After i parted ways with the Kutless boys, i found my self completely exhausted. The after-effects of the swine flu still lingering around, i finally had about 2 days to rest and heal. It was very much needed and the key to rest of the tour having gone as well as it did.
We arrived in Duissburg full of vigor. There was something different this time. The club that i'd been frequenting for the few years now had somehow changed. There was no longer the stench of harsh cigarette smoke, rather it had been replaced with smell of old home. The coffee and the beer alike could now resonate their tones without being muffled and muted by the constant battering of hazardous chemical vapor! Ah, having quit now for good, i realize the beauty of a smoke free room once more.
Soundcheck was nice. Quick and easy. The Steinbruch is known for having bands year round almost every night. They know what's up.
Years ago there was an all girl band that we toured with in Germany called " The Starlettes (http://www.starlettes.de) They all showed up this night to surprise me! It was a blessed RE-union of souls. There was lot's to talk about and learn from over the years that had passed us both by.
Now gazing at the stage we watched in wonder as this pleasantly awkward man from Iceland stood before us with a cream colored Ukulele and began to strum. His instincts of judging a crowd were impeccable. Within minutes were enamored with this jolly lad from the land of ice. His first song was to me the most beautiful. Based on the story of Clementine, he took of and led us down a path of sharp imagery that led to an opening like a crack on a damn with hundreds of thousands of liters of water on the other side just waiting to break through in sweet release. I'm telling you, this guy was good. A born storyteller. His name, Svavar Knutur - http://www.myspace.com/mrknutur.
Needless to say, i had my work cut out for me in the end. So i took the stage with some butterflies for the first in a long time. Soon, they wore off and we were all together in song. The set was great and everyone sang together and we enjoyed the evening as such.
Afterward, we made our way from the gig to where we would lay our heads in rest. At the end of a long narrow road full of sidewalk parked cars stood a large neon sign that reads... " Beers of the World. " Self explanatory, i guess. The catch about this place is that it has a multitude of unique and delicate brews, especially in such a small town in Germany. We spent the rest of the evening in the flamboyantly decorated room drinking and telling tales of joy and sorrow that spanned across many a full moon. By the end of the evening i had learned a thing or two about myself and about what it means to live full of life every single day. Thank you Svavar. God bless you in your journey.
