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I was wondering why do you travel across the continent to see gigs?

When there is some band I really like and it's not coming to play in my country I just check the tour, the ticket prices, the flights fares and also the place where the gig is gonna be taken. If I'm really interesed in the band, I  usually book everything for months in advance to travel abroad or months and sometimes, if I'm very big big fan, like Pearl Jam, I can see them in different countries and repeat if they're also coming to my country.

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Where did you travel to see your favourite bands?
I traveled around Europe and North America to see many gigs. I didn't go always for pleasure but sometimes for work, to interview some music band or to attend some special event. But, anyway, it' s also fun meeting the music bands and another people involved in the music industry and, of course, the trip itself!

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I’m sure you had many good times watching concerts abroad, but did you have any bad or weird experience on our trip? How did you solve it?

Now I can remember a couple of bad experiences. Once my passport was stolen just when I got in a bus in London. I just realized realized I didn't have my Passport with me when near Liverpool station, where you get the train to go to the airport. I searched for the nearest pólice station. When I got there, they told me I had to report it in the nearest police station where the theft occurred. I finally went to the airport and reported it to the airport pólice and I finally missed my flight. I had to sleep on the airport, waiting for the next day to get a new Passport and new flight tickets.

On another trip to UK, I traveled from Spain to attend a music Festival and when I got there, I was not on the press list so I couldn' t get to the music festival. I tried to reach my contacts on the music magazine and other people involved on the press music industry that could help me but there was nothing they could do.  I freaked out because I didn't know anyone there and I didn' t  have accommodation. Furthermore, that festival was a bit far from the main city. I didn' t know how to get back home and I couldn' t change my flight so I  called a friend that lived in London. He told me I could sleep at his home so I got the bus provided for the festival to the main city and I luckily got a ticket for the night train to get to London.

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Yes, weird experience...

That is not all. I have another one, but this is a bit funnier than the previous one. Once I traveled to New York City to interview Evanescence. I knew I shouldn' t had gone because I only had 50€ in my bank account at that time. So when I arrived to the airport, I sneaked into the airport bus to the city without ticket because I had no money with me. Fortunately, the flight and the accommodation was paid by a music magazine so I only needed to pay for some food. We went to interview  Evanescence music band and then we went to the showcase. Last day, I took a taxi to JFK airport to get my flight back to Spain. When the taxi arrived to the destination I was shocked by the Price, 50$. Almost all my savings! I realized I had no money with me so I told the taxi driver I would give him my jacket as a prove that I would pay the ride. When I came back, the taxi driver was gone. So that was it! I paid my taxi fare with a jacket and I kept my 50$ . 

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Interesting! Now I’m curious. What you usually bring when you travel for gig?
Simple one. Clean under wear, a raincoat and a pair of Wellies boots if you go to music festivals. The gigs are usually held out door, so you have to get ready for the rain, especially in UK music festivals.

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Ah, yes. Rain coat and boots are important but often forgotten. But, that’s it? That’s all your luggage?
Yes, because usually I only spend one or two days for gig travel. Maybe a little bit longer if it's a music festival.

 

You don’t stay longer for touristic things when you had your gig travel?
Well, if I haven’t been there, I try to do sightseeing around the city. I usually buy a small travel guide and I check the top 10 things to see, I don' t plan much my trips. so I never booked my accommodation except if it being booked by my magazine or only at my first and last day. In between, I’m improvising.

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But beside gig travels, I guess you also like to do a leisure travel. Are you planning to travel abroad only for leissure?

I' d love to travel to Scandinavia, like Norway or Iceland. They seem exotic places to me. I saw many pictures,videos and also my friends talked me so much about that I got very impressed and I can' t wait to go.
 

Whenever you travel, you book accommodation, transport, etc. in advance?

I used to improvise and I never booked anything but, lately, I tend to book the accommodation in advance. At least, the first and the last day I'm staying in the city.

 

Which countries have you visited only for the gig? All western european countries and North America.

 

Are you planning to travel abroad, soon, for some gig? Which one? Yes, I'm planning to travel to Chicago for Pearl Jam' s gig.

 

Just, before finish, your top 3 cities?

Berlin, because is a vibrant city  with so much cultural life. It' s one of these cities where I really felt I wanted to live.

New York city. I have a love and hate relationship with this city. It has so much energy and things happening there that most of the time I spend there, when I came back home I felt I needed a weekend or week on the beach and just doing nothing. Because if you don't stop and take advantage of all events and things happening there in a short time you' ll run out your energy very fast if you are not used to.

Arras, in France. I loved this place because is a mix of french, dutch and belgium culture.

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Your top 3 cities to see concerts?​

Dublin, London, Chicago.

 

 

 

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Interview and text: Gustavo Moral​ & Annastasia