(c)Athens, The Exploding Bidet
And Other Stories
Hello from my cozy hotel room in misty Münster, Germany. There were a few bumps in the air from Athens to Brussels yesterday but it was a pretty smooth journey overall. I like to think of turbulence like wiggly sky-Jello, blue-raspberry flavour, which makes it cute and fun.
Seven days into the tour, I think I have finally chased away my jet lag. Our first stop was Bucharest, a 10hr time difference from Vancouver. Transylvania, home of Dracula 🦇. I felt pretty rested after a big sleep-in post-travel—even enjoyed an art museum visit, and some sneaker shopping on our day off, but the following day, my vitality tanks.
At our pre-show dinner, struggling to exist, I whine pathetically “Urrrghhhh I’m dyinggg!!!!!” with my jet-head in my hands at the table. Dinner and RedBull helped recharge my vibe a little, but when it’s time to play, and the stage is so dark, I’m having trouble knowing what’s what on my synth. As the lights strobe, the white keys flash like an x-ray image and then disappear into the shadows. I feel haunted, uneasy. I’m a ghost, my head is leaving my body. Where am I? I’m on stage in Bucharest? The lights flash. The songs are galloping along and I’m just barely hanging on to the reins.
A quick turnaround finds us back at the Bucharest airport early and in Athens by noon the next day. On the drive from the airport, we find out our next hotel is named the Jason Inn, and Jay jokes that he has purchased a hotel, and will assign everyone a new role upon arrival.
I’ve been reassigned from Tour Manager to Hotel Manager, Kendall is now our Restaurant Manager because she always selects excellent food options for us on the road, Adam is our Head Porter because he’s super strong and skilled at packing gear, and Houdah is our Reception Manager because she is our spreadsheet whiz and keeps our data tight. We arrive at the Jason Inn, and score a parking spot for the van right out front. This is Jay’s hotel after all. We’re also greeted by two cute and friendly cats at the lobby doors. It feels like home already. It is always a pleasure to return to (c)Athens! 🐈⬛
Greek food is a favourite for us on tour, so we can hardly wait for our next meal. We grab a bite before soundcheck and Adam orders a chicken Gyro, which we name Mt. Gyro because the portion size is a literal mountain of meat. The rest of us have chicken souvlaki and salad; all the food is simply prepared and delicious. Tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta; it all tastes better here. More cats snooze nearby in the afternoon sunlight.
Post-lunch we return to the hotel to get ready for the show. I shower to remove the airplane from my pores. There is a bidet in the hotel room, and I shyly admit to Jay I’m afraid to use it because I don’t really know how it works. He gives me a little tutorial, and I’m like hmm okay, I’ll try… I get the water going, and suddenly the water goes from gentle stream to pressure washer against the toilet bowl and splashes my face and hair. I scream in horror. It soaks my pants, there is water all over the floor. I show Jay the carnage and he is howling!! Athens Bidet 1 - Shannon 0. No time to linger in my embarrassment. It is soundcheck time. Showtime. What a lovely time.
Day off. Athens is such a cool, vibrant place, it’s so nice to be able to enjoy some of the sights. We sleep well and then roam the market with coffees in hand. Everywhere we look, cats sit like proud lions at the entrance to the shops.
We browse alabaster busts of Apollo and Athena hand-painted in radiant neon colours. Jay does some recon on a shop that sells band shirts, and we find some keepers among the racks. Entombed, Einstürzende Neubauten, Fear Factory, Type O Negative, Christian Death. Outside the shop we spot a poster for a Death Disco event with my image on it! Such a neat surprise. So far from home, yet here I am. A fan online tells me it’s a sign that I am walking the right path.
Again we fill ourselves with sunlight, and Greek salads. Back to the hotel for a rest, as I wait for the afternoon light to change. In the blue hour, I wander through the Ancient Agora of Athens. Up to the Temple of Hephaestus, to catch the sunlight on the columns. It is otherworldly, so special to see in person.
I wander deeper into the Agora, and film a kitten playing with its parents, and the moment is so adorable, a woman runs over to ask if I can AirDrop the video to her. Of course I do! Now you can see it too:
Time to load in for our show in Münster. Thanks for being here, I hope to see you at some of the upcoming shows. I’ll check in again with you soon. XO
Early morning is the best time to wander and explore. Fewer people, different sounds. Especially if you're able to catch sunrise on Ancient things. I love seeing these pictures and hearing these stories! It sounds like the tour is going extremely well and I can't wait to see you guys in may!
Your writing is a joy to read and it makes me miss touring. In Europe, even if you've only travelled an hour from the last show, you can wake up in a different country with a different language and a different culture and a different sense of identity. The food may be different, the demeanor of the people, the entire worldview. Europe, despite its similarities, still feels like a study in contrasts to the born-and-bred North American.
I've been jamming this track, by the way, and I can totally hear a Leathers cover in it (the verse has you written all over it but the chorus might take some finagling): https://youtu.be/BBcsX_tDg50