No Omega & Grieved: Stockholm Blues Tour Diary 2012

This was all written after the tour, so I have probably forgotten a lot of things or simply left them out because I did not have time to fit everything in. If you are not mentioned, you have not been forgotten. Maybe you were nice to us, or maybe you were a complete weirdo. One of the two.

6 July, Kafe 44, Stockholm

The first day of the tour started in the hometown we share with Grieved. I was part of the group putting on a two-day minifestival at our favourite venue, Kafe 44. Our driver and pro skater Eddie met some of the band members for the first time that day, and everyone seemed a little nervous. This was the first major tour we had done with people who were already good friends of ours. Camp No Omega was stoked to get on the road with a new band again, though, and Grieved were a band we all liked to some degree.

Quite a lot of people came out. The first three bands, As We Were, Miramis, and Håll käften, vad vill du?, played to an appreciative but still-standing audience. When Grieved took the stage, everyone warmed up, and the room was boiling by the end. Our show was probably the best we had played up to that point, with the crowd going off like we’d never seen before. It’s nice to see that your friends listen to your records.

After the show, everyone went back to their own homes, except Andreas, who came home with me. Bålsta is a long way by train.

7 July, Pizzeria Rex, Malmö

We met at Mariatorget and made our first attempt at packing the van. We’d all packed as few belongings as possible, put our guitars in soft cases, and even put the floor tom inside the bass drum to save space. We still had things between our legs for a couple of weeks, haha.

We stopped in Jönköping on the way to Malmö so Eddie could skate for a while at the local but awesome skate park. When we got to the venue, we all stopped at the counter to order vegan pizzas before loading in. We love pizza.

Our dear friends in Trophies opened the show and played the best set I had seen them do up to that point. It was great to see those guys because they’re some of the best people I know. Our set was good, and some people in crust punk Malmö seemed to enjoy us as well! After the show, we had almost-free falafel outside the apartment of Niklas from Trophies before going up to hang out. Oscar and I spent our first night in the van, something I got quite used to after a while.

8 July, K19, Berlin

We got up early and drove to Berlin, arriving in good time to have pizza near the venue. I had broccoli on mine, a new topping that I hope to enjoy again.

This show was just No Omega, without Grieved, but we played with three awesome French bands: Birds in Row, Aussitôt Mort, and Nine Eleven. The venue was pretty small, and when Birds in Row played, it was hard to squeeze in. Our set went fine, even though you could tell most people were there for the other bands. A middle-aged man got up next to me for the last couple of songs but quickly removed himself again.

We slept at the place of Oscar’s girlfriend, Lisa, who lives in Berlin. Her place was nice, and I once again slept in the van, this time with Felix.

9 July, Off Club, Trzebiel

We got up in good time to do some sightseeing. We visited a piece of the Berlin Wall I hadn’t seen before and checked out some interesting architecture. We had lunch at Vegó, where I first had a burger with fries and then another burger. Felix did the same. The guy taking our orders was grumpy. After the burgers, we found a place selling vegan ice cream, and I had a milkshake. Felix and I were in pain until we got back to the apartment to use the toilet.

The drive to HALLÅ in Poland was short, and we got there quite early. It was a really small town, and we played some sort of youth centre/house/I don’t know. There was a stage. We got pink rice with cucumbers for dinner, served in a room where countless ’80s pornos must have been shot. “Only four at a time can come in.”

A lot of bands were playing, so we hung out in the van most of the night, eating crisps and laughing at the weird things we’d experienced during Grieved’s first visit to Poland. Our show was extremely sweaty, and we closed with the Rise and Fall song Oscar didn’t remember how to play. I accidentally kicked Andreas in the balls while stage-diving, which ended with us switching instruments. We decided to drive straight to the Czech Republic, some of us fearing a midnight stabbing if we stayed.

10 July, Plan B Hardcore Café, Ostrava

We slept in a park when we got there and woke up sweating in the sun. After hanging out at a café, four of us went to a water park while the rest hung out in another park. The venue was a rock club, and they served us freshly cooked seitan burgers. Then I fell asleep in the van.

I woke up halfway through the opening band’s set. They sounded kind of like The Chariot. Got in, set up, started the set. My first scream was this really high-pitched, fucked-up shit, and after a look at Hooper, who was standing next to the stage, I knew it sounded as funny as I thought. Decent but sleepy show. Slept on the floor at one of the promoters’ places. The promoter kept taking photographs the whole night. Nice people!

11 July, Trafik Club, Budapest

It was a super-hot day in Budapest. Driving there was a constant struggle not to stop for a swim. The venue was in a semi-old part of the city, next to what felt like a hundred tourist restaurants. The club was downstairs and had a big devil or something hanging from the back of the stage, with a toilet seat on it.

