27th January on to Melbourne

February 6th, 2008 by Billyb | Posted in Road Blog |

Our little touring party of soundman Grant Showbiz, tour manager Andy James, BDO tour rep John Baker and myself were the last to head out for Melbourne and, just as we were checking out of the hotel, John received a panicked phone call. A member of Arcade Fire had inadvertently forgotten their hurdy-gurdy. Could we possibly bring it safely to Melbourne for them?

It came in a sealed pine box that John memorably described as looking like a wombat’s coffin and provided the highlight of an otherwise uneventful trip. Australian airports are so calm. For a nervy flyer like myself, this is a wonderful contrast to the madness of flying in America or the constant struggle that is Heathrow and Gatwick. The building are spacious and bright, the staff wonderfully laid-back and the concourses seldom crowded. This is some feat given that the Australians fly everywhere. They live in a vast country dotted with a few cities and once they’ve done the drive between Sydney and Melbourne they feel no urge to do it again.

Anyway, I want to thank Arcade Fire for finally giving me something to say to the check-in clerk when she asked if anyone had given me anything to bring on the flight: ‘Yes m’am. A hurdy-gurdy’

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