Tour

LPD US Tour announcement fall 2019

November 2, 2019

If you’d asked me if I’d be posting this message back in 1980, I would have briefly entertained you with my incredulous chuckle…deeper these days, but still devastatingly ineffective.

Even so, here we go…..
The Legendary Pink Dots turn 40 in August 2020, but the Angel Trail begins soon with the first leg of The 40th Anniversary throughout North America. Please feel free to share the news. Ticket links are below (Please note , we are still waiting for the link concerning Montreal) :

USA Tour Diary 2019

October 16, 2019

THE LEGENDARY PINK DOTS 40th ANNIVERSARY TOUR

Half way through the US tour, Edward has been keeping a tour diary on Facebook. For those who don’t do Facebook, you can see it here.

Continue reading USA Tour Diary 2019 →

Edward’s European tour diaries- 2018

December 13, 2018

Dec. 5
Dots in December Tour. Day 1.
One of those plastic hotels close to Cologne Airport…. A nice first show at Helios 37 before a warm, friendly audience. I spent part of the show tottering on one leg due to small sliver of glass that the cleaner missed and I must thank Frankie who yanked it out of my suffering heel. Its pouring outside but a mere two hour drive to Frankfurt (Cave) tomorrow…..

Dec 6
Dots in December Tour. Day 2.
Frankfurt. A city we always enjoy playing in which is a lot to do with the kind promoter (Frank) who treats us so well. A packed little underground cavern tonight and we made it into The Zone early. Still slowly landing …..Munich (Backstage) tomorrow.

Dec 7
Dots December Tour. Day 3.
Munich. A challenging night at the Backstage Club. There was no house lighting engineer so we performed in the unforgiving glare of light blue and yellow. Sometimes it felt like a loud shopping spree in the supermarket wearing just underpants (apologies for the grotesque imagery). After the show the whole Backstage complex turned into Party Zone for hours as we attempted to load the equipment surrounded by drunken bright young things painfully attempting smart one-liners as they chomped on the curry wurst. It’s morning as I type this. 4 hours to Prague for us today. Enjoy the weekend sisters and brothers……

Dec 8
Dots December Tour. Day 4.
Prague. A truly fine night in a packed basement and memories flooded back of my first visit to the city in the late 70s. I needed a visa back then plus a fistful of Cedok vouchers so I could secure a hotel room and some Czech Crowns. Trouble is, the train from Berlin didn’t take me to the Centre and I found myself on a platform on the outskirts of the city desperately seeking advice as to what I needed to do next. Happily a girl named Wesselinka came to my rescue, guided me on to the right train and took me to the office of the National Travel Agency (Cedok) where I could exchange those vouchers. Typically it was closed.

Again, Wesselinka rescued me. She was a Bulgarian student studying in Prague and, after a short tram ride I found myself outside the campus where she stayed. With the help of a few of her friends, I was sneaked in through a window and a glorious night was spent with a roomful of Bulgarian students discussing life on either side of that ridiculous and tragic Iron Curtain. On reflection I guess we all wanted to hear about The Promised Land on the other side…in the end we all got pretty drunk and fell about laughing.

Wesselinka and her friends saved me on that momentous night and showed me beautiful Prague the next day. Needless to say, it was different then!

Dec 9
Dots in December Tour. Day 5.
Wroclaw. A thoroughly enjoyable show in Poland and it’s clear we need to return to this friendly country more often.

In fact our first ever show in Poland was also in Wroclaw in 1994 and because we’d heard horror stories about the border and potential delays for hours we travelled overnight from Prague back then. We were (of course) waved through. In 2018 the border is so invisible we were not even sure when we’d crossed it….believe me, it’s better that way.

Dec 10
Dots December Tour. Day 6.
Berlin. A hugely enjoyable show in the superb Quasimodo Club a block or so away from where I left my passport in a shop a few decades back. If you think losing such a document amounts to a mere inconvenience, then I have to emphasise that it was a serious matter when West Berlin was walled off from the rest of the city before 1989. For the curious visitor it was as if two philosophies were shouting at each other across a grim barrier in those dark days. The subway (U-Bahn) actually went under the Wall but only stopped at Friedrichstrasse where it was possible to obtain a day visa to visit East Berlin. It simply rattled through the other stations in the East which were watched over by a single hopelessly bored guard in semi-darkness. Perhaps there was just that hint of fear that some foolhardy soul would surf on the subway train to freedom. Berlin….so many stories. I was once shown around the city on the back of a tandem by the late Great Conrad Schnitzler who kindly gave me shelter for a few days when I went to interview him. He even let me loose in his room filled with synthesisers and echo chambers. I love Berlin. I’ll be back!

Dec 11
Dots December Tour. Day 7.
Fahr’n Fahr’n Fahr’n Auf der autobahn all the way to Mulhouse in France near the Swiss border. In fact the second time we stayed in this town and I’ll relate the tale of the first occasion. It was around 14 years ago and we were set to play in a venue called The Elk Club on the outskirts of Bern in Switzerland. It meant an insane drive from Plzen in the Czech Republic but amazingly we were on time in the street where the venue should have been, but couldn’t actually spot our destination. Happily after the third crawl up the road one of us spotted a small neon elk’s head above a door and we duly piled in. That’s where the trouble began.

