Damo

Damo Suzuki with Badun
http://www.tapeaarhus.dk

Oliver had been a sound carrier for few times, he occasionally contacts me and inform me what is his new stand.
Travel to Århus from Cologne is quite far, it’s not make sense fly to Copenhagen and get there by ferry or something else. (Denmark has around 400 small islands except Greenland and Faroe Islands.)
We had to make it whole way by car. It’s both way 1,800km, it’s almost same amount driving distance like last UK tour just a week before.
So, that’s mean poor Elke has to drive same amount with her new car that can carry more luggage than any of this type car. She wanted to have this sort of car as we travelling a lot. In case we find interesting things buy it on the road, it’s easy to transfer.

Travel with car is for me the best way. We don’t have to focus to timetable of plane or train. We can control our own time. Also driving is quite natural way like ride on bicycle or use own foots, you won’t travel to another time zone with fast speed. I don’t think it’s healthy to pass many time zones in short, it’s against human time circle or life rhythms however you call it.
One-way to Århus is 900 km, it’s better to break somewhere before/after Germany/Denmark boarder. We decide to stay one night in Flensburg, border to Denmark and northernmost city in Germany. I’d been here for many years ago with my old band, beginning of 70’s, before this on my busking days at end 60’s.

Flensburg is very famous in Germany, everybody knows for Federal Motor Vehicle Office. If you involved in traffic accident by your mistake, people say “loose point in Flensburg” It’s officially penalty giving place.
As Flensburg is near sea, there must be good fish restaurant, unfortunately we are late for good kitchen as we just decided randomly to stay over night here. We found spontaneously a hotel at middle of the city, even at this time busy on the street. It’s Friday evening. There Are some fish restaurants, but it won’t attract us, we went to Spanish restaurant against our philosophy (eat at local food restaurant) But, It wasn’t a bad choice I should say…very comfortable and southern Europe typical friendly hospitality. Spanish restaurant, without doubt you can try almost everywhere. They have generally good quality and they know cooking. Beside Japanese food I like Spanish most, because it’s delicious plus they have reasonable price, you get what equal to your budget.
Next morning: I didn’t expect control at the border, but surprisingly there was. We had no problem just without control through border. Some cars not, had stop for control.
On the way, I found many spaces if Denmark is huge country. Farmer after farmer, green after green.
Also motorway you feel much comfortable, no aggressive driving style like in Germany.
Already 3rd time to perform in Århus, meet up with Oliver at the hotel, middle of the city.

Sound check is delayed, so we went to explore city life, find place to sit outside at old part of the city, ordered late lunch/early dinner however. Price in Denmark is incredible, even small city like here, you never miss advertising brunch for 350ddk, 380ddk, seems to be it’s cheap for Danish people…listen!… 350ddk is about 47 euro. As I’m interesting about food everywhere, this is like 50% more than in Germany. But, quality generally is not bad. But, if you think this price it must be so.
The performance tonight is a trio: Oliver, Jonas and I.
With Jonas I performed also few times, also here and in Copenhagen.
I guess Oliver made recording tonight, so I may hear it later.
Play trio is so different, every sound carriers has huge space, enough creative possibility.

We had extra stay as Oliver offer to stay for few days.
But, we stayed one extra day, cooking for Oliver’s family and some friends.
Way back home, again randomly choice an accommodation.
This time we stayed in Lübeck, one of Hansa cities and Holstentor is symbolising German proud on 50 mark cash money until January 1 2002 beginning of Euro.

Again we didn’t find any interesting fish restaurant. North Germany is connected to East Sea and North Sea, Lübeck is the port of East Sea, there must be a good fish restaurant, found many restaurants that menu says housewives made cream herring with fried potatoes, it’s sound nothing….I can eat it at home, not anything special, have to go to restaurant even its origin and I like it.
We had good accommodation just beside Holstentor, comfortably short touristic action.

Damo Suzuki with The Dave Perry Trio and Very Special guest: Angelo Bruschini (guitar)
https://www.exchangebristol.com

Arrived early as expected, we had a bit time for expedition.　

That’s good as mainly I travel between venue and hotel, no touristy program at all now a day. I’m not a fan of tourism, I just like to experience local THING. We ‘re looking for place to eat for late lunch.

We found St.Nicholas Market as not so far from our hotel, (where for wrong parking we had to pay unnecessary money next day.) The Market is just place I like to be. Many foods and drinks in and beside street of the church. There’s a shop serving fresh pressed juice. In travelling we were taking less vitamin, so we bought fresh pressed pineapple parsley mix as I remember when I was in Mexico I had this often. Fresh fruit juice gives me fresh and a wake, also clean, and positive energy is filling up my body everywhere. We found many interesting place for eat. Colourful variation of foods. Offer is too many, so very difficult to decide to select where we go for late lunch. Most places were busy at this time, also too many people. We want have a comfortable and relax place. Keep walk down to riverside.

