Day 24: Copenhagen
Nau mai
Yesterday we played in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Our trailer got tagged overnight. We are not sure what it says but whatever question they are asking, it is surely a thoughtful one. The working theories are SXOK? or SNOYz? or SXOY₂? Or perhaps it is some kind of formula?
“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”
At 6:30am we were underway, heading south out of Oslo and then along Sweden’s west coast, back to towards the Øresund straight and the crossing into Denmark. We were all tired, but morale was still high and was raised even further when we made our first rest stop next to a small bay on the Hake Fjord, the pristine forecourt of the gas station looking out over calm waters and a quiet anchorage.
A wind powered house.
The gas station went by the name of Ploq, and although it was but a modest establishment, they carried a good stock of sausages and sandwiches. I carefully selected an egg, avocado, and mayo (with a leaf of lettuce for good measure) on a brioche bun.
Gazing out at a pristine mooring was not my only encounter with peace and serenity yesterday morning. When I entered the bathroom of Ploq I was immediately immersed in rich bird song, the rustles and scurries of a rainforest crisply reflecting off the white tile walls and floor.
The remainder of our morning and much of the afternoon was spent on the long journey south, mostly through farmland but occasionally getting close enough to the coastline to glimpse a very choppy Kattegat sea. We reached the Øresund Strait and Copenhagen was visible on the horizon, just 25km away across the water. The bridge stretched out into the middle of the strait, majestic and proud, awaiting our €125 toll payment.
We cruised into Denmark’s extremely handsome capital city just before 3pm, impressively on schedule for such a long driving day. There was a single stop to make before the venue and it was to pick up a Martin 0015 acoustic guitar, an exact replacement for Liz’s lost instrument. This was exciting. The stable was beginning to be repopulated, and soon we could restore some of those lost sounds we had worked so hard to perfect.
Operation More Paul continues with a beautiful 1976 Les Paul Deluxe Gold Top.
The venue was named Pumphuset, and those with a keen linguistic mind might hazard a guess at the former function of this 150-year-old brick structure. This was once the site of Copenhagen Waterworks and the room that now contains a 600 capacity music space once shook with the belching of three large steam engines that drove the city’s water pumps.
This institution might win our venue excellence award. The staff that worked at this venue were so helpful that we were overwhelmed. Things got done before we had a chance to ask for assistance. Our equipment was loaded out of the van by strong gloved hands and disappeared into an elevator, reappearing on the stage a few minutes later.
As we sat in the greenroom after soundcheck a security guard popped his head in the door and offered us slices of his pizza, a local delicacy he wanted us to try.
After the show we had the fastest packdown we have achieved to date, amps and drums disappearing from the stage before we even had a chance to pack them up ourselves. “This is my gym” said one of the loaders as he wielded my heavy bass cab, deciding to dispense with the wheels and carry it down from the stage by himself.
We were tired yesterday evening but this warmth and hospitality we received transformed our experience. The show was fun, as always, and we enjoyed a great turnout on this Thursday evening, one of the great evenings of the week on which to play a rock show.
Shower Door Daily comes to you from the Scandic Vulkan hotel in Oslo. This is probably the most sensible design for a shower door. There is ample room for entry and exit, and there is a rubber flap to seal the seam once the door is closed. No water was lost outside of the interior shower surfaces. Although this is a boring and practical layout there should be points awarded for the plastic rose on the vanity which added a flair not normally found in this budget class.
“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”