Although we only had one weekend behind without a gig, it felt to me like it was ages ago we still had played a concert. I had some very emotional days behind the back, as my 29-year old brother died less than two weeks ago, on the 1st of April. Only people who have dealed with somethin' similar will know how this feels. Same for myself: you feel very sorry when a beloved one from a friend or so dies, but this is completely different when the same thing happens in your own family. While I was at the graveyard of our native village, I also took the opportunity to visit the grave of our late first singer, Duvel (see also our songs "Song for Rudi" and "Picturebook of you"). Anyway, it was thus two weeks ago we had a concert and even some more time ago that we still had rehearsed. The original idea of JH De Brik was to have the complete Dirty Scene Tour, but when the people of De Brik came aware that another youth club in their region happened to have a punkfestival on the same date, they joined hands and made one big festival of it. By doin' so, they had 7 bands in total, a bit too much of a good thing, and they asked to drop The Thirsty Scums, so this finally became a festival with 6 bands.

With Mise*en*Scene, we made the same arrangement as for the Koersel-gig: everybody together with the booze and the grass in Zjantie's funbus, after first havin' dropped Keez' eldest son at the SleuterRock-festival. It was more than 200 kilometers of drivin' to Rekem, which is situated in the province Limburg, and we did about 3 hours over it, stops and queues on the highway included. It was our intention to be present at the gig of Lee & the Tittiehunters, as we feel it as a social duty to support a band with such a great name. When we arrived at De Brik, there were a lot of people outside the pub, mostly young people (at first sight even younger than my own kids), but not that much people inside. We only received 5 minutes of time to put our stuff backstage as Lee & his band would start immediately. The backstage-room was taken literally: you had to walk over the stage to be backstage. The band started anyhow more than half an hour after it. In the mean time, we could inspect the pub and meet organizer Jelle. The first was obviously meant to be a concert-pub: a rectangular place with the bar at one side and the stage at the other side, and in the middle a professional lookin' P.A. The second one was the bass-player of Ekzeem-A, whose CD can be ordered through our mailorder. Lee and his Tittiehunters started and the sound was awful, they only played about 6 songs or so, with 2 different bassplayers, some songs could charm us, while other songs didn't charm us at all.

After their gig, we put our own stuff on stage in order to let Mise*en*Scene play. It took the members of the P.A.-crew a lot of time before M*e*S even could start the soundcheck. Anyway, when they kicked off, the sound in the pub was a lot better than that from the previous band. Not only the sound was good, the band too: M*e*S played a high quality gig, not in the least because singer Bjorn was really in great shape. The public was first very dispersed in the pub, but by halfway the set, there were already a bunch of people dancin' in front of the stage. They also dedicated their song "Thanx" to my deceased brother, thanx guys. Afterwards M*e*S received rightly a lot of compliments on their gig.

Although few things had to change on stage, it took again a long time before the P.A.-men were ready with everythin'. It took e.g. a lot of time before my voice was comin' through the monitors. Although it didn't sound alright on stage we kicked off because we were loosin' too much time. In the first seconds of the first song already I broke a guitarstring. I think we were playin' quite well, but due to the shitty sound and another two strings I broke and maybe the emotions of the last days that went through my head, I didn't feel very comfortable on stage. Also the P.A.-guys changed the settings while we were playin, one time hearin' my vocals far too loud while the other time I didn't hear myself singin'. Anyway, people stayed inside to watch our gig and we received compliments afterwards.

After the gig we set up our stand and met some gentle people who happened to play all of them in Ekzeem-A. When all our gear was back in the van, Zjantie discovered that he had left his drinkin' tickets in a case that was lyin' beneath everythin' else in the van. No harm done, we still had tickets enough and there was no lack of beer in the pub. In the mean time, the next band, Cast-Down, was settin' up their things on stage. They all had professional amplifiers, loudspeakers and guitars: it was clear that this wasn't a punkband, or at least not one like we are. When they finally could kick off, it quickly became clear that this was a great band. It's hard to describe their music, but when I say it's a kind of emo-(heavy)rock, I won't be too wrong. The sound was again not right: the volume of the voice was too low and the rhythm-guitar sounded louder than the leadguitar. Anyway, I'm old enough by now to know a good band when I see one, despite a shitty sound.

After their great gig, I had a chat with a Cast-Downer and also went for a fresh air outside the pub. Just like at the time we were arrivin', there were plenty of people outside. I don't know what they were doin' there, but some were even listenin' to house or techno or drum'n'bass (you know I'm not interested in the difference) in their cars, strange people if you ask me. It appeared Cast-Down had been ripped off by people havin' the same name (Hageland Hardcore/Records) as we (and many other bands) have been ripped off at the end of the eighties and the beginnin' of the nineties. It's nearly sure it are not the same people, but still: strange people at this side of Belgium. As the Cast-Downers played on Gibson-guitars I told I still had a real Gibson Les Paul Custom myself but I never play it anymore. The last gig I played with it was our 5th Anniversary Gig, yeah, 16 years ago. After that I changed to a headless Steinberger-imitation, which became our trademark when our bassplayer did the same thing too. You can see me play on my Gibson on the pictures of the years 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987. For years I have been lookin' to sell the guitar for a relatively cheap price, but no one was interested in it, but not this guy, he immediately wanted to buy it, only I don't have need for the money right now.

The door and windows of this pub were isolated against sound as I never heard before. Outside the pub you didn't hear if the band inside was playin' or not, I swear it wasn't the booze, I surely have to ask what stuff they use to isolate their pub. When I entered the pub again, Shock Treatment was busy doin' their soundcheck. I don't think their name comes from the identical Ramones-song, 'cause they play totally other things than Ramonespunk. However there exists a Spanish band with the same name, doin' Ramones-alike punk, they appear on the same Ramones-Tribute as we do: "Blitzkrieg over you !". This band originated from Italy and they played a kind of chaotic stuff, for which I didn't have a mind this evenin', but they for sure played it good. They even played a cover from the band Kina, a well-known Italian band from the eighties. Shock Treatments' singer asked if someone knew Kina and I appeared to be the only one in the room who did. While we're busy about Italy, you sure have to listen once to this. The band itself exists - if I understood well - for about ten years now, but their guitarplayer is only joinin' the band since a year. We had a chat with both and they were in any case friendly people. A few months ago they had a small tour with Cast-Down in Italy, you should read the Cast-Down report: a real tragi-comic story.

We tried to consume all of our drinkin' tickets, and sadly there were no other beers available than pils. I believe it was Jelle who had the idea to ask the Dirty Scene Tour once again (but then complete) in the surroundings, but together with Ekzeem-A and Agathocles (who are from the same region): hey guys, this remains a great idea ! It was a long drive home and when we deliverd Qrizz at home, his parents were arrivin' at the same time (very progressive parents, Qrizz !). After first havin' delivered Keez at his place, then the drums at Zjantie's place and thereafter the rest at my place, I finally found my bed at about 6 in the mornin'. My partner prepared a moderate dinner at noon but the wine tasted good, for the rest of the day I still tasted (next to some Jupilers of course) Rodenbach Grand Cru, Sloeber, Deugniet, Leffe and Orval and they all tasted remarkably good. Hey, bein' born in Belgium and fulfillin' the weekend's duty is really great, no ?