Gaby Book 27 Smell of the Crowd by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2022 Madeline Bell Life has some certainties, birth and death of course, but the rest is a mix of Minestrone and Spaghetti, some of which we have no direct influence over. We can however decide whether we want Parmesan or other seasoning, we can give Gnochi a try, doesn't mean we'll like it but at least we'll know. Gaby has reached just such a point in her life, she knows she likes Pizza, she's not averse to Spaghetti or Lasagne but is Gnochi for her? The Gnochi in this case is doing the singing with BlauHase on a more serious level, as a 'hobby' its fine but could this be a change of career? Well you don't find out without trying so that's just what our heroine is about to find out in this, the 27th book of the Gaby saga.

 
They were just starting to clear the breakfast stuff when I got Misty to the breakfast room, we got a black look from the serving wench but I did manage to prevail on her for a pot of coffee. While she was fetching that I managed to raid what was left of the buffet for my second breakfast and, well not a croissant but a sort of twisted pastry thing with chocolate inside for Mist – if she doesn't eat it, I will.

"Better?” I enquired a few minutes later.
"A bit,” my friend croaked back.
"How much did you drink?”
"Dunno, too much.”
"Well I think that's a given,” I pointed out.
"Hmmm.”

At that point my Handy started to trill, by the tune it was Dad.

"Morning Daddy,” I chirped.
"Someone sounds chipper, mornin' kiddo, so how is Kassel?”
"Okay I guess, went for a ride this morning.”
"You didn't get lost today?”
"Da-ad.”

When I told him about my ride to Bad Nauheim yesterday he had been concerned but apparently amused at the same time.

"So where did you go?”
"Not far, just up to that monument thing then I did a lap of that circuit we raced on the other year.”
"Herkules or something?”
"Yeah thats it,” I agreed, "And i've got a bone to pick with you.”
"What about?”
"I had a puncture and I couldn't get the QR open, it was like super tight, I had to use a tyre lever to like force it.”
"Don't know why, I always set them the same.”
"That maybe okay for you but I'm not Arnie.”
"But you did it?”
"In the end,” I grumped.
"So I suppose you want another tube when I come down?”
"I can never get the patches to stick.”
"I'll bring another couple, now about the weekend.”
"I know, you'll pick me up at silly o'clock on Sunday.”
"Well yes but a slight change to plans.”
"Oh?”
"We'll come down on Saturday and stay over so we don't have to leave home so early, the others are flying anyway.”
"Makes sense,” I allowed.
"There seems to be some interest in taking in a concert Saturday night,” he went on.
"Concert? Anything nice?”
"Some rock group I think, blue something.”
"Eek!”
"If that's alright?”

Alright? Why wouldn't it be?

"Er sure, just make sure you have ear plugs. I'll erm, sort out some passes or something.”
"Look I need to get on and I'm sure you have stuff to do too, we'll sort things out tomorrow eh.”
"Uh huh.”
"Take care kiddo.”
"I will.”

I am not going to mention last nights todo, ut uh.

"Bye for now.”
"Tschussie, love you!”

 
"Your Dad?” Mist suggested.
"Yeah, he's coming down with Mand tomorrow instead of Sunday.”
"Make a weekend of it I guess.”
"They're gonna come watch the gig on Saturday night.”
"So we're guaranteed to have an audience of two then.”
"At least,” I giggled, "Oh, I wonder if the others will want to come?”
"The rest of the cycle team?”
"If they do we could have a full house of what, six, seven?”
"I'll SMS them later and find out. Are your parents gonna come to any of the gigs, now you're a star?”
"Hardly a star.”
"Okay, twinkle, so?” I pursued.
"I've not told them.”
"Why ever not?”
She shrugged, "Didn't want to jump the pistol.”
"So they won't get to see you.”
"I'll tell them at the weekend.”
"If you don't I will.”
"Ga-ab,” she complained.
"I'm sure they'll want to see you on stage.”
"I'll tell them already!”
 

Its Friday of course, we've been 'on the road' for a week now, at times its flown by, at others its not so much dragged as been stretched out, Monday seemed to last forever. If Robert is right, tonight and tomorrow we'll have even more demanding crowds, they'll probably have had a drink before hand as they aren't work nights for most people, which in turn will make them rowdier. We saw some of that last week and that was before the Britta Bursche session on HR3.

Tonight we play Gießen then tomorrow its Fulda, two fairly big towns, well bigger than some we've played. Now I'm sure some of you are curious as to why we aren't going around the venues a bit more logically, I certainly was. Well according to Robert its all to do with venue availability and programmes, we are small fry in this world so beggars can't be choosers.

