EUROPEAN "Better" Tour (SPRING 2017)

[Tusk]

Okay, Here goes...

My mind was terribly busy today, that's on top of the chaos that happens in my brain every day of a show (more chaos than the usual)....

I was still wondering if I'd ever hear from Team Haley from the video I'd linked them to. They said a 12 hour turn around, and this was 3 days since.

I was preplanning ahead how I would get to the train station that would take me under the North Sea into London (The Eurostar) to see the show in London tomorrow/today

I was thinking how to try and get the VIP tickets that I had ordered to bring my Aunt and Uncle to see Haley (the tickets were sent back to the venue, turned out they had put the wrong address on it)

I was making my checklist, checking it twice, of what I wanted to bring. Because I had heard nothing, I wasn't sure if I wanted to even bother bringing my DSLR and go with the iPhone. The iPhone underwhelmed when it came to recording the Berlin audio, so even that might not happen.

The email came in, the VIP was to be 5:30, but my Uncle told me that he wouldn't be able to make that time, maybe 6:30. I had wanted to bring them so they could see what this Haley thing was all about.... I had prepared them a day earlier, showed them CHFIL, Creep, Laguna At Last, Seven Nation Army, but told them that she would be performing her own songs, not necessarily Jazz. (they are Jazz fans)

Tusk‏ @HaleysTusk May 28
Preparing my Aunt and Uncle to see @HaleyReinhart @ledivandumonde tomorrow in Paris #CantHelpFallingInLove

So it was a bit of a bummer that it's likely they won't be able to meet Haley, let alone see the mic check... what was most important, it would be a long day because the VIP was 2 hours before the show, that I get chairs for them.... I get tired standing for two hours, let alone them...

Then I had to coordinate to meet with Harry Burns who was taking a train from Lyon to the show. We agreed to get there early, check out the scenes and have some time to get to know each other.

I was determined to find my way, Paris has a fantastic Metro, but it had been 5 years since I was here last, but I didn't want my relatives to feel like they needed to drive me around and their place is in between two major train/metro stations. Still I needed to orient myself. I needed to take line 12 to Pigalle and Haley's show, then tomorrow, take line 4 to Gare Du Nord, where I would catch the Eurostar to England.

Finally, I collected my bag with my camera equipment, threaded the strap through my tripod so I wouldn't have to carry it along the way and headed off. Immediately, I felt disoriented as I stepped out Looking at a map then real life with pedestrians cars and alleys, I headed where I thought was the right direction. Soon things I anticipated I should see, weren't there, so I used my spoken french to ask "Excuse moi, ou est le Metro?" I was pointed to the direction I should take. Relieved I finally entered a big building. There were several shops and very busy, again disorientation set in.

I finally located the Metro, of course it was downstairs, two flights (duh)....my Aunt advised me to buy a book of ten since I will need it to make more trips during my stay, save some money. It cost 14.5 Euros for 10 tickets. I went to a ticket booth, and chose the book of 10. I had collected quite a few Euro coins during my trip to Germany and France, so I decided to get rid of them here. I depostied 13.5 Euros then, for some reason, the slot closed. The machine dumped all the coins back out, it had an error The next two banks didn't accept my paper cash, finally I found one that worked.... I hurried to take line 4... as soon as I got onto the Metro, I realized my mistake, at the top of the doors there's a linear map, designating all the stops...Pigalle was not one, but Gar Du Nord was.... I had taken the line to take me to the Eurostar and not in the direction of Haley's show....I immediately took the next stop....like an idiot, I exited the metro and had to re enter to catch the right one, Line 12.

Turns out it was going AWAY from Pigalle, approaching a terminal. I asked an elderly couple "parlez vous Anglais" The nodded that they did, in broken French/English, I explained that I needed to go to Pigalle, did this train turn around? Turns out they didn't parlez Anglais, but I understand French a little. So it seemed they confirmed that it did indeed turn around. They got off the 2nd to last stop, the elderly lady said something and pointed to the map, I didn't understand what she said, but I thanked her.... so according to the map, the next stop was the final. When the train reached it, everybody got off...a man passed by the open door of my train looked concerned and waved me to get off... I rushed to the door but it closed, neither of us could get it open.

Not only was I not going to get to Pigalle in time when I was supposed to meet Harry, but I was stuck with no phone and no internet (my adventures with sim cards was disastrous, I could only use my phone when I had wifi, which the train did not)... so the train pulled to a stop, all the cars were empty....I started panicking....what if I'm stuck here!!! Crap!!!

Minutes went by, I started looking around the cab, how do I get out??? Soon a young man walking outside of the train, saw me, I yelled to him I was trying to get to Pigalle.... In a think accident, "It's OK, I drive, you stay here"

Soon I heard the Metro start up again, began moving....it was now going the 'right' direction, I would make my meeting, only 20 minutes late. Jesus that was scary with no phone and no internet, stuck in a stopped train at a terminal, unable to open doors...but all is now good, I was finally heading the direction of Pigalle. When I arrived, and climbed the stairs to the surface, there was Harry, waving....

