Our final gig of the European leg of the tour was in Italy, so we had to be up early to drive there from Germany.
When we arrived we were shown to our very appropriate dressing room…
…Although a price list on the wall made me question what went on here when they didn’t have concerts…
The gig was going really well until it was time for the drum solo. Being a small stage, I made my way off via the only route possible – next to Simon’s bass amp. To my bewilderment I was nearly knocked to the floor when I was struck very hard by some mystery object. In full view of the audience I did my best to regain my composure and get off the stage as quickly as possible. When I got off I looked back to see what might have hit me – it was instantly obvious what had happened. Simon had led his bass on top of his amp, the neck and headstock lying directly across the path I had to take to get off the stage, in the darkness I’d walked straight into it. Once off stage I got the owners of the venue to give me some ice to take some of the swelling down before going back on to finish the show. Needless to say, I was eager to get the rest of the gig out of the way!
After the show I spent a little more time with the icepack against my now-pounding head, before leaving for the hotel for couple of hours’ sleep – tomorrow’s flight home was an early one.