We opened for Cephalic Carnage and got some good food. The soda ran out fast, though, and we straight edgers had to watch the drunkies go for more and more beer and booze. A couple of people came out for us Swedes, but most of the audience was there for the old metal men headlining.

After the show, Hooper and I went for a look down the street. When we got back, Cephalic had already started offering weed and drinks to everyone. We slept at the place of a nice guy from the show. Eddie tied Andreas’ socks together, making him laugh so much he almost didn’t go out for a bar round with the rest of the drinkers. I slept well on my mattress. No hot water.

12 July, a beach, Novi Sad

The next day was even hotter. You could tell we were travelling south. There was a weird guy at border control, but we got through. We were playing on the beach, and after meeting up with Bojan and Sonja, we went over to set up the “stage”: a few pieces of scrap wood to hold the drums and amps. Good hangouts, though. A few of us swam in the river and threw a frisbee. They cooked over an open fire and served us a really good stew.

When darkness came, people started showing up, and both Grieved and we played to a good crowd. Headlining was local joke-metalcore act Conviction (yes, the name Grieved had when they played NY hardcore two years ago…). They played an Earth Crisis cover and wore mock French outfits, so of course we circle pitted around the band. Eddie was naked.

We slept at Bojan’s place. He’d made pizza and cake for us.

13 July, Grindhouse, Sofia

Another hot day. After a breakfast of watermelon, we drove to Sofia, where we were playing at a skate park. It was more of a bar with one ramp, but still. Cool place. Decent food.

A local fast old-school hardcore band opened and got some circle pits going. Then My Turn from Greece played a fairly long set of Gorilla Biscuits-esque songs. Cool people! We played next and had fun, while Eddie skated on the ramp between some songs. The PA broke towards the end of our set and was completely out for Grieved. After a lot of hassle, Marcus sang through a guitar amp, and they were able to finish the show.

People were documenting a lot, and even this far from home, I could see Pulling Teeth and Anchor shirts. I slept in the van because our host had a bunch of cats, and three people on the tour had allergies. Good dude who was really into dumpster diving.

14 July, Rockmaraton Festival, Pécz

We went back to Hungary to play a big rock festival. We got there really late because it was more or less impossible to find, and the first border crossing we came to was “closed.” We played in a tent and got quite good food. Carnifex played, and we saw some of their set. We hung out with a British metalcore band for a while, then drove off to sleep.

15 July, Venster 99, Vienna

We came to Vienna for the first of two shows with local band Gray Years. Eddie took William and Victor skating the first chance he got, while Oscar, Andreas, and I went to see the city. The rest found a place with Wi-Fi, as usual. We saw a bunch of cool architecture, went into the old university, and got lost for an hour or so before finally making it back to the venue.

The stage was small, but not in a good way. After some chili, we set up and played to a sleepy audience. One or two people sang along. After the show, the venue owner and promoter started smoking a bunch of weed, and as thanks for playing, we received a really tall joint. Thank you.

I slept in the van again because there was another cat at the place where we were staying.

16 July, Mark.frezeit.kultur, Salzburg

Our first show at one of the very cool juhauses around Germany and Austria. Some of us stayed there to relax, and the rest went to see the town. We got good food, a good amount of soda, and decent sound!

Of course, my bass cab blew during Gray Years’ opening set, and I had to play through the PA. Hate that. Oh well. All of Gray Years played foosball during Grieved’s set, three of them wearing Grieved shirts. A good night’s sleep after losing my mind in a twin bed.

17 July, Klub Rachota, Blansko

Back in the Czech Republic, this time in the tiny town of Blansko. Smoke-filled bar with only two microphones. The opening bands included one group wearing cardboard uniforms and the same band who opened in Ostrava. I ate a lot but was really bummed out during our show for some reason. Most of us spent the night in the van listening to rap metal to avoid the smoke.

18 July, Sub, Graz

This was No Omega’s fourth (?) time at Sub. Cool venue, where rooftop barbecues are a regular feature of summer hardcore shows. We played the same week as most other touring bands had played Graz, and the night before, Alpinist and Masakari had packed the venue.

We strolled around town for a while, and Eddie, William, and I went up to the top of the city mountain. There was a garden up there and the most amazing view ever. The show was cool. My Turn opened again, and we played a good set. I talked on the phone with my girlfriend for the duration of Grieved’s set. Nine Eleven and Aussitôt Mort played after us, and it was cool to see those bands again.

We slept in the punk mansion we’d stayed in with Full of Hell. Eddie was amazed by the catacombs under the building.

19 July, Atari, Leipzig

This day had one big goal: get a new part for the bass cab at the Thomann HQ. Thomann has this huge warehouse/store/office in the middle of nowhere, and we got to go there. After being amazed by the sheer size of the place, we eventually had the cabinet fixed and arrived in Leipzig an hour or so late.

