Post-tour re-entry

Post-tour re-entry is never easy. We had a mammoth drive back from Brussels yesterday, after a late night at a police station to report a stolen bag and passport. Two hours to process getting our equipment back into the country didn’t help. Thanks again Brexit. We were back to it today. Back on the school run and work, and back to a mountain of laundry, an outlandish (incorrect) million-pound tax bill and a run to Liverpool for a fast-tracked new passport. All fun and games.

I don’t think we’ve quite processed our EU dates yet. We’re glad to have survived ten days straight without a day off. That’s a first for us. It’s tough out there. Harder to tour than it’s ever been. We try not to forget what a privilege international touring is. It’s something most bands never get to experience. No one is owed a living from making music and that point seems to get forgotten in all the conversations about the changing face of the music industry. But… what could be better than cruising around in a van with your mates, and playing music for people? Honestly… not much.<
So, a big thank you to everyone who came out to have salad pelted at them. Thanks for the beers, shots, handshakes, merch sales, words of encouragement and deep philosophical conversations. Thanks to all the promoters and venues. We know it’s tough right now, but it will get better (at some point). Rock and roll will always find a way. BIG thanks to Mikey and Trev for making us look and sound like the finest stadium rock band known to man, playing in the sweatiest basements of Europe.

It feels like we hit another level over the last ten days. There’s life in the old dog yet.

Here are some photos of the final show at Le Botanique in Brussels by Christophe Dehousse.

Even the robbery couldn’t take the shine off that one.

ILT x