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FRIDAY, JULY 8TH:
Someone forgot
to tell our driver that we were leaving at 7:30 am instead of 8:30 am. We were
afraid we would be late since the drive up took us almost 5 hours instead of 3 ½
hours. I called and woke the driver up and he was at the hotel within 15
minutes. Gave the boys time to eat some breakfast before we left.
Check in at the airport was a nightmare because we couldn’t use the self-service
machines. But, we got checked in with time to spare and the flight departed on
time. Landed in Holland and my daughter was meeting me at the airport to help
me with this festival. But, our driver said that her flight was delayed. She
did land before us and we all connected for the 2 hour bus ride to the hotel in
Emmen – which turned out to be over 3 hours. Amazing how these Europeans
miscalculate travel times and distances, huh?
The hotel is near the largest Zoo in all of Europe and you should see mine and
Lindsey’s rooms. I have the “Elvis Jungle Room”. The bed is made of “logs”
and it has that mosquito netting all the way around it. The netting is hung
from the ceiling and I can’t get it open all the way. Not looking forward to
sleeping in an “enclosure”! The chairs are done in animal print and there is a
bathtub with claw feet. But, Lindsey’s room is even funnier. Her’s is done
in purples and other wild colors. She has “hippie beads” in the doorway to her
bathroom instead of a door. She has these disco like lamps all over the room.
We took lots of photos just of the room.
The hotel just had air conditioning installed but it isn’t working yet….typical!
We had a wonderful dinner in the hotel restaurant. I had a salad that had
dried apricots, dates, almonds and goat cheese in it that was the best salad I
think I’ve ever had.
AND THERE IS WIRELESS CONNECITON IN MY ROOM. I don’t care if I have a bed if I
can just get to my internet service. I had an email from the office saying
BR549’s flight has been canceled and now they won’t arrive until Sunday morning
– concert day. Scares me but nothing I can do about it.
Going to bed now!
Jude
SATURDAY, JULY 9TH;
Well, I didn’t
get to go to bed quite a soon as planned. BR549 called and their flight was
canceled due to bad weather. So, they are not arriving until Sunday morning,
which is SHOW DAY. Sure makes me nervous but nothing I can do about it now.
So, this room is definitely the “jungle” room, but the hotel in Norway was the
“jungle” hotel. There were stuffed animals everywhere – including a huge polar
bear and a mother duck with little baby ducks following behind her. Very
bizarre. All I could think of was “The Shining”!!!
Lindsey went to the airport at 6 am today and spent the day out there meeting
everyone. I took care of getting their rooms booked and keys ready. Everyone
arrived on time and some even arrived early.
I did make it to the gym. Almost never found it because it was in a part of the
hotel that is under construction. But the gym was AWESOME. All new,
state-of-the art equipment and I was the only one in there at the time. Of
course, I tried to do way too much to make up for all the days I’ve missed.
Went to sound check with Heather and Asleep at the Wheel. The venue is totally
awesome. First class production event company and first class sound system.
The dressing rooms are extremely nice and even the portable toilets are better
than anything I’ve ever seen. There are 900 people attending a “Line Dancing”
festival right behind our event. But, probably 800 of them will come to our
concert.. There are people here for our concert who are from the Soviet Union,
Latvia, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and several other countries. Very
impressive!
After sound check, we came back to the hotel and had a really nice dinner with
the Asleep at the Wheel guys. Food in the restaurant is unbelievable good.
After dinner, I had to distribute new itinerary pages since the show schedule
has changed for tomorrow. It’s supposed to be beautiful weather for our event.
More about that tomorrow!
Jude
SUNDAY, JULY 10TH:
Got up all
excited about working out in the great gym again. Stopped by the front desk at
7 am for a “pass” only to be told it doesn’t open until 9 AM. I hate the
“European” work hour! So, it was rubber bands in the room once again.
Went over to the festival with Dwight’s guys for sound check. The weather is
absolutely perfect today. Lindsey and I walked into the little town of Emmen
after sound check but nothing was open but a Gelato Shoppe – which was just fine
with us.