Problem 1 – there was no sound system. After a small discussion the man who seemed to be in charge agreed to phone around and find “something.“ As this needed time, we suggested a retreat to the hotel which led to Problem 2. You guessed it – there was no hotel. The club owner suggested we stayed at the club and pointed towards two pool tables. We suggested he found us some private accommodation as his budget was clearly stretched. This led to Problem 3 and a reasonable enquiry about the 400 Euro fee. Again the owner shrugged his shoulders and said we could have the door takings – if there were any. If anyone could find the venue. We decided to cancel and flee for a cheap hotel in France. To Mulhouse in fact. This just might even be the same one.

Dec 12
Dots in December Tour. Day 8.
Lyon. One of my favourite venues is The little red boat known as The Sonic which is docked on the river and has been providing sweet music for this French city for 13 years. It’s a city we know well by now so I’ll continue with my recent theme of reminiscences – and for me Lyon is all about food. We never quite know what’s in store for us when we are on the road and the first time we visited Lyon we were directed to a Cameroons Restaurant. Although it sounds exotic I remember the dish I had seemed a little plain and I jumped at the chance of livening it up with a little of that green sauce the waiter offered with a smile. Now I realise he had more of a devilish grin as I generously splashed this innocent looking liquid onto the mountain of potatoes. Imagine the heat of a dozen suns.Imagine the contents of Krakatoa flowing into your mouth. My scream was heard as far away as Marseille, Geneva, Beijing…

On another visit to Lyon we were sent to a restaurant where they had only meat dishes on the menu – and we were mainly vegetarians. The waiter proposed a special dish for us veggies and after a wait of 10 or so minutes he returned with 3 plates of white rice each decorated with a trio of raw eggs wobbling on top. We opted to fast that night. No such horrors at Le Sonic I’m happy to report. Off to Milan today for our first Italian show in a decade.

Dec 13
Dots in December Tour. Day 9.
Milan. It’s been so long since we played in Italy and the welcome we were afforded at the small Ligera Club last night lifted us just when we needed it. The fact is things are never straightforward in Italy and the stories I could recall here would make this entry impossibly long and a little hair curling. Therefore I’ll focus on our first visit to Milan back in 1987.

The venue was Heller Skelter – a giant squat – and when we arrived (late) it was packed. It had been a fraught journey. Our sound engineer Hans was in a tetchy mood as his shoes had somehow rolled out of the bus at a road stop and he refused to leave his seat unless they were replaced. The kind promoter brought him a pair of boots, possibly last worn during the Second World War. His mood did not improve.

After swiftly building our equipment we retreated for a quick snack with the organisers, only this was Italy and the food just kept coming. By around 11pm I was getting a little nervous about the giant crowd as they had been waiting for a long time. However, the promoter told me there was nothing to worry about and another hour duly passed.
In the end we insisted on playing and of course as we walked to the venue, many were leaving – some muttering ominously as they passed us.

At first the reception was understandably a shade hostile from the long suffering audience, but we were on form and slowly but surely we won them over. It was fever pitch by the last song. I was lying on my back on the stage howling, the intensity was almost unbearable and……..the power went down. The crowd emitted a communal groan.

Just a flesh wound. The lights came back, the sound came back and we decided to repeat the song. I was lying on my back on the stage howling, the intensity was almost unbearable and……..the power went down ……again. The crowd emitted a communal groan. Ever had that sense of deja-vu?

Dec 14
Dots in December Tour. Day 10.
Bologna. A seriously intense show at the aptly named Freak Out Club before an appreciative warm audience. Today we leave Italy but yesterday’s post told just half of the story of a memorable tour so long ago, so it feels appropriate to continue the tale.

The day after the Helter Skelter show back in 1987 necessitated a tricky journey from Milan to Ravensburg in South Germany taking in two Swiss borders and many enormous mountains. Even so, number one priority for sound engineer Hans was understandably a new pair of boots so before we left he went shopping.

Frighteningly the proposed departure time of 12 midday came and went and the fingernails of the rest of the travelling party were reduced to bloody pulp as another 2 hours passed by. Finally Hans appeared with freshly dressed feet and relaxed again after a lie in the park so we sped off towards Switzerland. When we reached Ravensburg at around 9 pm the entire crowd was waiting.

Despite this, the kind club owner (Ingo) suggested coffee before a swift load in of the equipment . That feeling of relief evaporated in seconds as the keys had been left in the van’s ignition with the doors locked. Thankfully a locksmith could be reached and 2 hours late we finally took the stage and duly played like a band possessed. Raging. Howling. Exorcising the demons of a trying week.

When we’d finished we almost fell onto our backs, waiting for that roar of gratitude from the 100 or so people before us. It never came. Instead, the crowd sort of nodded and some of them said ,”Ja”, before descending into a worrying silence. Heads bowed, we sauntered towards the dressing room feeling unloved and dejected only for Ingo to come rushing towards us, pleading for an encore.