Everyone seems quite happy though, we are playing some good venues, tonight we are at the Schilde Halle, which, Robert says, is in a converted factory building near the Messe. Its the same with the accomodation, within budget and hopefully not too far from the venue, tonight for example is the impressive sounding Gambrinus Dutenhofen Hotel which is actually in Wetzlar but is apparently only a ten minute or so drive from the venue. So now you know as much as me.
 

"That it?” Little Jo enquired when I deposited my bags by the bus.
"All of mine, Mist is just coming with hers, she's just handing in the key.”
"Good, we can do with getting off, its a fair drive today.”
"How long?”
"Its about a hundred thirty kilometres and its not a particularly fast road so a good two hours in this.”
"Bit like when we go anywhere in the camper, there's car time and then there's camper time.
"Didn't know you had a camper?”
"Its mostly for going to races.”
"Like a Volkswagen bus thing?”
"We used to have one of those when I was little, no this one is humongous, a three axle Hymer.”
"Whoa,” Little Jo offered, "They are serious money.”
"I think Dad got a good deal, its got the garage name all over and I think the team put towards it too.”
"Even so.”

Further discussion on the subject of motorhomes was thankfully stopped in its tracks by the arrival of Misty and her luggage.

"What took you so long?”
"They wanted to charge me for stuff from the mini bar.”
"Didn't even know there was one,” I admitted.
"Under the TV.”
"You do have to pay for that stuff,” Little Jo put in as he pushed the last bag into the hold.
"I know but I didn't have anything.”
"Didn't you tell them?”
“'course I did but she insisted on checking the fridge, apparently somehow it can tell when you take stuff out.”
"But you said you didn't,” I was confused now.
"Well I sort of did.”
"You either did or didn't Mist.”
"I was going to, last night, I took a can of cola out but I forgot about it, I left it on the side.”
"But its sorted now?”
"Yeah but she didn't even apologise.”
"You two coming,” Stefan queried from the bus door.
"Right there.”
 

You can get to Gießen by motorway, but it adds a chunk to the distance and probably wouldn't be any quicker than the more direct route we used. There was some autobahn but for most of the way we followed Route Three which is mostly two lane and surprisingly busy. I wasn't the only one thinking about food when we reached the outskirts of Gießen, the Backstübe on the way into the Messe complex was a welcome sight indeed.

"Stefan?”
"Whats up Erd?”
"Nothing really, Dad mentioned coming to see us tomorrow night.”
"Word of our fame has spread,” he joked.
"Yeah, back to where we come from.”
"I'll take what I can get,” he grinned, ”we'll get him on the guest list, is it just him?”
"Erm, thats the thing, I don't mean to be cheeky but I think all the team want to come.”
"Well it'll help fill the venue,” he grinned, "Seriously, get me names and numbers, if we can't get our own friends in its a poor do.”
"But no one else has had 'guests'.”
"Not quite true, Anna Louise has been here all week.”
"But that's different, she's actually with us, doing stuff,” I pointed out.
"There were some of our mates at Idstein on Monday too.”
"Really?”
"Yep, so its no problem, there's always some 'guest' capacity and its not like we've been sold out is it?”
"It was quite full last night and the night before.”
"Yeah, good eh?”
"I'll get the names.”

The bakery menu was less than a full on restaurant but more than Thesing's and of course no alcohol which I considered a good thing, Mist has been a bit of a lush this week, maybe last night will return her to moderation. We ended up, all eight of us, sharing a couple of large pizzas which worked out at a couple of big slices each, after all we will get food later all being well. Food eaten we returned to the bus and set off in search of this Schilde Halle place.
 

"I've booked a table at a Chinese restaurant just across the river for nineteen, we'll meet back here say eighteen thirty? We can walk over.” Robert suggested.
"Sounds good,” Marcus opined.

Well it would save looking elsewhere and if Robert's booked, Roberts paying, what's not to like.

It might be a converted factory but the Schilde Halle is quite airy and well appointed inside, nice changing rooms, even an en-suite shower. I guess its used for all sorts of stuff besides music if the posters in the entrance area are anything to go by, next week appears to be a model railway exhibition. This afternoons practice has largely been nit picky stuff, okay, we did run through some of Mistys stuff a couple of times but after a week we've got most of it nailed.

"Come on then, lets find our beds,” Stefan urged.