Our promoter friend had cooked a big vegan feast for us, and we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. Two local bands opened, and the basement was packed. Our show was fine, even though the ceiling was an inch over my head. Afterwards, we hung out with a drunken metalhead I had to argue with over the name of Nick Cave’s band. He was funny. Went to climb a big monument before bed.

20–22 July, Fluff Fest, Rokycany

I cannot begin to describe how amazing Fluff was for us. Seeing a bunch of old friends and half the hardcore bands I listen to, then getting to play the best show of our lives. I’ll leave it at that because I’d fill page upon page if I started. But to the people who made our show what it was: thank you.

P.S. Weekend Nachos, Wolf Down, Suis La Lune, Vaccine, and Coke Bust were my highlights. And the food. Goddamn.

23 July, Café Na Půl Cesty, Praha

It was an after-Fluff show with Self Defense Family, Tangled Lines, Sailing On, and The River Card. A solid lineup with very mixed sounds, which suited my taste. On the way from the festival, Eddie got caught by the loss prevention man at a local supermarket. That made us and our hitchhiker of the day, Pennie from Goodtime Boys, a bit nervous. But Eddie came back laughing, and we made it to the show in good time.

By now, I had started developing a cold that would last for most of the tour. We’d slept in tents during the coldest night I’ve ever suffered through. We got vegan kebab at the venue and hung out with friends in the sun. The venue was in a park, and throughout the show, half the people who turned up didn’t see a single band. I can honestly understand that.

Our show felt fine, but it was kind of a letdown being the first one after Fluff, which was extremely hard to compete with. We slept at the parents’ house of a girl called Gabriela. She left us there while she went to let other bands into her apartment. I slept in a kid’s bed with a SpongeBob blanket.

24 July, Juha West, Stuttgart

We got there without enough time to check out the city, so we invaded the catering room until our friends in Suis La Lune arrived. After a small fit over lost stands, we soundchecked without Victor before having dinner.

Our show was decent, but you could tell most people had come out for Landscapes, who had some proper crowd participation. No Omega as a group enjoyed the Suis La Lune set like hell. I’ve never smiled more than when I realised their guitarist Karl and drummer Daniel were changing positions for the whole show. That is talent, I tell you.

25 July, Sedel, Lucerne

It was our first show in Switzerland, after an amazing falafel. We were a bit worried about the border but got through nicely. We played outside Lucerne in what was almost a hillside castle: a big punk palace filled with rehearsal spaces and a really cool club.

I spent three hours sleeping while the others either tried to get Wi-Fi or did some touristing. After a big barbecue feast, including huge seitan steaks, we hung out for a while before Grieved played. Our show was slow, and my head hurt too much to headbang. Vestiges played a great but tired show after being out for six weeks and still managed to be nice people. The room where we slept was full of mosquitoes, but I had a bunk bed, so I was happy.

26 July, Katakombe, Aschaffenburg

Extremely hot day, and I was starving when we arrived in Aschaffenburg. We met up with our German friend Mascha, who came along to hang out for a few dates. The venue was a proper youth centre, and some of us played video games until we gave up and started waiting for dinner.

Opening band Hieroglyphs played their first or second show and actually impressed me. Too many bands play “dark” hardcore, but these local dudes pulled it off. Our set was the worst of the whole tour. Half the audience left after a song or two, and half of those who stayed talked over all our between-song samples, excerpts from readings of the book Ishmael.

I sat outside while Grieved played. According to Eddie, they did one of their best shows up to that point. I slept in the van after a late-night swimming trip that took us further from the venue than expected, and far, far away from the point when I’d been warm and wanted to cool off.

27 July, Gotec, Karlsruhe

We arrived early in Karlsruhe, where we were playing with Verse, Pianos Become the Teeth, Ritual, and Soul Control. We expected it to be huge, and the stage was out in the sweltering sun. A weird metalcore band opened to ten people or so, and the vegan catering was delayed.

We played third, and it was actually one of my favourite shows of the whole tour. A few people knew the words, and there was even some moshing. We basically melted off the stage, even after I had the stage tech turn off the spotlights…

Pianos impressed me after the shows I’d seen them play before had been kind of a letdown. Almost nobody seemed to care about Soul Control, as usual, and Ritual didn’t play too many of my favourites. Verse had technical difficulties during their first song, and Sean, the vocalist, said he had a sore throat. He went for the talk-yell style of hardcore vocals, which didn’t meet my expectations at all.

Since the sleeping place provided for this high-end show was the floor of the upstairs bar, we drove to Mascha’s place instead.