Concert started on time with Heather Myles opening up, then BR549, Asleep at the
Wheel and finally Dwight Yoakam. The place was packed – probably around 3,500
total and the entire day ran without one “hitch”. Dwight had a ball performing
again and played for more than 2 hours. The Production Company and the Sound
Company are absolutely first class and it has been a real pleasure working with
them. I was afraid they would not want to do the event again in 2006 because
they lost so much money on this year’s show. But, afterwards, they said that
they expected to lose money the first year and knew that they had to build their
reputation (sounds like my company) and they want to do it again next year!
Think the funniest moment of the day was when I rounded the corner backstage to
find a really drunk fan picking up the fence and letting him into the backstage
area. Then he proceed to unzip his pants and relieve himself right in front of
me. I went and got security and it took them quite a while to get him out of
the area because he was so drunk.
With these two festivals out of the way, I can “relax” because the other events
are all so easy. Tomorrow Lindsey and I are going into Amsterdam for a couple
of days. A friend of mine from Germany is driving over to meet us and Asleep at
the Wheel and BR549 will also be in Amsterdam. We’re all going to be tourists
for a couple of days.
Jude
MONDAY, JULY 11TH:
Today, we all
“depart” Emmen. BR549 and Heather are staying in Amsterdam for one night and
Asleep at the Wheel, me and Lindsey are staying for two nights.
We had a really “lame” bus driver. We had to drop 2 of Heather’s musicians off
at the airport and then drive into town to our two hotels. He wanted to drop us
off about 6 blocks from the hotel and have us walk to the hotel with all our
luggage, equipment, and a STAND UP BASS!. I had to call the promoter in Emmen
and have him get on the phone with the bus driver and make him drop us off in
front of the hotel. The driver was arguing with me that he couldn’t drive down
the street because it was one way. I tried to tell him to “go around the block”
but he was too lazy.
When we got to our hotel, one of Asleep at the Wheel’s musicians realized he had
left his suitcase on the bus. I tried to reach him before he left BR549’s
hotel, but missed him. Then one of BR549’s guys called and said they found the
suitcase and had it for us. Then, BR549 called back and one of their guys had
left his cowboy hat on the bus! Wasn’t able to retrieve it and it will have to
be shipped to Nashville.
My friend from Germany met Lindsey and I at our hotel and we went out for
lunch. We had this HUGE crepe with tomatoes, cheese, mushrooms and artichokes.
Like a pizza only better. It was wonderful. The people next to us had the
dessert crepe – a crepe with ice cream, strawberries, and sauce on it. We were
just too full or I’m sure we would have indulged, too!
Then we went to Madame Toussard’s Wax Museum. The figures weren’t very “good”.
There was one room that was the “scream” room where there were real actors –
like a haunted house. We skipped that part! Had a very late dinner at a
little restaurant near the hotel. Got back to the hotel and I stayed up most
of the night working. Gym doesn’t open until 9 am, so it’s rubber bands in the
room again tomorrow!
TUESDAY, JULY 12TH:
Up early to
meet with some of the Asleep at the Wheel guys for some sightseeing. We took
the trolley to the Van Gogh Museum. Then we took the “water bus” to the Anne
Frank House. The water bus is definitely the way to see Amsterdam. They have a
little commentary that points out the places of interest and the ride itself is
so relaxing. There was a pretty long line for the Anne Frank house but it was
definitely worth the wait. Such a sad, sad story. Really means so much more to
me now that I have witnessed the atrocities in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Korea.
We went to the main “square” and had lunch at another outdoor café. It’s a
pretty wild place. And, I learned that “coffee shops” are not for “coffee”.
That’s where you can buy pot and hash. Sure glad someone told me or I would
have been going in for a latte! Did a little shopping then went back to the
hotel for me to catch up on some emails.
My toe is definitely NOT healing. I’m walking on it too much. Walking around
at the festivals all day is not helping. Guess I’ll be wearing this walking
cast for more than 6 weeks if I don’t stop walking so much.
We weren’t going to eat any dinner but Lindsey and my friend from Germany both
had a craving for that “dessert crepe”. We found the little café again but
they were closed. By that time, we were determined to have one, so we went back
to the wild town square and found a restaurant that was open. It was DELICIOUS!
Not being able to exercise if really affecting my “energy level”. That and only
getting about 3 hours of sleep a night! But, I can do that when I exercise and
I’m fine. Working out with the bands is just not the same as a gym or jogging.
Jude
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