Then we found a chain fish restaurant near by. We and few couples were there, we ordered and taste wine and seafood dish and off course oyster……the world stop to keeping around, very silence, soft BG music, we stayed longer that we expected. So we had to be in the venue for sound check….but, it was really good start

Damo Suzuki with George Clift, Members of Cosmic Thoughts and Brassica

Drive to seaside, I feel better than to drive to inland. This part of UK I come very seldom… Just short drive east from London. Easy drive. A touristy port town, once ferry route to/from Belgium, France, Netherland also with Hovercraft. Due to traffic connection through Channel tunnel, not much sea traffic like heyday. They lost work, financial source from transfer business.

This is very beautiful summer day, blue sky, here and there clouds, water surface is shining, just imagine a postcard of any port in the world. It’s just perfect day. The Hotel didn’t have elevator, just narrow pass ways, receptionist carried our suitcase to 3rd floor which was a bit complicated to find like mouse nest. Sure, we went at lunchtime, to try seafood, what else? Therefore we choice to come here early, just found parking place in front of the venue.

At front of harbour we found fish restaurant with reasonable price, but unfortunately fried fish platter, that was quite oily but, enough amounts on dish, couldn’t finish all served. Anyway since I released from hospital, my stomach is clearly smaller, also through medication, my tongue sometimes don’t feel taste or sweet thing sometimes bitter taste. Therefore cooking by myself is a bit adventure at now and I don’t do crazy like before. May be I get more motivation near future, I hope.

Remarkable : Many of audience came to this concert not for the first time. I spoke after the show, I met you there and so and so, they saw me already every part of UK. Some told me of 1973 performance. It’s so strange to come this small town and many people already have seen me?…..it’s funny.

The venue arranged for us to have Indian food (I heard, to be one of the best in UK) unfortunately, we’re too late for appointment, we got form of bento box after the show. There are huge amount of Indian Restaurant all over UK, I should say, this belongs to one of high category even it was cold. Yammy! 

Damo Suzuki with Nervous Conditions : Connor Browne (Guitar), Lewis Evans (Saxophone), Tyler Hyde (Bass), May Kershaw (Synth), Jonny Pyke (Drums), Charlie Wayne (Drums) and Isaac Wood (Guitar)
http://www.mothclub.co.uk

Around 6 hours driving from St.Austell to London. We started early in the day to avoid traffic Jam on the way. Now, Elke is proud to be the (foreigner) driver who across middle of metropolis London…Oxford Street.

Found parking place for a car just front of the venue, priority of an office. Friday afternoon, so small parking place was empty. Good luck in London parking situation. Moth Club and The Shacklewell Arms booking same guy named Keith, he knows how my project goes well, he arranged my performance many times, he arranged young hopeful band Nervous Conditions from Cambridge.

All members are around 21, young and smart guys and girls. Good mood already before Network performance starts. 1st set Nervous Conditions performed, they’re asking me if I come on stage while they’re playing. I preferred to make 2 different stages. They’re talented band and this is opportunity of my job (?), experience young talented band live performance. At home I don’t listen to any music, occasionally classical music randomly while I’m writing, thinking or whatever. I like to hear live, this atmosphere, you cannot record with any machine

…until now.

Damo Suzuki with Mildred Maude : Matt Ashdown (Guitar), Louie Newlands (Drums) and Lee Wade (Bass) and the Orchestra of Public Noise :(part of the co:noise participatory project to join Mildred Maude half way through the concert
https://www.facebook.com/coNOISE/ ).

It will include ‘noise stations’ for the audience to use with help from 2 musicians: Martin Pease (guitar sounds and general use of ‘noise stations’, guidance for the public), Seamus Constance (general use of ‘noise stations’, guidance for the public) and Audience members (general use of ‘noise stations’) The noise stations are likely to be: a) Typewriter + reverb b) Springs attached to a wooden box to create vibrations when hit + reverb/delay c) Guitar drones all tuned to two notes + reverb/delay and a swell pedal d) Handmade single string low bass drone + violin bow and effects e) Glockenspiel limited to 2 or 3 notes + freeze pedal for gentle sustaining of notes

Local guitarist Matt contacted me for this concert at Southwest of England. From my taste one of nicest region in England. There Are many fish restaurants for tourists, price is off course tourist price as usual at this kind of place and quality of food wasn’t witnessed from the costs. Maybe chef is in Love. I’m quite same to Japanese opinion about Fish cooking. It’s mainly from my DNA. Fish is best to eat raw or grill, if caught same day, fresh fish. If it’s not raw enough (2nd day) then for example, cook with soya sauce, mirin, rice wine, a bit sugar with slices of ginger, add water…make broth, fish swim in it. When this fish is not fresh enough for raw/grill or cooking (3rd day), then fry in oil.

What I had on dish is a fried one as there wasn’t any other choice at this fish restaurant (they serves also meat) I’m not fond of fried thing if they taste too much of flours not from material and so oily. I only accept if this is good tempura value. I have to tell, good Tempura is another category at specialist, and they fry with different oil temperature and change oil often to fresh ones. So, it wasn’t amazed, but I was expecting like this at touristy spot anywhere in the world.

Some sound carrier told me, this area is quite far from everywhere, and so concert is not so often happen here. Bands/artists from other part of UK don’t come this part for performing, 1) distance 2) less population here, to get reasonable amount of audience and 3) more importantly financial matter. So, people were happy to visit this show, 2nd stage : musicians from audience spring on the stage and performed together. Some asked me after the show if I make always like this? …….Noop.