We pointed out that it was eerily quiet in the Hall but the promoter was insistent. “They LOVED it . They didn’t leave….” How could we refuse him? So we went back , tore into an encore and the crowd sort of nodded and some of them said “Ja” . Then they left.

Dec 15
Dots in December Tour .Day 11.
Bern, Switzerland. The Dampfzentrale is surely the finest venue of the tour and we enjoyed a night of reunions with old friends including violinist extraordinaire Patrick who provided a delightful opening set. Thankfully it was a smooth journey too as there was always that niggling hint of fear hanging over us of being held up at the Italy – Switzerland border.

Band members and border guards make for a poor combination. For a start, never presume that the man in uniform possesses a sense of humour despite the frequent cunning ruse where he’ll give you a smile and say, “Ah Amsterdam! Do you have something to smoke for us?” Anything less than a categorical declaration that you have NEVER touched the stuff risks a complete dismantling of your vehicle, your bag, your equipment and maybe your soul. When they eventually realise there’s nothing to be found, they’ll gripe about you wasting THEIR time.

The French border used to be the worst before the marvellous concept of Free Movement came into play. Sometimes it was just plain sadistic, but there was also one occasion when I enjoyed a glorious moment of revenge.

We were stopped on the way to a show in Lille and I wasn’t in the greatest mood as I had a heavy cold. With no garbage bag in the bus, I shamefully must confess that my pockets were at maximum disgusting capacity with countless sneeze catchers rolled into revolting little paper balls. You know what came next….”Empty your pockets!” the man said.
It took around five minutes to fill the tray with used tissues, used bus tickets, sweet wrappers and the man pinched his nose and made the kind of “Poooooooooo” sound that only a French Customs officer can make. Visibly shaken, he broke into a mantra of “ Take zem away…Take zem away…” I politely reminded him of his request and told him that he could keep them.

Dec 16
Dots in December Tour. Day 12.
Amsterdam. Normally the last show of a tour is a bit of an anti-climax with all the best intentions somehow never quite hitting the mark. Happily, expectations were exceeded at the excellent Q Factory. It was one of our finest ever nights in the Dutch capital before a sizeable audience who rewarded us with their fullest attention.

Yet the day began a little ominously as we woke up early to find our van nestling under a thin blanket of snow. It was 8am and we had an 800 km journey ahead of us through mountains. Kind souls were texting me, wishing the band safe passage through the rapidly deteriorating terrain. Even so, for a band on the road, there is no other option than to go for it, however bad the weather is.

Possibly the most disturbing day on the road for us concerning the weather was on the first US Tour back in 1989. We were heading South from Minneapolis to Dallas on Interstate 35, otherwise known to some as Tornado Alley. By Oklahoma the sky had turned into a worrying yellowish green, the road was eerily empty and between the cracks in the static of the radio, a voice could be detected urging people not to drive.

Then we saw it. One mother of a twister across the plains to our right. The fear in our Recreational Vehicle was palpable, but there was nowhere to go except South towards Dallas. To this day I have no idea how far away that tornado was from us as it’s so flat in that American heartland, but I suspect our Guardian Angel was clearing a path for us on that unforgettable day.

Dec 17
Dots in December Tour. Day 13.
And then it was over…..On paper it looks like a quick spin around Europe for less than a fortnight. In reality, any sense of time becomes utterly distorted as we cruise across those borders. For instance when we chugged into Milan last Thursday, it was only 5 days after our single Polish show in Wroclaw – yet it felt like a month. It’s like every day on tour forms a perfect circle. It always begins and ends in the hotel lobby but the tension builds up in between, sometimes unbearably. Happily that tension is always resolved. As John Lennon said so wisely, “Imagine all the people living for Today”. No alternative when we’re on tour and I feel very privileged. Bless you all for following this Tour Diary. Now I intend to put my feet up for an hour.

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I Can Spin A Rainbow US tour diaries

May 22, 2017

These are from Edward’s Facebook tour diaries:

The United States

May 16

I’m starting this tour diary a few days late as we landed in the States last Thursday. Even so every day here in this wonderful corner of the World has been about constructing a set of music that will expand as we go along.8 hours a day, every day…and an actual show will fly by as a result. Now I can poke a hole in my oxygen tent when I’m about 180 years old and tell the rest of the hospital ward that I PLAYED at Woodstock …I just will not say when.

May 17

First show imminent on (gulp) the 17th. Impossible to avoid the number this year. We reached the Middle East club early and I’m typing this missive in the Green Room. In fact, this is where Amanda first saw the Dots all those years ago and it has changed little in that time.I confess I’m rather nervous. Do wish us luck!

May 18

Phew. That was intense…a few nail biting moments and surprises at every turn but we nailed the first show …and big love from me to Amanda, Patrick and Randall. Id say we pulled it off and now I will drink coffee…

May 19

Back at Woodstock…Temperature reached the mid thousands as we drove yesterday, and the ultimate result was a spectacular storm in the evening. A fine evening too, lots of fun and laughter .. and Patrick’s margaritas were highly effective. Tomorrow, we’re off to New York!

***

Happy!

