors, let's say 11 o'clock. I suddenly realize how much shite I've brought with me on this tour, and also realize that the majority of it is spread over the floor. Some mug will have to pack that. I pack half-heartedly and soon give up in favour of breakfast, resolving that coffee can only help this process. A massive breakfast spread as always at Beatrix & Guido, everyone looking a bit skew-whiff the day but great nights come at a price. I end up stuffing my belongings as best I can and then it's goodbyes and offski for us, a couple of days to stick in the memory.
Next venue Rieste is a hop and a skip up the road from Rothenuffeln, after a quick 45 mins drive (we still manage to grab a magnum and snickers on the way though) we arrive at Markus & Doris' amazing house, looks like a massive bit of dark Toblerone, set in a beautiful garden surrounded by old stables, fields and woods...Germany is such a dump and I'm sick of slumming it. The weathers a bit Scottish the day and the event has been moved under a roofed terrace, Markus has done a brilliant job of setting up the space and the wee stage has got everything we need, including a bottle of schnapps with Shane's name on it, poor bugger I laugh. We're fed and watered and the room starts to fill up, I'm introduced to Markus' sister Maria who tells me how much she enjoys Shane's shows and that I'm not to ruin it for her.
I stride confidently onto the stage with Maria's advice ringing in my ears. The set goes grand, the folks here are all so into their music it's a breath of fresh air, they even sing along to the last couple of songs and it would appear I've passed the Maria Test. Shane up next and again he's knocking out the new tunes as if he's been playing them for years, crowd can't get enough. Ulf has set up a wee HD audio recorder and spends the evening singing deep into Mel's eyes the old romantic that he is. There's even time for some spontaneous encores with Markus on cajon, another red-headed and bearded Markus on baritone vocals and guitar and I even stick my neck in for a couple of tunes, they're up dancing until the end. As it was such an early kick off we're done and dusted by nine-thirty and we sit and chat as the audience breaks up and heads home, we crack out the guitars and get on a wee session, Ulf knocks out a couple of great wee covers as well and by 1am we're trying Our damnedest to do an acoustic version of the Beastie Boys ...we fail and once and for all realize that's it's high time to hit the hay...nackered but smiling.