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Pre-Fest Notice

The Fest Call was put out by Armin Big Bird Gienger....

First EuroRustFest

All right here is the first Euro RustFest, for now it consists of the proud number of 2 rusties.

Myself (Big Bird) and Ian together with our non-Rust friends will meet at Neils show in Konstanz next Saturday. Anyone wants to join?

. . . . . Big Bird Armin (flying across the highway to Konstanz in 3 days)
. . . . . . . . ae54@iamlasun4.mathematik.uni-karlsruhe.de

Fest Report

The participants were:

• Ian from London
• Ian's girlfriend Nicki
• Horst from Germany & Croatia
• Silvia from Italy & Freiburg
• Armin Big Bird Geinger
• Armin's wife, Evelyn

OK, our RustFest was kind of small, we were just two actual rusties: Australian rustie Ian from London and myself. Me and my wife left our hometown early in the morning for a 3 hour car trip to Konstanz. The weather was really bad, it had rained all night and in the morning and it was very cold. It all seemed like it was November and not the beginning of summer. We arrived at the venue at 1 pm and met with two friends, Horst from Germany who lives in Croatia and came here for just one day and Silvia from Italy who lives in Freiburg. We had made a meeting point with Ian and his girlfriend Nicki at 1 or 2 or 3 whenever they would make it. I was glad we finally met them at 3 pm. They just flew in from London the same day. So we were people from 4 countries tarvelled very far just to see Neil!! That's great.

Luckily it didn't rain anymore that day (at leat until 11 pm when the show was over). So we could sit down and enjoy the afternoon, drinking beer, eating and chating all the time. It really was a great day. Thanks again to Ian and Nicky, you are so nice persons.

The only support band I was interersted in was Grand Lee Buffalo. They were very good allthough I didn't follow their show with much concentration. At the end the singer said something like: "This one's for our great hero we'll see tonight." And then they played a really rocking cover of For The Turnstiles.

After Marla Glen ended we rushed in front as we wanted to get as close as possible to the stage. But there was still another support band the Levellers. There were many kids at front who began jumping and dancing like crazy so we had to move back. When they were over we could go in front again. Finally we managed to stand about 5 meters from the stage having an excellent view.

The stage was rebuilt and it was very interesting. They put on very old looking Fender amps, quite close together and the drums were put in front so all in all there was very little space for Neil, Poncho and Billy, not more than on a very small venue (OPL?). They put big candles eveywhere and a little brown box where 'The travelling Echos' was written. On another box there was a miniature white car (dont't know the brand). Behind the drums there was an ancient looking organ, and at the left margin of the stage there was an old piano with a microphone. We were wondering what they were for and still don't know as neither of them was used during the concert. On a small chair was a bottle of beer (Jever), placed for Neil. Everything looked great and it reminded me of the OPL shows reviews I read. It was a total contradiction to the stage outlet of the former NY&CH tours.

At 9.05 they entered the stage. Neil was wearing a red flanel shirt and torn off blue jeans. It didn't seem he had a haircut recently. We were all excpecting Country Home as starter but it was Pocahontas and I loved it. Neil's voice was mixed a little low. After that they played the Zuma songs Stupid Girl and Drive Back. Then came Big Time and it seemed I was the only one who knew that song (and also my wife, who isn't a Neil fan but for the last two weeks I played nothin but BA at home). Then came Dangerbird and right after that Slip Away, both about 10 minutes version, which seemed a bit too long for some people. Slip Away is one of my favorites of BA but I was a bit dissapointed of the live version.

Anyway, after TNATDD, the crowd got enthusiastic and then came Fuckin' Up which was really great. The song ended in a big feedback jam, leading right into Cortez, great!

Then came Music Arcade, nobody knew that either but it was accepted very well. Barstool Blues was just great with a very long ending. LAH was great too, and of course the crowd got crazy. Neil sang the first verse of LAH twice and after the first long solo it seemed as it was over, but then he started again with 'I am just a dreamer ...', very slowly just like at the OPL.

Last song before the encores was Prisoners. That was really great. The guys were jamming as mad, all three of them were standing together even bouncing at each other as if they were a teenie punk band. Neil's cable knocked over the beer bottle and it broke. Wow, this was just too good.

The first encore was RITFW. It was played quite slowly but at the end there was un unbelievable solo from Neil. It seemed like he was Pete Townshend and Iggy Pop in one person. He tore all his string and for one moment I thought he would smash Old Black on the microphone. Then he grabed the second beer bottle and smashed it right to Bill'y feet. For one moment Billy looked scared but then they smiled again. Neil waved to the crowd and they left the stage.

Last encore was Powderfinger. Old Black was not ready yet, so Neil had another guitar. The attachment of the guitar belt(?) somehow broke so Neil had to clamp the guitar between his leg and his stomach.

That was it, they didn't do another encore. I suppose they weren't allowed to play any longer. All in all a great show, it could have been longer, the weather could have been better, and the crowd in front of the stage was a bit annoying. But Neil and the Horse had much fun in playing.

Ian took some photos during the show, maybe they will show up on HyperRust sometime. We left, eveybody going their long way home. I had to drive 3 more hours and at 3 am we fell into the bed exhausted but happy (at leat I was).

. . . . . Big Bird Armin (not ill, but still a bit tired)

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