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Real horrorshow droogie…I like the shirt…

May 20

Show number 2 looms at The Bowery Ballroom in New York tonight. I reckon I’m just about ready for it, but the way to really feel focussed is to turn the volume on the car stereo to 11 and put Tomorrow Never Knows by The Beatles on repeat. Clears the mind in a thoroughly enjoyable manner.

May 21

It was magical last night. The Bowery Ballroom is a beautiful venue with an astonishing sound quality and a caring, warm welcome is assured for all who play there. I felt like we stretched for the stars last night and actually managed to catch a few In the process. Thank you Amanda, Patrick, Randall and Elisa for being so central to a night I’ll always cherish. Over the bridge to Brooklyn tonight.

May 22

AKKK…..The Gods were out to get us last night in Brooklyn. We were just getting into our stride when the computer in the mixing board had a seizure and the sound well…stopped. Randall and the house engineer gallantly rescued us and, in the big picture, we had to laugh..Nice to bring a new song onboard too. Today we fly as long as we can battle through the traffic to the airport!

May 23

No words adequate to express how all of us in this touring party feel about what happened in Manchester yesterday.We’re in San Francisco right now and heard the news a few minutes before taking the stage for a live Webcast for Amanda’s followers on Patreon ( which I believe is there for all to see).All I have to say is …don’t let the darkness win, whether from the twisted perpetrators or those who will use this tragedy to divide us.Today we’ll mourn and unite in sadness and love , not vengeance and hate.

May 24

Hell of a night in San Francisco …maybe the best of the tour so far but now it’s back to the grim reality of an airport..The security guys profiled Patrick’s violin as “a bit suspicious”. Thankfully they ignored the hat. Los Angeles tonight…

May 26

Au revoir America…It was brief but beautiful this time. After an emotional show at the Troubadour, we spent a wonderful day with cEvin and Reanna yesterday before the listening party for the new Tear Garden album. I so enjoyed hearing it with the volume turned up to 11! Another plane to catch this afternoon, a day off with my lovely ones at home, then the voyage starts once more!

May 28

duhhhhh….what day is it? At the crossroads where my biological clock is about to simply surrender ,but I’m home and happy. Tomorrow the adventure starts again at Hay On Wye and the first festival of the tour….

Europe

May 29

Today is Hay Day and the beginning of the Spinning Rainbows’ European adventure.There’s a lot of flying involved which makes me a little nervous considering the recent horror of Heathrow , but I will try to remain optimistic.

June 1

Thank you Warsaw for my favourite show of the tour so far. Is there a kinder, more appreciactive audience anywhere than in Poland? We need to play more in this special country.

June 2

I’m ashamed to admit the need to reach for half a can of Red Bull before shows right now. An utterly disgusting but effective way of kicking away the jet lag for 2 hours on stage. Last night was thrilling in Munich…a beautiful venue (Muffathalle) and a warm reception from the audience. Now we’ll head for WGT in Leipzig where we’ll hit the stage at ( gasp) 1 am.

June 3

It felt like Floxifer, the little known demon of chaos, was out to get us last night in Leipzig. After a stressful day of multiple traffic jams, logistical nightmares and a perilous quest for a holy blue wristband, it was a miracle that we hit the stage on time. Sadly the programmes on Amanda’s rented keyboard seemed to be stuck in security. In fact the keyboard itself turned out to be broken. Patrick gave the audience a small solo performance while we desperately tried to find a replacement (a big big thank you to the wonderful souls of Devilment who lent us their Korg Trident!), and after what seemed to be an eternity, we began our abridged set. And we got there in the end…so UP YOURS FLOXIFER!

June 5

My love for the city of Prague became even stronger last night following the reception we received at the wonderful Palac Akropolis. The hospitality was fantastic ( thank you Petra!) and the audience was deeply appreciative. My favourite show of the whole tour so far. Now we face a challenging crack of dawn start in order to make it to Hamburg for tonight’s show at The Fabriek.

June 6

Long long ago the city of Hamburg was at the top of the Pink Dotted list as a place we HAD to go to when a tour was planned. Reminiscing with Patrick yesterday, he was alarmed to hear how our fortunes had waned, with the last attendance being around 50 people a few years back. Last night was a wonderful reminder of those glory days thanks to Amanda’s considerable, gracious, warm following in Hamburg. A deeply emotional night for us all in the best possible way. THANK YOU!!

June 11

I so enjoyed my return to Amsterdam’s Melkweg last night. It had been a whole 23 years, but a big big thank you to the large crowd that came and listened so intently and showed us such wonderful support. Next ….La Cigale in Paris tonight – we’ll take the train.

June 12

On the Eurostar right now and just out of the Tunnel. Had a great time at the beautiful La Cigale last night. Next stop is Heaven …there’s a song in there somewhere. And a live webcast tomorrow evening….the link is to come…

June 13

Backstage at Heaven as I type…sounds like a special show commemorating Judgement Day.And you can even watch it live tonight from 2030 onwards ( uk time) as there is a live webcast. Go to live. amandapalmer.net. Make bloody damn sure you come back as a dolphin…..

June 18

An emotional last day of the tour is about to unfurl as we prepare to head to Mannheim for the Maifeld Derby Festival. It’s been one hell of a ride and, even as someone who is terrified of roller coasters, I loved every twist, turn, dip and rise. A big love to all who have taken part in this Rainbow Spin.