 
I certainly won't be walking to the hotel tonight, even without last nights 'incident'. By the second turn i'd already lost my bearings and you can't exactly walk along an autobahn anyway. No tonight, whatever happens, I'll be riding back with the rest of BlauHase.

It actually took us closer to fifteen minutes to reach the Gambrinus Dutenhofen, which is, what my lecturers would call, a commercial hotel. In ordinary language that means its aimed primarily at commercial travellers and tradesmen rather than holiday makers. The outside was freshly painted but inside, whilst not worn in the way the Herkules was, it was quite utilitarian, devoid of decoration beyond what looked like a set of old photos of the Dutenhofen through the ages.

"Bit basic,” Mist noted once we were ensconced in room seventeen.
"We're only sleeping here.”
"True, which bed?”
"Take your pick.”
"Window then.”

Well that put me closer to the tiny shower cum toilet facilities if nothing else.

"You keeping that stuff on for the restaurant?” Mist queried.
"May as well, its not like the guys will be dressed up is it?”
"Good point, I'll do the same.”

Practical yes but I'm sure her mother would have something to say about those shorts, maybe that's the point.

"We could do with a launderette tomorrow,” I suggested.
"I don't suppose this place has a laundry,” Mist mused in turn.
"Don't think so, the bed linen is done elsewhere.”
"How'd you know that?”
"Easy, the tags on everything and there was a cage thing from a laundry place in reception.”
"That college education isn't wasted on you.”
"Tell that to my Mum, I don't know why you didn't stay in school.”
"What would be the point? Its not like I'm brain of Germany unlike someone I could mention.”
"But you passed the Certificate.”
"Just, and anyway if I was at college I couldn't work at Connie's Kabin. Nope, I'll leave further education to those who want it. So what are you wearing tonight?”
 

It might not be far from the venue into Gießen centre and the few metres to the Asien Palast, its facade a brightly lit road crash of red and gold paint, a stark contrast to its neighbours. No, tonight I was shod sensibly in my trainers, no heels for this girl, well not until I get changed for the gig in a couple of hours. It was quite early for eating out so we were well attended by the staff when we arrived, they were taking drinks orders before we were settled in our seats.

Of course, eating in a Chinese restaurant can be a nightmare of choices, crispy noodles, wet noodles, duck that isn't, spring rolls that don't, well I'm sure you've all done the same, taken the easy option, sweet & sour with fried rice.

"Set meal everyone?” Robert suggested over the babble of menu discussion.
"I'm in,” Animal stated.
"Works for me,” Big Jo added.

For me too, a whole plate of rice and whatever or piled with noodles can be a bit much, yeah, even for me.

"Sure, why not.”

And so, with no nay sayers, it was decided, set meal A for nine. The food started to arrive almost immediately, enough but not too much, there was after all, a lot to work through. Of course clever clogs Bond had to show off her skills with chopsticks – which was fine until a chicken ball laden in sweet and sour sauce made a break from captivity and landed, well lets just say I'll need a clean BH tomorrow!
 

"Hello Giessen!” I yelled into my mic.

The gig was going well, Misty was more relaxed which came through in her singing, everyone was in the groove. It started out well, the warm up act, support or whatever you want to call them who go by the name of 'Silberne Schnürsenkel', really got the crowd going with their 'Deutsche Pop' set. It wasn't a full house but i caught Robert with a Cheshire Cat grin talking to the venue people earlier so i guess it'll be a nice earner for all involved – not that the band get very much but every little helps.

I'm getting better at the crowd banter stuff too, having been sort of forced into it by circumstance. Its previously been Stefan's role, introducing songs and so on but as i do most of the singing, Robert suggested i should do the bridging too. I don't do it all, Stefan still has some input but i'm not sure what he actually thinks about it, it is 'his' band afterall.

"So our next song is a little slower, which will give the guys a bit of a rest, especially our drummer eh.”

Yeah, Nurburgring is a high tempo, high octane number of sizzling guitars, hard drumming interspersed with loud vocals from Stefan and somewhat softer from yours truly, What's it about? Motor racing of course, a sort of homage to Rudolf Caracciola a German motor racing hero of the nineteen twenties and thirties who came from Remagen and won the first car race on the circuit in 1927. I know, too much information.

Anyhow, Animal did a quick three beat stanza right on cue and I went on with my introduction to Isolde, Stefans take on the Tristan & Isolde legend.

"A legend and a love story, Isolde.”

Big Jo started picking the intro, the lights dimmed to a spot on just me, I took a deep breath, gripped the microphone in both hands and counted myself in.

"The-e green isle maid....”
 

Maddy Bell © 18.02.2022