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Roadnotes: Incense

For emo-rockers Incense 2001 was a turbulent year after winning Holland's band competition and releasing their debut. Together with drummer Remco Cornelissen we delve for one month into the world of 3 guys, a van packed with gear and traffic jams in another edition of RoadNotes.

Tekst: Incense

Publicatiedatum: 19 januari 2002

Thursday November 1st 2001
Today is my first day as officially unemployed or should I refer to it as full-time rockstar? From now on I can totally devote my life to music! Just as today, when we have a show to do in Haarlem. Again a show together with our VJ "Stalker" and the Dutch band "Suimasen". At 2:45pm we pick up our van, at 3:30pm we're loading it with gear at our rehearsal room called "Spod" and not much later we are rolling towards Haarlem. The first thing we run into is a huge traffic jam near Schiphol airport. There you have it, now you know why bands are always late for their shows. Well, we take it easy, go for a piss and take some nice shots of the scenery [see photos 1 & 2]. A few hours late we arrive in Haarlem and where it's time to rock!
At the end of the show Selwyn (vocals/guitar -ed.-) takes a nice swing into my drum kit. This must have been spectacular to see and luckily all the gear still works. At night everybody stays over at my place, as tomorrow is yet another day we've got to hit the road again.

Friday November 2nd 2001
I wake up at 10am, damn what a headache! Just time enough for a nice refreshing shower and to relax for a minute or two and we're off again. Tonight we are playing the Para in Breda, if we get there, that is. You never know with these traffic jams. Our space rocking A5TRO5ONIC friends are opening for us. This will be a long night of pure rock 'n roll. But first we receive a fabulous dinner at Para: a delicious buffet of quiche filled with goat cheese and honey and fish in white beer and lots more. They know how to truly spoil us. Meanwhile the Astro's are making the ground shiver with their sound check.
It is really nostalgic to play here; in this room I met my first real love, a drum kit. It was love at first sight. I practiced in this room for 4 years. So my roots lie in this room, it feels comfortable and we give a steady show with some people shaking their hips.

Friday November 9th 2001
Today we are playing a multi-venue festival called "Popronde" in Tilburg. But before we load the van, we have to take care of some business. We have got a meeting with the people who are shooting our new video. We got only two weeks to prepare, shoot and edit the video. They are very enthusiastic and have some good ideas and views on how to finish in time. We make some arrangements and head for Spod.
Just before we leave I find out that there is a beamer and video screen in Tilburg, so I call Jerome (VJ Stalker). He is able to VJ along tonight! So tonight will be another psychedelic adventure!
When we get in Tilburg the weekly gig routine starts again: unload, set up, sound check, eat, wait, rock, break down, load and the AFTERPARTY! We drink a bit too much and hook up with the dudes from THERAPY?, who are on the party as well.

Friday November 16th 2001
It is about 8am, a time at which your average rockstar is still a sleep, but today is video-shoot day and so time to get up without moaning!
At 10.30am we start filming, quite soon we figure out that there is no heater in the room and so pretty cold. We decide to remain hardcore rockstars and continue the shoot [see photo 3], with jacket though. After many hours and meters of tape, around 8pm the first fans appear at the set. We had put an advertisement on our website for walk-ons and a lot of people have turned up. Apparently they don't mind the cold and at 10pm it's a wrap for Incense.

Sunday November 18th 2001
Again we have to get up too early. We got an afternoon performance to do in Eindhoven. After this we visit Pidah (he recorded our album, also famous for his work with Motorpsycho -ed.-) at his studio "the Void" where we still had to pick up some stuff. We say chat with the guys of 35007, currently recording at the Void, have a cup of tea at VJ Stalker's new studio and after the infamous roti diner round the corner at the Void (all lazy/non cooking bands eat here, when they are recording with Pidah) and for head home.

Friday November 23rd 2001
Thank god it's Friday! We prepareourselves for the ritual: load, drive, traffic jam, drive, unload, set up, sound check, eat, wait, wait, wait, watch the support, rock, break down, load and drive home again. Who said rockstars have a fun life?
Well, I did. Today was a long drive, all the way to Roermond. Since I am driving I am not drinking and I have to cope with all the stupid-van-jokes of Selwyn and Bart (bass player -ed.-). We rocked the house for sure, except during some mellow songs when a drunk dude was talking to us (he was so drunk, we didn't understand him at all). Selwyn called him on stage, but then he got shy.
On our way home we got stopped for a booze search. The two coppers told me I wasn't driving too straight and also ignored a traffic light. Since I am such a charming rockstar they didn't notice the beer and whisky stacked in the van and didn't give me a ticket, just a warning. Everybody is in a good mood and I don't have to tell you that once again my place was transformed into a youth hostel.

Saturday November 24th 2001
Today we are playing at Paradiso in Amsterdam at the finals of Holland most important band competition. Since we won last year we have to show the other band how it all works! Tonight is also the night we present our video to the fans. It will be shown after our show on a big screen behind us.
Before the show we have two interviews, one for Dutch radio, the other one for MTV. Only seconds before show time! At 11.20pm we get on stage [see photo 4], it feels so good! The sound is great, the lights are flashing, the three VJ-screens are hanging steady and the crowd loves us! After the show the new video is shown, whilst breaking down I manage to catch a glimpse.
Once we get home we get a good look at the video for the first time, it is awesome!

Thursday November 29th 2001
Today we do our last official show of the year! Again with Suimasen and again we rock! We play a very focused set with a nice energy and get good response from the crowd. Suimasen plays a long and rocking set too. A nice final of this year. A few hours after the show, Bart will catch a plane for Thailand.
From now on we take a few weeks rest to be back in 2002 to keep rocking your world with some new songs. See you out there.

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