My favourite cities for travel and music? Well, that’s a hard one to answer as most of the cities I have crossed paths with have all had something unique and interesting to offer. Each has given me a different musical experience and thinking back on the subject now as I type… I swear I can remember almost all of the thousands of shows I have played around the world…ok maybe not every one, but close to.
A few spring to mind as having made slightly more a memory than others, the first being Amsterdam. Now, I know a lot of you think about a weed that grows in the ground and is illegal in most places when I mention Amsterdam, but the city to me is much more about its bicycle aesthetic and canal living…coupled with a few really great music venues. The Paradiso is its crowning glory, a gorgeous old building that bands clamour to play at. The venue I have played at is called The Melkweg and is just as good. Due to its proximity to London and Europe, musicians and people from all over the Northern Hemisphere pass through Amsterdam, including incredible street performers/buskers. So it’s a top city for music and travel.
Tokyo is another, surprisingly, great city to catch music. In general, the Japanese do things to extremes to my way of thinking. It’s busy, super busy, the food is exquisite, and the culture and Japanese bands are extreme in whatever format they choose to be. I find that fascinating and alluring.
I can’t remember where we played in Tokyo (aside from the Fuji Rock Festival outside of Tokyo), but I remember our trip to Japan being very much looked forward to.
Hamburg was always a fun city to visit and play in our regular haunt there, Club Logo. A small sweaty venue with a bandroom the size of a fridge, it still managed to elicit a smile from me when I saw it on the touring itinerary. It’s a cool city also, for looking around and exploring its history.
Other great cities to travel on a musical journey? London, Los Angeles, New York, Madrid…. Man the list is looooong. I guess that’s it until the next blog.
Darren x
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