12 March Detroit-Frankfurt-Arnhem

GangGreen European Tour March/April 2007

Take 2 – Despite assurances that NWA is done busting our balls and assurances from their customer service people that there will be a message on our record to just check our fucking bags, the bullshit continues as they try fuck us again by demanding $125 to check a goddamn guitar. Thank you NWA, you suck. Love, GangGreen.

We get to spend the next 4 hours in the Detroit airport and as we head to the gate Wally comes up with a great Detroit t-shirt along the lines of the “I love New York” campaign. “I Came To Motown and Didn’t Get A Cap Busted In My Ass.”

We’re perfect angels on the flight. I get to watch “Rocky Balboa”, “X-Men: Final something or other” and “For Your Consideration” There are no preening queens aboard to fuck with us and so without further ado, we arrive in Frankfurt.

We meet up with Erol, our tour manager, Bob Cenci and our roadie Jacob (who flew separately and arrived without incident) jump in the van and head off to Arnhem for tonight’s show at Goudivishal.

11 March Boston-Detroit

GangGreen European Tour March/April 2007

We arrive at Boston’s logan airport in plenty of time thanks to a ride from Wally’s Mom. Thanks Mrs. G! We’re off to Frankfurt via Detroit. (I know, don’t ask.) The flight from Boston to Detroit on Northwest Airlines is enjoyable and largely uneventful. However, we arrive half an hour late and have about twenty minutes to get across 30 gates to departure gate.

Enroute we spot a bar called “SlapShots”. Now I don’t know about you but I’m thinking if you find yourself in “Hockey City” and see a bar called “SlapShots” you gotta stop and have a shot. So three minutes and $20 later with our names being called over the PA we trot up to the gate and board.

Then the trouble begins. We settle in to our seats and the Purser, Robert comes over to us. As loudly and obnoxiously as possible Bobby calls out (I think he was speaking to Chris) “Sir, a member of the flight crew detected the smell of alcohol on you breath. Sir, have you been drinking?” We admit to our shot and Robbie continues, “Sir, you will not be served alcohol on this flight.” I attempt to ask “wha…?” and Robert turns his back on us, screeching “Sir, thank you. Sir, thank you.”

So, resigned to an alcohol free flight we settle in. I start to nod off and Chris and Wally try to relax by watching “Airheads” on Wally’s portable DVD player. This is a big no-no since electronic devices are supposed to be turned off for take off. OOPS.

So seconds later here comes Bobby again with his Cap’n. Cap’n starts reading us the riot act, offers us to opportunity to get of the flight with no repercussions or continue on with the knowledge that if he has to after take off he’ll “put the bird down” and we’ll be arrested. We agree to behave and follow El Capitan’s direction and he returns to his seat.

The plane moves away from the terminal and we’re on our way. We all start napping but Bobby ain’t gonna let this go. So we soon hear an announcement that the plan is returning to the terminal for “administrative reasons” and, guess what? That’s US! So back to the terminal and the 5-0 boards the plane and we’re off the plane and back in the terminal. Now, we’re fucked. I blow up at everyone I see in aNorthwest Airlines uniform which does squat. We’re now stuck in Detroit for another 24 hours.

I let Germany know that we ain’t gonna make the Schweinfurt show and off we go to our Super 8 in crackytown, MI

Tour Diary - GA/FL 14-20 2007

Wednesday, 14 February 2007
Town: Boston, Massachusetts / Charlotte, North Carolina
Gig: Travel Day

Valentine's day brought little love for GangGreen from either mother nature or USAir. A winter storm cancelled the flight to Atlanta from Boston for Matty, Wally and Rockin' Bob. We managed to get on the last flight out of the airport that night (check our luggage and pay $20 less than it took to fly Matt to get our 100 lb merch bag on the flight) and ended up in Charlotte, North Carolina. Unfortunately, two of our six bags (Wally's drum gear and the merch bag, which contained Matty's personal affects as well - SUPER!) didn't. Two hours later, fiscal bleeding begins as we need a rental car for a pleasant overnight ride to Charlotte. Arrive at our crappy motel at 4 AM to find the front desk locked and no way to check in. Sweet!

What went wrong: Flight cancelled, luggage lost, paid for motel but couldn't make use of it.
What went right: We could buy beer at 1 AM at the Quickee Mart.

Word of the day: Surly

First Blog Entry

Welcome to the Gang Green blog. We'll be using this to document some of our upcoming dates, keep you all up to date on the ongoing work on our new album as well.

We're looking forward to interacting with all of you.

Gang Green