(To Be Continued)

---

Harry was in good spirits, he asked what I wanted to do? He said the Moulin Rouge was nearby if I wanted, also he mentioned the Sacre Couer was nearby and Montmartre, famous sites. I suggested we go towards the venue, the Divan du Monde. On the way, I picked up a large bottle of water, I get dehydrated easily, and we found a bar nearby, sat down at a table. From my recent stress, I was ready for a beer. I asked Harry how close? He pointed behind him. So finally where I needed to be, I started relaxing, we ordered another round. As we talked about things, who did I see over Harry's shoulder but Willie Ray and Darwin Jones (Haley's new bass player). I signaled to Willie Ray, he recognised me. ( I saw him a couple times last year's tour, especially after the Lincoln Hall show) I reminded him, he responded with a big grin. In Germany, XAtlantic and I saw Darwin with John Notto, I apologized for not knowing his name the, this time I greeted him by name. Harry and I took turns of taking a picture with the two, which they agreed to. As we went back to our table, Harry noticed Jesse was in the bar across from us. We said hi, but it seems he was just getting ready to leave, they had sound check room. I told him he was great in Berlin, Harry said he enjoyed him and met him with PMJ. Jesse also knows "HaleysTusk" because he's reposted a couple of XAtalantic's photos that I posted on my channel. So seeming like his time was short, we said goodbye and left him back to what he was doing.

We returned to our table, and continued our conversation. Soon enough again, over Harry's shoulder, I noticed John Notto with two girls...this was actually hilarious, you would think I would recognise Haley on sight, but she had her hair tied up, I just didn't realise right away that it was Haley and Angie who was with John. I waved over to Haley, greeted with smiles from all of them. Haley told us, they had just returned from seeing Montmartre and Sacre Couer......the two places Harry said we should see and I turned down!!

We told them we were really looking forward to the show, asked if it was OK to take pics with them. Again, Harry and I took turns taking the photos for the other...

We returned to our table yet again, paid for our drinks, collected our stuff and headed to the venue. It was really non descript, there was no sign announcing the name of the venue, just some posters on a black wall of I suppose coming performers. There were two gentlemen in the middle of 3 doors of the black wall. We approached them, I asked if they worked there, they did (ealier, they were seated behind Harry, I noticed they would now and then look our direction. I wasn't sure if it was because my American accent stood out or what, but they were definitely aware of us)

I asked the gentleman that seemed to be in charge, where would I go to retrieve the VIP tickets for my Aunt and Uncle, he said they would be at the counter at 5:30 when the VIP would get in. I told him that I had permission to bring in the camera, he said he knew me, he received the email today, and that would be fine

So all that was left was to wait until the doors opened. Because I was without a working phone without wifi, I had earlier communicated with Harry by my Aunt's phone...this was how we could keep in communication. My Aunt would call Harry's phone once they got there and I could go out and give them the tickets. We talked to other fans, there were a couple girls who had arrived shortly after Haley, Angie and John entered the venue, they didn't have VIP, were hoping to meet her, but just missed them

Soon they let us in, we had heard Haley rehearsing for half an hour or so before they let us in. Angie came out and escorted us into the venue, there were maybe 8 or so of us, I think there were some, like my relatives who were late. Haley greeted us from the stage, introduced the band, some banter, then proceeded to sing Behave and At Last. Then it was time to take the photos and sign autographs.

I took this time to talk to Haley's Road manager whom I talked with first in Berlin...."sorry, mate, I haven't received anything from you, maybe you got my email wrong?" I repeated his name, he thought maybe I missed the "music" at the end of his name. But again, my phone had no access to my email to check without wifi. I wasn't exaggerating when I say, they are extremely accommodating, he gave me the venue password (I would have wifi access during the show to tweet if I wanted!! )

I pulled up my email and showed him, see? With a confused look, he looked at his phone..."WTF it's in my dam spam folder...OK that's annoying, how many emails have I missed?" He indicated that it was neither him or Haley who made the call, he said he would forward my email "to the guys in the States'.....So I was completely mistaken that it was Haley's call "It's possible we hear back from them before the show's over"

(end part 2)

It's 2:40 am now, I have to get up in 5 hours to take the Metro to the Eurostar to London...will finish it when I can... for some reason the London VIP is 4:30...actually, I know why....there's an opening act, Haley liked her tweet...

Dani Sylvia‏ @danisylviamusic May 27
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Hello everyone! I'll be supporting the amazing @haleyreinhart at o2academyislington this Tuesday… https://www.instagram.com/p/BUmEYOKgPB5/