Dan Patlansky Blog #8: Wrapping up the European Tour

After the last blog entry I had two days off in Munich before my last performance with Everlast. On the morning of the show at Backstage our German photographer took me down to her friend’s house, just outside Munich for a photo shoot. On arrival she mentioned that her friend was one of the biggest vintage guitar dealers in Germany. So before we started the shoot I insisted we look at the guitars. All I can say is holy crap! I saw and played instruments I had only read about before. Tons of Teles from the ’50s, and tons of Strats from the ’50s and early ’60s. Before this morning the oldest Fender I had ever played on was my 1962 start called “Old Red.” What an awesome way to start a day. Before we left back for the hotel I made the guy a promise, that I would be back one day with a giant pile of Euros. Check out this guy online, 10 Guitars.

Show 5 – Backstage Munich

I was somewhat comfortable performing on the Everlast tour by this stage, even though I hadn’t met the guy yet. I listened to Joe, Everlast’s tech guy, do a basic sound check, and then Everlast appeared from his dressing room, and before he took the stage he walked up to me and said, “Are you Dan?” He stuck out his hand and said, “I don’t normally shake people’s hands but wanted to say thanks for being on the tour with us, and I really dig what you do.” I was a bit nervous, but so glad I got to chat to the guy. During sound check he called over the mic and asked, “Do you wanna come play a tune with us tonight?” “Hell yes,” I said. I played my regular set before Everlast, I got the best reaction so far on the tour. I was thrilled the last show turned out so great.

Everlast took the stage and played his best set yet! The crowd was eating out of his hand. During his 3rd song encore as promised he invited me up to join him. It was epic being up there with one of the biggest voices I’ve ever heard. After the show he invited me for a Whisky in his dressing room. We chatted about South Africa, guns, and great players we were into. I must say Everlast is a first class guy!

Show 6 – Kap Tormentoso Stuttgart

This was the first show with my band Andy Maritz and Clint Falconer. I was excited to play in my normal 3-piece format again. The room was deep underground and felt right for a bit of blues. This was a 3-piece acoustic show. After a good sound check we left and walked around the beautiful city for about an hour. We arrived back to a packed club and battled to get back to the stage. I was worried because it was loud in the place and we were doing an acoustic set. We quickly adjusted our setlist and removed most of the soft quiet tunes. It was a great hour and a half, the people really got into it from the word go. A new tour manager Chris Cabal took over and toured with us for the rest of the tour from this show. We loaded the tour bus up and headed back to Berlin for a day off before we hit Denmark.

Show 7 – Horsens Blues Fest Denmark

This was the first booking we got and motivated us to do the European tour in the first place. It was an easy drive from Berlin. The autobahn did freak me out a bit. Driving in the back of a big tour bus at 110 mph in pouring rain isn’t the most relaxing thing I’ve ever done. On arrival in Horsens we checked into our Hotel – which was great. This show would be our first electric show of the tour, and I was nervous, I had only played acoustic for the last two weeks, and in sound check my electric guitar felt a bit strange, and took some adjusting on my part. There where some real cool acts on the bill for the fest, Canned Heat being the head line for the night.

I was really happy because they gave me a mid ’60s Super reverb to play on, and it sounded great! 8 pm was our show time. The place was packed shoulder to shoulder. All I can say is it was brilliant playing for this crowd! I got the feeling they felt every note we played, and they were very responsive, which made it incredibly easy to play. I had a blast doing this show, and it felt great to be playing my Strat again. After all shows I go and do a meet and great at the merch table. By the time I got to the table this night we were almost completely sold out in merch. The response to the show was overwhelming! What a great fest, and great bunch of people, I look forward to the next one.

Show 8 – The Blues Garage Hanover

I’ve read about this venue for years, and was excited to see what it was all about. The owner Henry was kind enough to open the place on a Sunday night for us. Walking around the venue before sound check was a trip! Every Blues Rock Act ever has, at some point, played the Blues Garage. Signed memorabilia everywhere! The stage had the front end of a muscle car jutting out the front. It kinda felt like we had arrived in Texas. Henry was very cool indeed, and made us feel very welcome. I got the feeling Henry would be a tough guy to impress because he had seen everyone worth seeing. After sound check, Henry drove us to a motel he owned called ‘Motel California.’ This was also his house. The mind blowing memorabilia continued. My room had a whole bunch of Robert Cray signed stuff, along with a Jimmie Vaughan signed guitar. We walked around this place for hours in awe. This guy is living the dream, man!

The show went great, and it was an honor just standing on that stage. At the meet and great after the show, I met two guys that had driven from Berlin to catch the show after seeing me with Everlast. I really enjoyed this night, and look forward to returning.

Show 9 – The Half Moon London

The trip from Hanover to London was nothing short of hell. 19 hours of travel. Car, train, underground tube, train again, and we arrived in London with our eyes bleeding. Luckily we had two days off before the show, which were spent sleeping. I always feel my body and mind shut down near the end of a tour, so I had to keep myself from heading down that road. I felt at ease before this show because I had performed at it one month earlier on a small acoustic tour to the UK with a good friend of mine, Nibs van der Spuy.

Fender UK were kind enough to supply me with a Super reverb for this show, and we all couldn’t wait to take the stage. The crowd really seemed to dig the show, for me it was a tough day at the office. The travel had finally got to me, I battled to concentrate. But all in all it turned out great. It was a cool last show for the tour, cool crowd, and cool venue.

A very enjoyable tour, and a big thanks the everyone that came out to the shows. Cant wait for the next one.

– Dan Patlansky

Photos by Ina Bohnsack