We exchange one Freddie for another, and meet the Czech NovakSeen

Our invaluable driver/translator/all-around-good-guy Freddie doens't have a passport, and since the Czech Republic isn't part of the European Union, they won't let him in. We get to the Czech border, and Freddie asks for a day pass, but is denied. The cops look around the van somewhat, Freddie grabs his sleping bag, and hitches back to Dresden while our man Stosh takes us on our adventure into Ceska.

As soon as we get past the border, a fog descends, and I remember that both Frankenstein and Dracula come from these parts. We go thru a tiny border town just crawling with prostitutes (we don't stop - damn) and Stosh, with Noli's help, guides us safely to the town of Usti.

It's a pretty small club, but has lots of charm. We've exchanged a bit of our money, and buy a few beers while we're waiting for the show promoter to arrive. We meet Jan and his girlfriend Susan, two extremely cool twenty-somethings. They both speak Enlgish pretty well, and we hang out and have a few beers. They both do web design, Jan had worked for the Usti City Council until they ran out of money. They still owe him 2 months salary. Jan told me that they recently had elections, and only 30 people in the town voted, and they all voted for communist officials. There's a good deal of unemployment, and the police are a constant threat. Certain types of music, like techno and drum 'n bass, are seen as a threat, so they're forbidden. There's a strong youth culture, tho, and Jan and Susan are optimistic.

After a few hours, the promoter arrives. His name is Milan Bishtek, but everyone calls him Freddie. He's in his 40's I'd guess, and he plays drums in the headlining band tonight, along with his wife on vocals, and Jan on bass. The similarities between them and NovakSeen are eerie, but they are all very nice, and they really like our band. Freddie took us to a restaurant for dinner (Czech cuisine of goulash, pastas and vegetables), the 5 of us are well fed for 400 crowns, about $10.

We played a good show (my personal best of the tour and Noli's voice is still strong despite her cold), and the crowd liked us. At one point, an obnoxious and drunk guy hassles Noli. She plays him off well, but he's trying to impress his friends, so he grabs her. Noli pushes him away and curses, she's pissed. After our set, he comes up to Noli with a few flowers and tries to apologize, but Noli isn't having any of it. She turns away from him, and when he turns to walk away, she kicks him really hard in the ass with those gigantic platform boots. All his friends laugh at him. The girl knows how to take care of herself.
At the club in Usti, Noli giving it all, as usual.
Me phasing in and out of the space-time continuum. I think it was the beer.
Small but charming club, with very Eastern Eurpoean murals on the walls and ceilings (sorry it's so blurry).
Getting checked by the Czech police.

We stay at some guy's apartment, which gives both Travis and me nightmares. We reckon that there are probably dead bodies hidden in the walls. It is a pretty creepy town, but it was really fun, especially meeting Jan and Susan and Freddie and his wife. They took very good care of us.

On the way back to Dresden, we get pulled over. The cops look thru the van somewhat, then tell us that this van has a permit for only 2 occupants, and we have 5. We thought they were going to make 3 of us walk to the border (another several miles), but Noli sweet talks us out of this jam. Once we get to the border, we're again searched by German police, who are more thorough and suspicious. One guy looks like he was in Flock of Seagulls, and when we tell them we're a band, they lighten up a little bit. They still pull the van apart, and count how many beers and packs of cigarettes we have (I offer them some, but they decline).

We're released after a while, and are now finding our way back to Dresden to pick up Freddie. All the regular gigs have been canceled except for the last three or four. Freddie and his guys have filled up the empty slots, so we will play, but we can't promote these shows in time, so turn out will probably be low. Still, any playing is good playing.

We have one more show with Freddie tonite, then he leaves to take another band on tour. There has been talk of another driver coming to get us, but it's not definite. I'm pretty sure it will work out, but if it doesn't, Travis and I are going to hightail it to Berlin.

Its been quite an adventure so far, but we're all doing the best we can, working much harder than we expected, and it's paying off. What else are we going to do, go home? No way. I've seen other bands on this tour who are worse of than us, and they press on. So shall we.

Enjoying the sights,
Shambo