Darwin Deez

I lived my whole life unaware that there is a giant train shuttling endless parades of cars from England to Europe. As our Sprinter rumbled into the Euro Tunnel, Darwin observed, “If you sat on a bike inside of the van and went through the Euro Tunnel, you’d have the transportational equivalent of a turducken.”

It’s a trip what a difference a quick journey under the English Channel makes. Our British leg of the tour was sold out from start to finish, an incredible treat for us. In stark contrast, only a third of the venue was full in Gent, our first date in Continental Europe. Despite the band’s popularity in the UK and Germany, it appears our reputation has not yet fully penetrated the French music media.  I did not mind one bit. We were too busy loving life, dashing through Belgian streets crammed full of deranged cartoon graffiti, to a chip shop where Darwin and I dug into giant piles of friets and falafel. Here they serve the world’s most perfect friets (“chips”, “fries”) smack inside the middle of your sandwich.  We dipped our greasy potato wedges into a limitless array of decadent mayonnaise derivatives, including Looksaus, Curry Ketchup, Hawaiian Saus, Samurai Saus, Thai Saus…

Perhaps one goal of roaming around the earth spreading music is to increase your audience, but I have to admit, I almost prefer balancing out our sold out shows with sparser nights. In Belgium, Darwin didn’t have to hide backstage from the barrage of autograph and photo requests. He was able to peacefully take in the opening band along with the rest of the showgoers, without interruption. Even though it was Darwin, and not me, who was the subject of this change, I still somehow felt a personal sense of relief. When we took the stage, there was a feeling that nothing was yet granted to us. We had to convince these strangers that we have magic inside. We had to win their hearts. During the set, I watched my bandmates’ feet kicking and faces sparkling. The performance came from a well of hunger and a love for a challenge, distinctly different from the vibe on the UK stage.  As infinitely grateful as our band is for the support of our England listeners, it’s fun to be a bit of an underdog again. It’s inspiring to be back in mainland Europe.