Day 2

We overslept by quite a lot. It rained heavily in Berlin today and, while it's a welcome change from 107 degree days, I do prefer a little sunshine. Today was all business; we picked up our backline, our van, and played our first show of tour.

1. Our van is a late model Mercedes Sprinter. Robert apologized for it being "kind of crappy". I'm all like, "motherfucker please! Have you seen the shit I usually tour in?" It has power windows!

2. Our backline is pretty siqq.

3. 80 people came to our show and we got paid hundreds of euros. People apologized to us for it being poorly attended... European DIY is truly a different world.

Even though I was playing a show in a foreign country, many people I knew showed up. Matt from Swallowed Up rolled in with a small crew that included our friend Mascha from Bochum. I ran into this dude Ralph who I met in about 2004. The world is a truly small place. It's strange that seeing people that you know from elsewhere can cause such excitement and wonder. Tomorrow we actually leave Berlin and start a run of 20 shows all over Europe. I can't wait.

Day 1

We met at JFK airport in the afternoon and prepared ourselves for the coming journey. Jeff said something exceedingly funny in line for the security checkpoint which I have now forgotten. Tom paid about 8 million dollars for a first class seat while Jeff and I had to suffer in the back of the plane. We did not sleep. We ate the most pathetic excuse for a "strictly vegetarian" meal that I've ever tasted. So it goes.

Then we finally got to Berlin where Robert met us in his Lamborghini. We had trouble fitting all of our bags inside, but we finally managed and Robert took us to HCHQ in Berlin, Bis Aufs Messer. There I sampled the new Black Kites//Convulsions split LP and it looks and sounds fantastisch!I was happy to hold it in my hands. We also met and hung with The Ghost Limbs. They seem like a fine group of people.

Lessons learned so far; my German is worse than it was last time I was here. Vegan Pizza in Berlin, don't do it. Things start in earnest tomorrow when we pick up unser Touringmaschine.

Enjoy the picture of our, "very casual hang." as Colman would say.

XXX
JAY

Thanks, New Jersey

Album art and interviews

Well first things first, here's the cover of our upcoming split LP with Convulsions. I, for one, am very into how it came out. All congratulations are due to Harry from Convulsions for that.

In addition, Black Kites has conducted a few interviews with people all over the world. We're happy that people are interested in things that we might have to say. You can check them out at the following places:

Philadelphia

Czech Republic

Russia (click the hyperlink that says Black Kites June 2011)