28 July, G18, Bremen

We arrived in Bremen quite early and went upstairs to the house of the amazing promoter collective, with the venue in the basement. Watermelon and dinner, followed by a short sightseeing trip into the city for me and Oscar. Cool place, in my opinion.

Back at the venue, people started showing up. The opening act played to a lot of people, and the room got really hot during Grieved’s set. I started sweating just putting up my stuff and could barely move during our show because of the heat. Packed room, though! I had a nice night’s sleep while the others stayed up playing bar or using the Wi-Fi.

29 July, Raum 2 e.V., Dannenberg

We drove out into the countryside the next day and came to an old factory that punks now called home. We set up early, and Andreas, Hooper, and I jammed for a bit. There wasn’t much to do but throw a frisbee, wait for dinner, and visit a grave for Russian workers who’d died at the factory during the Second World War.

The show was quite slow, but we had some fun, mostly through inside jokes and everyone joining Grieved on stage for their encore, playing “Cold Hearts.” I slept well in an old bed. The people who smoked weed went out to the grave in pitch dark. I’m glad I didn’t…

30 July, Rote Flora, Hamburg

We arrived early in Hamburg and went for lunch at a local vegetarian restaurant. After first getting a cow’s milk pizza, I got one with brown sauce on it. They were pissed that we wanted what we’d ordered. Too bad I can’t remember the name of the place. Don’t go there.

We spent most of the day hanging out by the venue after the obligatory vegan ice cream, Nutella and Snickers style, of course. The squat where we played had a DIY skate park on the lawn, and I’ve had worse days than watching Eddie get more and more comfortable doing crazy stuff there. Most of the drugs in Hamburg seemed to be sold right next to us in broad daylight.

The show was packed. After vegan döner kebab for dinner, we set up. In the Hearts of Emperors from Sweden played as well, and I’d never seen them before. We played second, and apart from our Fluff set, this was my favourite of the tour by far. The Emperors were really good too, and it was nice to meet Swedish-speaking people you didn’t already know.

The place where we slept was an attic full of mattresses, walls you could climb, and a boxing bag that we put over William. He couldn’t get it off. We did gymnastics and wrestled for an hour or so. I slept goooood after that.

31 July, Block 19 “auf der Freiheit,” Schleswig

Slept in late, then had a short drive to Schleswig. We were really lucky with drives on this tour, haha. We played a practice room turned into a nice small venue. Floor show. Next door was apparently the rehearsal room of a fairly big German alternative rock band who were writing a new record. Oscar and I liked it a lot.

After a small barbecue, we watched parts of the local bands’ sets: one post-rock-ish band and one Idon’tknowbutresemblingWeezerorMuseorsomething. Our show was decent, and we were running out of records by then. You could really feel we were on our way home.

1 August, Sssweet, Kolden

We were early and hung around the small town of Kolden, eating falafel and not doing much else. When we got to the venue, an abandoned warehouse the state had given them to use for culture, we called Nicholai, who was putting on the show. He arrived by bike, sporting a beard.

We set up in a newly painted small room with a stage in the corner. We hung out playing pool and eating more döner kebab, cooked by Nicholai and his girlfriend. The show itself was cool. Not too many kids turned up, but they went crazy for our set. I slept in the van, but apparently our host Halfdan announced “whoresmas” up in his apartment. He gave Marcus a bunch of stuff.

2 August, Kraftwerket, Copenhagen

We arrived early in Copenhagen and started off with weird burgers. The venue was decent, with a really low stage. We met Filip, the promoter, aka Vodka Prince. Good dinner, followed by a visit to a nearby playground.

The opening act was a young instrumental tech-metal band who drew no one. About ten people turned up, outdoing our last show in Copenhagen, where I broke the head off my bass and the whole audience smoked in the corridor outside the show room. We drove straight from the show to Malmö and slept in an indoor skate park.

3 August, Kafe Oden, Karlskrona

The weather was decent, and we arrived early enough to swim in the sea on the outskirts of the city. Then we went to the venue, where we met our friends in Trophies again. It was a cool place, and since this was my first visit to Karlskrona, I was happily surprised by the turnout. It was our last show, and it felt okay but strange. Slept when I got the chance.

4 August, Motala Hardcore Fest, Motala

We got up early to reach Motala because Grieved were on as the second band. When we got there, everything was still kind of unfinished. We met some friends, then No Omega went into the city for food. One falafel and one Trocadero later, we came back just in time for Grieved’s set. The audience was still slow.

After that, we had to pack up and go home, missing some cool bands. The rest of the band didn’t feel like paying to stay. After a couple of hours of driving, we all split up and headed home.

Thanks, Europe. See you soon.

Daniel, Andreas, Oscar, and Victor

Written by Daniel