The Mighty Zoezel 

Oh my. Where to begin. The start I guess. We arrived at last nights venue at around 2pm. Our friend and tonight’s promoter Seppe is waiting for us and preparing the venue. We load in and prepare for the night ahead. Dempsey sends a message letting us know he’s made it to Antwerp and will be at the venue in time for our meal at 5pm. We set up and sound check our new songs ‘Kaassouffle’ and ‘Medusa’. Seppe nips out of the building and returns with a massive pot pan. His dear Mum had made us all Spaghetti Bolognese. There was loads we were still eating it at 4am. After dinner we start to question where Dempsey is. Seppe then asks if he can film us doing some acoustic sessions outside the venue. Of course we agree.


After filming it was dark and It was nearly 8pm. We get a call from Dempsey. He was lost. Somehow he ended up in another town called Zandhoven. Me and Seppe set out to try find him. We found him lurking by some Pizza shop looking fed up but also relieved. As we return to the venue the other bands started arriving. The Sick Boys and Libery Valance. Both bands were outstanding. Sick Boys earned the man of the match performance though. Absolutely brilliant. Jef is an amazing frontman. It was like Eugene Hutz fronting Social Distortion.


Around midnight we take to the stage. David Holmes introduced us whilst I was backstage. I noticed a set of casters used for lugging amps about. I decide that when the band burst on stage that I would run out and do a Klinsmann dive on the casters and skate across the room. It worked and felt ace. We smash through our set. The new songs go down a treat especially ‘Kaassouffle’. Normally I TRY get the crowd to strip to their pants during the final song. Not tonight. They just did it anyway about halfway through the set. Amazing. After we finish the gig the crowd start chanting the chorus of ‘Kaassouffle’. The smile on my face must’ve been huge.

I take some time to sell some merch and talk to crowd before joining everyone at the bar. This is where things get blurry. Pete our photographer is already smashed. Joel is on some of the finest beer Belgium has to offer. Westmalle. Somehow me and Dempsey get roped into some never ending darts drinking game. I don’t think anyone won that contest. Pete passes out. Will and Dave decided to have an early night. Myself, Joel, and Dempsey stay up til the early hours playing table football, pole dancing, and listening to some euro-techno music. 


I awake this morning and the flashbacks of last night just fill me with laughter and joy. We’re going to Amsterdam today. It’s Peters birthday. This could get messy. My voice? I have no voice. I just have to hit and hope that it returns at stage time. Dave walks into the room as I type this singing “Ain’t no party like a Yalla Yalla party”.


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