June 20

A day of goodbyes to conclude one of the best tours I have ever been part of. A huge thank you and a virtual hug to add to the recent real ones for Joep, Patrick, Amanda, Randall, Elisa, Jordan and all the other good souls who played their parts. We’ll meet again.

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Edward’s Aquarian Tour Journal

November 9, 2016

During the Dots’ 2016 US tour, Edward made regular posts on Facebook about the shows they played and the journey itself. Below is a compilation of his posts during that time.

Sept 12
I guess the Tour begins here. Heathrow Terminal 3. As usual I didn’t beat the security Randomiser and they swabbed the empty packet of Starbucks Colombian ( a free latte guaranteed when I present it but I’ll probably forget).Im prepared….ancient 70s artsy movies on a USB stick, World muting headphones and a T-shirt from Kamchatka with Cyrillic writing giving me the perfect excuse to mumble in fake Russian if Im feeling a bit unsociable. 15 hours to Portland , via Seattle, if all goes to plan.See ya tomorrow, hopefully.

Sept 13
Day Two.Jet lag…well, not right now but at 4am the flight came back to haunt me. Seattle Airport is easily the WORST transportation hub I ever endured. Missed the connecting fight; somehow kept my patience as unspeakable rude morons in uniforms shouted at tired passengers in the interim security check (yes , you go through TRANSIT security at Seattle). That endless snake of people desperate to get through passport control remided me of Chinese New Year, but far less joyful/colourful. Still, my mood is good and Im ready for Portland on a sunny day.

Sept 14
DAY THREE.Time to slow down a bit, smell the flowers…and brother Chris showed us this magical place.

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Image may contain: tree, plant, outdoor, nature and water

Sept 15
DAY FOUR was intense.A tour within a tour, many miles covered and all of them in Portland as we collected shipments and essentials for the big voyage coming up. The evening was heartwarming as a string of friends helped us assemble “Chemical Playschool’s latest chapters and Randall’s beautiful new Orbit Service CD.

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Im just stunned by the beauty and care that went into these releases – just absolutely awesome, Chris! Tonight we’re at Doug Fir..the first show.I confess , a little nervous.

Sept 16
A BIG thank you to all who came to the Doug Fir in Portland last night for the first show of the Tour. Opening a tour is always tough..mistakes are inevitable , nerves are stretched but this wonderful crowd felt like long lost friends as they gave us wings for the occasion.Tonight we’re in Seattle at Chop Suey…love to see you
there.

Sept 17
DAY FIVE.The Green Room at the Chop Suey in Seattle is small but it has this astonishing armchair. You don’t sit in it , you submit yourself to it ,allow it to simply take control. Armageddon could have been going on ,but I would slept through…Two hours ,maybe more and when it was showtime and the moment to wake up , I had to double check the Planet I was on…..but I loved Seattle show , and savoured every second of it. Today we drive to Boise where they have famous potatoes.

Sept 18
DAY SIX. Just woken up in Boise after the long haul through Washington State and Eastern Oregon.Nothing much out there except the occasional eagle and the odd fly trying to sneak into our van (we always show him/her/it the window). Five hours to Salt Lake City and an appointment at the Metro Club.See some of you tonight.

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Sept 19
DAY 7. Woke up to the sound of trains. Haunting , beautiful…although I felt a little differently last night when we were held at a red light to allow 2 of them to pass in different directions.The second one was THREE MILES LONG ! Still, a fine night in Salt Lake City at a truly hospitable venue (The Metro).Lots of love and joy in the air and we can never have enough of that.

Sept 20
DAY 8.You can’t really fathom just how big North America is until you’ve crossed the Rockys from Salt Lake to Denver. Maybe 10 hours in that van ,gasping at the astonishing scenery ,and catching up on a damn fine book (I finished “This Is Supposed To be a Record Label ” by my old friend Frans yesterday and strongly recommend this marvellous read).Lying down now.The Marquis Theatre in Denver tonight…HAS to be special.

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Sept 21
DAY 9. Denver to Kansas.I asked people at the show last night what to expect on the drive.”It’s flat” said one, “It’s boring” said another.In fact I’ll be happy if it’s simply uneventful as we’re playing there tonight at the Record Bar.We’ll make a pledge here and now that it will not be flat or boring. 10 hours to Kansas (sigh).

Sept 22
DAY 10.Our estimation of the drive from Denver to Kansas proved to be accurate.10 hours. How peculiar…I mean there’s NOTHING THERE! i’m kidding… I actually find that emptiness a borderline religious experience.

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The good souls at The Record Bar were wonderfully hospitable and, despite the tiredness, I think we rose to the occasion.Today we turn left towards Minneapolis.

Sept 23
DAY 11.I think we’re in Ottawanna ,maybe I spelled this incorrectly.Still it means a mellow hour-long cruise into Minneapolis for tonight’s show at Turf.Im also celebrating my first full night’s sleep for maybe MONTHS…it’s a bit like a reward.So Northwards we go to one of my favourite cities in the US.

