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Sneaky Sound System - Sneaky Tour Diary

Author: MC Double D
Monday, April 6, 2009

On tour in the UK, MC Double D (AKA Daimon Downey) of Sneaky Sound System kept a diary whilst on the road – and we stole it. Here’s his account of their first week.

DAY 1
Goodbye Australia, see you in a month.

DAY 2
Touch down in London in the morning. Get us off this plane please! Holy crap it’s freezing. We jump in a cab and head straight for the US embassy to pick up our work visas for the US. Seems the Freestylers are there to do the same. I start to think about the last time we were in Miami and I’m feeling a little nervous… that place is mental. We get to the hotel, dump our bags and head straight to Cipriani for lunch – yummy. Quick snooze and then drinks with friends, then more drinks with the same friends, then another drink...

DAY 3
Hangover! Damn it. So it’s off to Brighton. We all pile into the bus – oh, this bloody bus. Nine-seater with a table. There are eight of us all up including our new UK stage crew and half the seats face backwards and the DVD player isn’t working. All aboard. This will be fun – not. The show went really well. 80 per cent poms so word is spreading. Small-ish venue (Audio) but packed and jumping. We all feel a bit jetlagged so off to bed except Sibbsy (drummer) and Ian (sound dude) who hit the streets of Brighton.    

DAY 4
While having brekky we get the best news ever. We’re flying to Glasgow instead of having to get in that goddamn bus again. Too easy. Here we are in Glasgow where it’s bitterly cold and wet. Find a bar with Sibbsy and Black Angus, shoot pool, drink pints, get tipsy and call it a night.   

DAY 5
Show day. We’re playing at Archers. We’ve heard great things about this place and they’re all true. Sound checks are getting really easy, the gig was fantastic, radio airplay is working so the crowds know the words to UFO by heart. Fun! We celebrate the show by heading to a club which I can’t remember the name of. Best sound ever! Amazing little space, dark, low ceilings and the only light came from a neon sign that reads: “we love your ears”. We had way too much fun.     

DAY 6
All aboard the train (not the bloody bus) to lovely Birmingham. This is the second time we have played here (Academy 3) and ticket sales say there will be twice as many people. Interesting show, very early in the week (I think it’s Tuesday today) and damn cold, so it took a bit of work to get ’em jumping. But when they did, they didn’t stop. Once again not many Aussies… I think this is working. Early night for all, see you in the lobby at noon. Good night.

DAY 7
It’s a short trip to Manchester so we all jump the bus. Now that the DVD is working it’s a Flight of the Conchords marathon and the bus becomes fun. Lunch…sound check…dinner…bang! It’s gig time. It’s the second time playing here also and things are looking up. Twice as many people again and they all have a bit more of the devil in their eyes. Maybe it’s the full moon. Today is Tuesday (finally getting my bearings) and the place was jumping. Thanks Manchester. We’re all a bit spent so it’s off to bed, but not without a nightcap/knock-off drink in the hotel bar.

WHO: Sneaky Sound System
WHAT: Play Bathurst University / Waves, Wollongong / Newcastle Panthers / Penrith Panthers / The Cube, Campbelltown / Hornsby RSL / Selina’s, Coogee / UCU Refectory, Canberra
WHEN: Wednesday 8 April / Thursday 9 / Friday 10 / Sunday 12 / Thursday 16 / Friday 17 / Saturday 18 / Saturday 2 May
MORE: sneakysoundsystem.com

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