EUROPEAN TOUR -> 23 MAY 2011 -> Brighton

honeybird & the birdies - Mixing Berries EUROPEAN TOUR 2011

For us, it was epic. Our very first European tour! 

Here's a quick re-cap of what went down, day-by-day:

DAY 1 : The Latest Music Bar, Brighton (UK)
We left time to get to the airport to ensure that our charango and p-bass would be allowed on board the Easy Jet flight. At the Ciampino airport, however, our flight was not listed! OH NO! We went to the wrong airport...our first European Tour ever and we're at the wrong airport!!! Luckily, Diego was still outside in the car so we ran out and hopped back in the car "our flight is leaving from Fiumicino, not Ciampino!!". Seeing as we were flying Easy Jet, if we lost our flight, then our entire budget would be shot. We scurried and were lucky...made it just in time.

This was an intense start to it all... a sign that the tour was meant to be :-)

On the airplane, we asked the stewardess how to get to Portobello Road, London. She wasn't sure, but about 20 minutes later, someone on the plane came over and said "I can show you where Portobello Road is" :-)

Arrival at Gatwick, Paola's very first time in the UK. Smooth ride into Brighton, a charming sea-side college town, colorful and inviting. Our percussionist friend Manu met us at the Brighton train station and took us to the best coffee in town (at Taylor St. Baristas), along with other deliciousness. . . 

then straight to the venue, the Latest Music Bar, a nice jovial venue, great setting for our first gig of the tour! The evening was called "Hutchins Guitars Presents Monday Sessions (link)" and there were a total of four bands playing (us plus three local bands). We sorted out the order and instrumentation with Tony, then did our soundcheck. 

That evening Manu played assorted ethnic percussion with us, 'twas a really fun show (we especially vibed off of the last mauritian song of the first set by Alexia Chellun, luverly), an energetic audience including our friends who live in Brighton. Cheers!