Sept 24
DAY 12 began in a hotel lobby in Eau Claire ,Wisconsin at 2.30 am as a kind but distressed receptionist timidly explained that her predecessor had sold our reserved rooms. It seems Eau Claire was the place to be as she valiantly tried to save us from a night on the floor or squeezed together into single beds in an establishment that was close to being sold out. A true “Spinal Tap ” moment (or 40 minutes in this case).Still we got there in the end. And a bigTHANK YOU to the good souls who turned out for us in rainy Minneapolis last night. Chicago here we come..see you at Subterranean….

Sept 25
DAY 13.Still a little woozy as I emerge from a deep sleep following my favourite show so far.

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Subterranean in Chicago is wonderful venue dating back to the 1920s when it was a notorious brothel . It derived it’s name from its underground tunnels which were used by guilty politicians and businessmen to escape during the prohibition era. It was an inspiring location for us to let loose , and a big thank you to the good team there who treated us so well..Next stop – Detroit!

Sept 26
DAY 14. Finally made it back to Detroit for a night that will stay with me. There’s a warmth to the people in this city that always galvanises us ,pushes us to new heights. Today we enter Canada,if they’ll let us in, that is….

DAY 14 AND A HALF.The Pink Dots , Orbit Service and Blue -eyes have entered CANADA. We are coming for your maple syrup.

Sept 27
DAY 15. Scarborough, Ontario.

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A sweet little motel on the edge of Toronto which saved us after being screwed over by Priceline (never will use them again). Still, we’re in good spirits. After a curry ,an attempt was made to listen to the famous debate as it happened…I think I managed 3 minutes before passing out. Toronto tonight at The Horseshoe Tavern..see ya later.

Sept 28
DAY 16.Such a fine evening at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern last night . The sheer sense of joy and positivity from the Toronto audience lifted us and convinced me yet again that it’s good to be human despite the misery perpetrated across the planet by our so-called great “leaders”.On to Montreal today…a bientot.

DAY EVE OF THE NUMBER WHICH SHALL NOT BE PRINTED. True to form, we found that our show in Northampton will be starting at 7.15 pm…Truly odd. In fact we need to be physically OUT of the place by 9.15 pm…As a result we’d be delighted to meet all the good souls who turn up outside at The Dotzmobile.

Sept 29
DAY 18 minus 1.The Pink Dots always felt a special connection with the city of Montreal since we first heard the cry of “Champignons!” from a wild audience back in 1989. We heard it again last night . An emotional evening ,meeting friends who go back with us over decades.A big thank you to Paget who always treats us so well in the shows he arranges for us. Back to the US today and The Iron Horse in Northampton MA for what seems like an absurdly early show.

Sept 30
DAY 18.The Iron Horse in Northampton MA is a sweet venue and the good souls who turned up so early for what felt like a matinees show were warm and truly supportive. However when it comes to receiving smaller bands from exotic places, the Iron House sadly mutates into The Greedy Goat. They seemed obsessed with watching Brother Chris like a hawk so they could claim 20% of all he sold while offering the band an absolute minimum for the show itself. Only one course of action possible in that scenario….Chris took his wares to the street ,and the good folks of Northampton followed. Karma.

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Oct 1
DAY 19. Much time was spent in a laundromat in Hartford ,Connecticut and the merry travelling band left this establishment with mile-wide grins before ploughing on through the rain to New York. I’ve lost count how many times The Dots played at The Knitting Factory. It’s a wonderful venue, and the hospitality and friendliness is First Class.Thanks to all who came.Now for Pittsburgh…..it’s still raining.

Oct 2
DAY 20.Hit the halfway mark in Pittsburgh and I’d like to thank my Guardian Angel for making this post possible. While soundchecking on that tiny crowded stage , I lost my footing , fell and brought this computer , my keyboard and the plank on the stand crashing to the floor. Normally the computer would have been on- strangely I’d kept it closed until the last moment . It was one of those horrendous moments where time slows down…sickeningly. Just so you can experience the full impact.
There’s a small bruise on my leg…but hell, Im fine with that.

Oct 3
DAY 21.Philadelphia. Our sixth show in as many days was a delight. The good people at the Boot & Saddle Club treated us well and the turnout on a Sunday Night was truly encouraging. After the mega-drives of the last days , today seems almost like a rest .Just 2 hours to Washington DC and the Black Cat Club. We’ll take it easy, enjoy some sightseeing and save our fire for the Nation’s Capital.

Oct 4
DAY 22….The Occupants of the Dotzmobile were Bloody Tourists in Washington DC ,before a show at the fine Black Cat Venue. Most of the posing for cameras happened in front of the Lincoln Memorial and I couldn’t help remembering the first time I was there . That was way back in 1987 when Skinny Puppy kindly offered me the opening spot as a solo performer on a huge North American Tour. The bus arrived in DC floating on a happy cloud as we had an unexpected night off and wanted to celebrate properly. Peak moment on that night came when a bunch of us fell to our knees before the Memorial arms stretched in worship like pilgrims before the Wailing Wall. That was the night which inspired the lyrics for “You and me and Rainbows”. A marvellous memory…Phil took this photo with the tag ,”Makes a change to the Super 8″

eks-oct4

Oct 5
DAY 23.Dark Skies ,Chapel Hill.Watching the Weather Channel with some alarm as we have close friends in Florida and all we hear is about that storm.We head South today to The Drunken Unicorn in Atlanta- a show that was missing from our original itinerary but one we tore up trees to arrange. A big thank you to the lovely people at Local 506 last night. Smallest crowd of the tour , but they such big hearts!

