Editor's note: veteran readers of the blog might recall that nine years ago (!), we sponsored a tour by one of our favorite post-metal bands, Telepathy. We also ran a tour diary from that round of shows and it turned out to be one of my favorite things we've posted. So, when the band reached out to us again with yet another diary, this time for a tour we didn't sponsor, I was eager to jump on board and get it going!
I find pieces like this to be extremely interesting, as they demystify one of the great myths of music - the live touring experience. They show that it's not all glamor but not all nightmare like the recent few years in journalism have set it out to be but rather a complex and complicated event. It also just makes for good reading, as the emotional connection is almost "baked in" to the act of writing someone describe their own experiences.
I hope you enjoy and don't forget to listen to the magnificent Transmissions as you read.
Day One - Last production rehearsal
We entered into our last production rehearsals with a sense of excitement. We knew that Transmissions was a special and fresh album for us, but it seems that through the efforts of a fantastic label and PR team, word was catching on and people were enjoying our blend of electronic cinematics, heavy riffs and krautrock style exploration. This was a very humbling idea for us.
Given the labour of love that was the totally DIY recording sessions for the album, we have a bunch of new toys to get used to playing with. This necessitated a decent amount of rehearsals to get used to the arsenal of digital amp modelers, synthesisers, pedals and in-ear monitors we’re taking on to the road. On top of this and rather unsurprisingly given the almost absurd DIY ethic of the band (if you can’t afford it, you better learn to do it), Albert has programmed a MIDI-synced lighting package that we are carrying for this album's touring cycle.
That, it turns out, is a lot of cable-ing.
Piotr opts to contain the in-ear monitor set up, lighting programming and show running laptop in a handy box by Albert on stage. This is now a very important box ™. Most things work most of the time, so we go into tour feeling comfortable and tight as a band, but with a decent amount of nerves about new things, set-up and soundcheck times.
Day Two & Three
We pack the van in a timely manner, say our goodbyes to the extended Turek family and head to Dover. Starting the tour in Leipzig means a late departure and overnight stay in Munchengladbach in Germany. The hotel has no evening staff, but a few robot hoovers patrolling the corridors. We get to sleep at around 3am after some good laughs on the way.
We have an early van call to make the 3pm load-in in Leipzig. The venue is a new one to us, although Rich and merch wizard Yvonne have been there as punters before. Arriving in Leipzig, we’re greeted by Stefan the promoter who, it turns out, has been a part of the past few shows we’ve done in Leipzig, the last being pre-pandemic when we toured with Bongripper.
The stage is big tonight, the crew are top notch and after a long stage build, soundcheck is a breeze with the in-ears.
Starting the tour with a headline show works super well, giving us a chance to play all the material we’ll be playing across the tour. Connewitz in Leipzig is a punk and alternative haven, so even on a Tuesday there’s a good crowd who are super into it, the lights pulsate and strobe with every drum fill and we meet some people in shirts from our first mini album back in 2014.
After a good chill post-show talking with fans at the merch table and new pal Stefan, we head to tonight's accommodation in downtown Connewitz. Tomorrow is meet-the-label day and the Berlin show of the tour so we get a good night's kip as we plan to be in the capital at noon.
Day 4 - Berlin
We had our merch shipped to Leipzig before the tour, but after the first show we know we need more. Thankfully, we can pick this up in Berlin when we head to the Pelagic Records warehouse. We aimed for noon but arrive in Berlin at 1. Krystian is stoked to find a real German Netto supermarket. We stock the van and head to the warehouse.
Turns out that not only are Pelagic Records an incredible label but also the best people. Growing up with artist run labels like Hydrahead and Neurot, this is the dream and we’re welcomed by Robin, Ana, Laura and label dog Mobby. We get the full tour and nerd out about MIDI lights and vinyl while Yvonne restocks the merch. They have great coffee, which Piotr is very happy about, we take some photos and depart for the venue, having made new friends.
Tonight's show is a co-headline with Black Pyramid. Rich remembers them from the stonerrock.com days, so its a pretty surreal moment. We set the stage, meet the openers Valerian Swing (Editor's note: blog favorites, make sure to listen) who we’ll see later in the tour and see some old friends. The best and worst thing about touring is seeing your pals from over the years and knowing it’ll be a while before you’re back. The venue is pretty full by the time we take the stage and we have a ton of fun. The show is starting to get tighter and by the end of set, the crowd are super into it and the reception is very loud. Thanks a bunch Berlin.
