Árstíðir

Intense Petrozavodsk

After riding on a train for 14 hours, we finally arrived in Petrozavodsk, where we had managed to sell out the Philharmonia.

Our arrival had attracted a lot of local media buzz, and during our sound check we were interviewed by three different television networks.

Reunited with our dear friends from iamthemorning, we performed part of our show with a string quintet, receiving standing ovations and flowers from the spectators, including the famous singer Leo Sevets.

 

In Voronezh

We arrived by train to Voronezh, a city close to the Ukrainian border some 500 km south of Moscow. The weather was nice and warm and we spent the day walking around the city center admiring the leafy parks and impressive monuments from Soviet times.

On tour one tends to live minute-to-minute, following the itinerary that our manager gives us which tells us when and where to eat, sleep, travel etc. That afternoon, after a CD signing in a local music shop, our itinerary said “sound check.”

The tickets for our concert had been sold out for many days, and when the bells rang at eight o’clock, the auditorium at “The House of Actors” was filled to the brim with anticipating spectators. The show was a delightful one, and like the night before in Moscow, we received standing ovations.

After the show we signed autographs and chatted with the locals until we had to run off to catch the night train back to Moscow.

Arstidir Haunted Tour Bus Phenomenon

On Friday the band had its first official gig of the Russian tour, location: Tver. We got stuck in traffic in Moscow which made a 170 km route last for over four hours. After a quick stop at a jazz club where we had our pre-gig dinner, it was off to soundcheck at tonight’s venue, which had the interesting name “From Dusk til Dawn.” With a great audience and positive energy on stage, the gig turned out to be very powerful and entertaining.

On our way back to Moscow after the show, we were 10 minutes from our hostel when out of the blue the tour bus broke down, again. For those who don’t know about our previous machinary-meltdowns, this is the fourth tour bus of Árstíðir which has broken down in approximately four weeks. First there was the bus in Czech Republic, then one in Bulgaria, then one the day we arrived in Moscow, and now this. This has to be some kind of a record!