Oct 6
DAY 24.A wild ,intense night in Atlanta and after 9 straight shows and maybe 1500 miles in as many days , I see a gap on the calendar. Time for a rest maybe? Hell no, time for a 10 hour drive to Shreveport, Louisiana.

Oct 7
DAY 25.Shreveport ,Louisiana. Waiting for the Van (could be a good title for a song). It took us 10 hours to get here and Randall is at the garage for the regular service of the Dotzmobile. A quiet morning before we drive to Dallas for tonight’s show. Want to wish friends in Florida all our love and strength …may Matthew go surfing off into the Ocean somewhere (as far away as possible).

Oct 8
DAY 26. Corsicana , Texas.A sleepy ,dry place. Highway roaring like a lion in the distance. It was as close as we could get to Dallas as a place to rest our weary heads after a feisty show last night. This morning I regret to admit that Im paying for that second margarita.Austin, here we come!

Oct 9
DAY 27. Was jinxed. I woke up with a backache that just turned into the kind of affliction that made it hard to move. Had to beg and borrow painkillers to be able to get on the stage. A combination of adrenaline and Aleve made it possible but then the gremlins attacked. Swathes of radio interference made it one of the strangest shows in our history (and that’s saying something).Feeling a little better for Houston tonight which will be different again.

Oct 10
DAY 28….follows a damn fine night in Houston. I felt physically better but the acoustic quality of that big room in the The Warehouse presented a challenge that even had Brother Joep scratching his head. I reckon we just about prevailed thanks to a warm, listening audience and an intimate performance. Heading North West today , bound for Santa Fe , New Mexico.

My God, Texas is big.

Oct 11
DAY 29.A low sun over Clovis. We hit the Heisenberg trail to Santa Fe today, eyes fixed on the sky for passing saucers. I love New Mexico.I love the desert. I confess ,a little melancholy today as 11 October would have been my mum’s birthday and I miss her.

Oct 12
DAY 30.Santa Fe, New Mexico. I’d forgotten just how insanely cold the desert can be in the night time. Woke up with the scorpions , shivering…Desperately searched for extra blankets. There were none. Ultimately I just threw on my clothes and dived back beneath the sheets meditating upon Vegetable Madras curry. Tonight we play Joe’s Grotto in Phoenix despite the club’s inexplicable lack of a move to actually announce it on their Facebook page. It’s ON!! Do spread the word!

Oct 13
DAY 31.Another desert adventure awaits as we wind away down Highway 8 passing Yuma to San Diego. The weather is glorious…just been drinking coffee by the pool…feeling lazy, at least right now….

A special surprise in store for all Orbital Dots’ friends who come to our shows in San Diego, Santa Ana , and San Francisco…..the return of the mysterious Armchair Migraine Journey!

There’s hot, there’s very hot, there’s the fiery furnace of Hell itself, and there’s …..Yuma , Arizona.

eks-oct13

Oct 14
DAY 32.Follows a challenging night at The Soda Bar in San Diego. It all started with the soundcheck and the (very) gradual realisation that the P.A. was broken…not just a few cables or channels , the actual towers that delivered the sound. Joep saved the night by quietly pointing out the drastic action that was needed -delivery of a whole NEW PA.It took a long time and I wanted to hide in the Green Room , but there was only a storage room available… It meant a return to a dark van for 2 hours. Amazingly the show itself was decent, after an admittedly slow start. More time in the van today.Much much more time…..driving North…

Oct 15
DAY 33.Pleasanton CA.Preparing to cross the Bridge into what could be a very wet San Francisco this afternoon.Checking the forecast obsessively….and Im reminded of my home town thousands of miles away where it rains … and rains….and rains.Hoping to fire some Pink Dotted persuasion missiles to direct the storm Westwards ..

