04.13.16 — 16:47 CET — Hotel room, Tilburg, NL

Got in a little bit ago. I am unshowered. I am unslept, unfed, dehydrated, decaffeinated. Upon landing at Schiphol Airport, I decided against coffee because I thought I’d come to the hotel and go to sleep before the Hardrock Hideout kicks off Roadburn 2016 in a couple hours. I’m starting to feel like that was the wrong decision. Shaman Lee, with whom I’m sharing a hotel room, showed up with some powdered cappuccino and I had one of those, which helped, but I could use something to eat and a few hours shuteye. Not gonna happen.

This is me shocking myself into Roadburn mode. The next four days are going to be nonstop. I know this well, and it’ll be coffee and adrenaline carrying me through it, as always, I just need to get into that space mentally and physically. The Hardrock Hideout is the stretching session before the marathon. By Friday I won’t remember my name. Existence will be a haze of tonal weight and the impulse to type. Obliterated. Living the dream.

The Netherlands is still beautiful. The architecture, the spaces, even the sound barriers they put on the side of the highway look like art. It’s an amazing place. I’m lucky to be back. The hotel room looks out around the corner to Weirdo Canyon, which is about all one can possibly ask of a vantage point.

I already lost my sunglasses. Took no time whatsoever. I took a shuttle from the airport with the artist Kim Holm and the 11 people apparently operating under the banner of Misþyrming for the fest, left my sunglasses in the back of the van. My only excuse is I’m about a quarter conscious. They were my backup pair anyway, so no great loss, but it doesn’t bode well for my over-the-head pillow, which I brought along against my better judgment, knowing I left another pillow here three or four years ago. Tried to have the hotel mail it and everything. They did not.

What the hell was I saying? Roadburn mode. I’ll get there. A shower will help, so I’m gonna get to work on that and get some of this plane-funk off my skin. More later.

Tags: Roadburn 2016, Roadburn 2016 Trip, Roadburn Festival

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 13th, 2016 at 10:31 am and is filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.