Back in Altona City. It was around 3p.m. when Kat and Laura joined us at the vegetarian Indian place. By at time: everyone had tasted the infamous Becks beer with lemonade flavour which was good and refreshing, we’ve had the best of laughs and we were almost done with our food. So after finishing our fake gyros, fake hamburgers and fake everything else, the London crowd wanted to get some rest before The Sunny Street gig that was happening later that night. Pretty understandable, but a bit sad because I would have liked to spend as much time with them as possible.
They parted their way to the rock-n’-roll hostel, and the rest of us went walking to Nana’s place. Well, not all of us, rebels as they are, Kat and Laura went there by car. But they had a good reason to do so: as soon as they parked on the shallow street they got out of the trunk a mountain of Jever beer. My eyes were sparkling. They said it was “for the whole weekend”. Of course…
Time for coffee for the girls, time for Jever for the boys. We have Grab Grab the Haddock on the background. We are all so in love with the CD cabinets our hosts have. Eating a slice of baguette, opening each cabinet, full of surprises, finding out the next CD to play. The windows facing the backyard are open and it’s getting a bit chilly on this autumnal evening. Perhaps that makes me pick “Stardust” by Sea Urchins. Wild Grass Pictures and the wind blowing in while we are having a bit of more bread, beer and chorizo. Quite glorious.
The evening goes on while playing more records, flicking through old zines and admiring the tape collection Andreas’ has. Sohfas demo, Sedgwicks demo, Turquoise Trees compilation, Corrupt Postman compilation, etc, etc, etc. Suddenly it’s time for us to head to the Hasenschaukel, the beautiful venue where The Sunny Street will be playing and I’ll be djing. Time to put shoes on. Then a sweater and then on top of that a jacket. Get the CDs I’ve prepared for the night and some Cloudberry 7″s to sell.
It’s nippy outside while we wait for the bus. Happily it doesn’t take that long to come and Nana buys a group pass. We are in the indiepop bus! Turning right, turning left, a couple more blocks up, then turning here and there and we arrive close to the Hasenschaukel. We have to be there early for the sound check and well, to get familiar with the DJ decks. I ask Nana how many people she think will come. She says around 50. I’m getting a bit overexcited as we get near to the place. As soon as I get in I realize this place is enchanting! The dolls hanging over the tables, the dim lighting, the beautiful wallpapers, everything so carefully adorned. It’s like a little dollhouse with a fairy tale decoration. On the far back there’s a huge blackboard where it’s written: Cloudberry Records. My heart skips a beat. Immediately I turn my eyes right, where there are some booths and people having dinner. My heart stops for a bit. It’s my dear friend Jennifer! She is there talking with Ian and Christos while they enjoy their pasta. It’s brilliant to see her again! It’s been many, many months! And of course, we start talking, and gossiping about my trip to Sweden, and about Berlin, and about whatnot. Happiest moments.
Matthew is already getting his stuff together around the decks, getting prepared to dj. He has brought, all the way from UK, his vinyl records on steel carrying cases. Quite courageous! I’m so afraid of spinning vinyl when djing! Anything can happen to them! Then I meet the owner (or was it the manager?) of the Hasenschaukel, who happens to be very attentive and sweet. He offers me some tickets to get some free beer. Immediately, because these things can’t wait, I ask for a huge hefeweizen. I look over the decks and see Rémi and Delphine setting up their instruments. The stage is small but at the same time very cozy. It looks like they will play at a living room as there’s a chimney on the wall. Inside the chimney there’s a tv that shows nonstop a small fire. Maybe preparing us all for the warmest and heartful-est indiepop gig this year; the one that The Sunny Street will be playing in just a matter of minutes!
Soon the place is packed. The chit-chat of people is no longer a shy murmur but a loud bedlam. The cigarette smoke hovers everyone’s heads and the bar tenders keep pouring beer. Perfect timing for Jörg Winzer to show up. Great to see you again my friend!
to be continued
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Listen
The Voltarenes – Altona City