eks-oct15

DAY 33.1.The Annual General Meeting of “Plugghuggers -Suppliers of Baths to Motels throughout North America” in not quite so Pleasanton , California.
SUGGS (Research Department) – “Hey guys , I’ve got a GREAT idea.How about a bath with a simple drainage hole at one end, two taps for hot and cold water , and a
small rubber plug attached to a chain that keeps the water in .
SUDDS (chairman). “Sorry Suggs.That’s …umm… too 20th Century.People want to exercise their minds. They need to feel part of the Brave New World we bathe in now..”
FLOODS (Public Relations). I don’t think it’s so bad but we need to make the plug more complicated. A mixture of metal and rubber that bounces out of the hole when you push it in. It’ll keep the customers busy….
BRAIN (Fantasy Department). “How about an app.We can call it I-Soak and….
SUGGS,SUDDS,AND FLUDD..”Shut up Brain..”
FLUDD (Health and Efficiency).I’d say FORGET the plug. We’ll insert a small metal plate under the drainage hole with a lever and one tap .They’ll figure it out.
SUGGS. But isn’t that prone to leakage?
FLUDD. They can press one of their feet on the lever. Keep ’em thinking until they give up and get to work on time.Think of the boost to the Nation’s economy.
SUDDS. Great idea but sounds expensive
BRAIN Hear me out. We can make a SMART bath controlled by my app and…
THE REST…SHUT UP BRAIN!
SUGGS .I favour voice recognition .You tell it when to fill up, you tell it when to empty ,you tell it how hot , how cold…
BRAIN. That’s too much control for the customer. I say People will have to register ISoak and get 10 minutes for their bath when it will automatically empty. If they want longer , they can BUY extra credit. We could make an annual plan. Guys, hear me out . We can CLEAN UP!!
THE REST. CLEAN UP? Hell you’re right, Brain .CLEAN UP ! CLEAN UP ..but no rubber please.

Oct 16
DAY 34…follows what just might have been my favourite show in San Francisco ever. Something fires us up in those small , packed spaces and last night even the deluge outside couldn’t dampen our spirits. Two shows left , and today we make an early dash all the way back down the I-5 to Los Angeles for The Bunker’s 20th Anniversary Festival.

Oct 17
DAY 35. The last show of the tour is on the horizon at The Constellation Room in Santa Ana. We want to make it memorable in a way that does justice to the whole epic odyssey. Still recovering from an intense night at The 20th Anniversary Festival of LA’s Das Bunker ..thank you to all there who treated us so well! Typing this at cEvin and Reanna’s home…Stayed up into the small hours catching up last night. Time for a coffee!

Oct 18
DAY 35.We had the curtain closer we wished for in one of our favourite venues in the World- The Constellation Room ,Santa Ana. An emotional , electric , tearful ,joyous celebration .Thank you friends in North America…you treated us well and we want to give you all a big hug! Still a little way to go so the Diary isn’t done just yet! Going North now…..

Oct 19
DAY 36,Redding , California.FREEEZING, So cold in the room last night , I had to dive into my case for extra protection, and still it wasn’t enough.No wifi to speak of.
In the words of the famous 60s song…”I gotta get out o’ this place.”
BUT just North of Redding it all changes…Beautiful out there

Oct 20
DAY 36.Portland, a motel. Time to clean the Dotzmobile and return it to the rental company. Chris cooked tostadas for us last night and it was the best meal of the whole tour. Then it was an emotional farewell to Brother Randall who is driving to Salt Lake as I type this…safe travels my friend!

Oct 21
DAY 37.Portland International Airport. Cleared the endless snake of security and waiting for a flight to Minneapolis and a 2 hour stopover. Such a great last night in Portland , breaking bread with brothers Phil. Joep and Chris and sister Zoe in one of the best restaurants I’ve ever visited. 15 hours and then home with my lovely ones in London.If you’re in Portland, this is the place to go! Tell Peter we say hi!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bete-Lukas-Eth-Rest/121220587888192

Oct 22
DAY 38. HOME!!!!!!

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TOUR AQUARIAN 2016

August 15, 2016

TOUR AQUARIAN 2016

We’re delighted to announce part 2 of Legendary Pink Dots’ Tour Aquarian 2016.
In September we intend to fly to North America for the shows listed below. We still hope to add a date in Atlanta and, possibly, New Mexico. So stay tuned for further updates and ticket information. Please pass the word around as far and wide as you can.

Thu/Sep-15 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
Fri/Sep-16 Seattle, WA Chop Suey
Sun/Sep-18 Salt Lake City, UT Metro Bar
Tue/Sep-20 Denver, CO Marquis Theatre
Wed/Sep-21 Kansas City, MO The Record Bar
Fri/Sep-23 Minneapolis, MN Turf Club
Sat/Sep-24 Chicago, IL Subterranean
Sun/Sep-25 Ferndale, MI The Loving Touch
Tue/Sep-27 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
Wed/Sep-28 Montreal, QC La Sala Rossa
Thu/Sep-29 Northhampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
Fri/Sep-30 Brooklyn, NY The Knitting Factory
Sat/Oct-01 Pittsburgh, PA Brillobox
Sun/Oct-02 Philadelphia, PA Boots & Saddle
Mon/Oct-03 Washington DC Black Cat
Tue/Oct-04 Carrborro, NC Local 506
Wed/Oct-05 Atlanta, GA The Drunken Unicorn
Fri/Oct-07 Dallas, TX Three Links
Sat/Oct-08 Austin, TX Elysium
Sun/Oct-09 Houston, TX Warehouse Live
Tue/Oct-11 Santa Fe, NM Skylight Cafe– NEWLY ADDED DATE!
Wed/Oct-12 Phoenix, AZ Joe’s Grotto
Thu/Oct-13 San Diego, CA Soda Bar
Sat/Oct-15 San Francisco, CA Thee Parkside
Sun/Oct-16 Los Angeles, CA Union- Das Bunkers 20th Anniversary
Mon/Oct-17 Santa Ana, CA Constellation Room
———-

mmm