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Tour Dispatch #6: Back in the UK

We haven't toured the UK since Oct-Nov last year. Over the last week and a half we did it again—and with style! We played in front of approx 81,000 thousand people over 7 gigs! How about that? People are certainly hungry for some Razorlight in the old country. My new country, really, but who cares. They love it. We love it. Everybody's happy. We started off in Exeter in Devon. The venue was called Westpoint and what that name doesn't reveal is that every year the have a big farm animal fair there. Basically the whole shed (a big quite modern shed but still...) gets stuffed with cows, horses, pigs, chickens, geese and all the other stuff people eventually cook and eat (not me tho, not in the last 11 years). Tried to be a bit cultural and went down to the cathedral before the gig. Pretty old and cool I must say.

Second gig was in Bournemouth on the south coast. But first we had a day off there. We stayed in a beautiful old hotel with a very warm and deep pool. And it was right on the beach so of course I had to take a long walk there. The day off ended with football, beer and a stripclub visit. Everyone had a lapdance but me—just socializing—I promise. Next day me and Björn played in the pool again (not with each other) and since I had the luck of getting a suite with a bloody living room we hung out there for a bit before it was time for the gig.

Then the bus took us up north to Newcastle. Had a nice walk and breakfast with Andy and Rob (he was sort of our assistant on this tour, and as always a great guy!). We got spotted by some fans and "had to flee" into another cathedral. This one was smaller and as soon as we came in we got approached by an old cleric. He was nice but we left. Gigs up north are normally a bit more rowdy than down south and the geordies didn't dissapoint us. Next up Manchester and our biggest own gig to date (not counting Earls court a few days later), about 16,000 people. Damn!

A day off in Glasgow followed and we got to stay in another really nice sort of stately home in the countyside outside of the city, on the river Clyde. More long walks as you might have expected. In the evening we had rented a bar and partied there with all the crew til late. I even did some karaoke! First time actually and I only did '80s classics like Show Me Heaven, Heaven Is A Place On Earth, Take My Breath Away and You're Still The One (I know that one's '90s). Then we continued for a bit longer at the hotel. After a while the staff got tired and left so we just had to serve ourselves which is always nice. The gig at the SECC was mental. The Scots are wilder by nature than the English I reckon, and it's always a pleasure coming back. We played a lot of gigs in Glasgow right from the start of our touring days and I definitely think it has paid off. Thank you Scotland!

On the way back to London we stayed in Birmingham for a gig at the NEC. Before the gig we met up with our old crew members Handsome-Steve and Stew. Two good friends we enjoyed a few pints with. Up until this we had been supported by two excellent English bands: Pull Tiger Tail and Mohair. Mohair did the US tour with us so we knew it was gonna be a pleasure. I'd never heard Pull Tiger Tail before but I was more or less blown away. They only been together for a year or so but you can't tell. I'm actually listening to them as I write this. And they like Guided by Voices! Lovely lads. I hung out quite a lot with members from both of those bands. Big thanks to them!

Last gig on the tour was the mighty Earl's Court in west London. Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd did it in their golden days but tonight it was time for Razorlight. Almost 20,000 people and definitely one of my favourite gigs ever. I'd never expect a London crowd to be this wild. Everyone was jumping for most of the gig and I couldn't stop smiling. My dad had come over from Sweden for this gig and I think he was a bit shocked afterwards. Result! Naturally we had to have an end of tour party and as always when we do London there's a lot, and I mean a lot, of people we know there. Friends and colleagues and industry people all drinking together. The only sad thing is that there's never enough time to talk to everyone you want to catch up with. But nevertheless, a glorious ending to a glorious tour.

Now we have a week off, then it's time for a nice little German tour. Ich liebe Deutschland. Bis später.

- Carl
04.27.07

Click here to read Dispatch #5

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