We watch a bit of Black Pyramid, who are the real deal, and hang with the Pelagic team in a smoky jazz room 'til the early hours. A great show, great company and very Berlin. What could be better?
Day 5 - A Colossal Weekend, Copenhagen
After some rather hilarious hostel problems in Berlin, we get breakfast and head off to Copenhagen. We take the ferry to Denmark at 1 and arrive in Copenhagen in time for load in at 4. Our friends in Oranssi Pazuzu are headlining while we play late in the Basement so we say hellos and set up merch in the cafe while accidentally getting stuck in the middle of a Danish language podcast (just one of this tour's Spinal Tap moments).
This is the best sounding “basement” we’ve ever played, with a mezzanine halfway back in the room. The front of house crew are great and we have enough time to set up the full floor package of lights for the show, not always the case with quick festival changeovers. Pete’s amp begins smoking in soundcheck, the lovely (and seriously good atmospheric screamo/punk band) Machuka lend us an amp as a backup so all turns out to be well.
The show is incredible. Sadly the room is at capacity, so a bunch of people can’t get in, but this is a great problem to have and the crowd are in full swing already during the first song. "Oath" is going down as a great opener, and by the time "End Transmission" and the new version of "Hiraeth" close the show both band and crowd are moving in sync. The lights look great in this room, so all those hours Albert spent MIDI programming are paying off handsomely. Loudest crowd of the tour so far, and we see heads nodding and arms swaying on the balcony as we play. We are playing a bunch of the new album and only one old song on this tour but the people are stoked and we’re excited as hell to be back on the mainland with a new album.
After checking out Chat Pile and Oranssi, we get food and head back to the hotel. We’re blown away by some of the comments after the show, and it affirms what we thought was a killer night in Copenhagen.
Day 6 - off day in Copenhagen
We rent an AirBnB for our off day and make plans to see friends and take a bike tour before meeting back at ACW to see our booker and watch Kylesa kill it in the main room.
Copenhagen seems to be the Amsterdam of Scandinavia. Bikes EVERYWHERE. Everyone opts to rent bikes and meet for burgers later in the afternoon. We’ve been blessed by the weather on this tour and today is no different.
After burgers we head back to the festival and meet Bristol super promoter and “most enthusiastic Telepathy fan in the UK” Miles. He first saw us at Roadburn in 2017 and we check out Kylesa together. If you told us when we started this band that one day we’d be sharing festival bills with some of our heroes we’d, have been blown away, but here we are.
We hatch plans with our booker Jens, check some Elder on the main stage and head back to the apartment via e-bike.
Day 7 - Bremen
Today we play Bremen underground institution Zollkantine with Valerian Swing. It’s a quiet show tonight but Valerian Swing play a killer show with projections and synths galore, the catering is beautiful (seriously good tour soup) and we see another old friend, Nils, who’s been instrumental (excuse the pun) in booking the band over the years in central Germany.
Bremen's accommodation is a hostel in a community center and there’s a 60th birthday party down the hall. By the look and sound of things, they party harder than both bands. We have a great laugh with Valerian Swing, swapping funny touring stories from the early days of both bands and sleep to the comforting sounds of cheesy euro disco.
Day 8 - Siegen
Tonight we get to play one of our favourite German clubs, the Vortex Surfer in Siegen. We arrive at venue and are greeted like old friends. The owner, Phil, is one of the biggest supporters of the band in Germany, and from the moment we arrive we know this will be one for the books.
Vortex is one of the best equipped small clubs in Europe so soundcheck is smooth, the sound is huge and the production looks great. We chill, eating the venues famous vegan curry, check out the great local support Sarkh and hit the stage. The crowd tonight are fantastic and its a full headline show for the second time on this run. The response is incredible tonight, and we have to let the crowd know we have no more songs left at the end of the show. We rarely talk to the crowd during our shows but tonight the crowd are so into it that we have to.
This has been one of those rare perfect nights on tour, we hang at merch after the show and then with the crew 'til the early hours. We go to bed at the venue's accommodation, inspired and humbled by the show and the kindness we’re shown whenever we hit this spot on tour.
Not every tour ends on a great show but this one does, and after only five shows we’re in great shape and looking forward to bringing the show everywhere we can. We hang again in the morning before leaving for the UK and the rest of the year's plans.