Waves roll in my thoughts

I am a pretty rubbish blogger really, I must do better!

I guess I really ought to write these as the events happen. At the time I seem so caught up in everything that I don’t do it, and then once stuff is over, they seem really hard to write.

I did write a blog covering Manchester and Berlin, only to remember I’d already done Manchester, so it never got posted.

Berlin feels like an age ago, but it wasn’t really. Time just seems to vanish; I mean in general, I am far too often to be found thinking - where the hell has this year gone?

So, yes, anyway, Berlin, I love this city, if you’ve read any of my blogs before you might know this already. It always feels so welcoming and in a bizarre way, sort of reassuring. I always look forward to going there... though on this occasion when planning the trip I had considered Amsterdam instead. I’ve never been there, it's on the list for me to visit. The Amsterdam shows were before Berlin, a lot of friends were going and it turned out to effectively be a dream set list. The band let a fan choose the songs, just ace!

Anyway, I didn’t go to Amsterdam,  I opted for a return to beloved Berlin and this trip began from Bristol Airport (the last time I’d been there was for a hen weekend in Dublin..but that's not to be mentioned!) 
My best mate drove me up; it gave us a chance to have a good catch up on the way. I love her dearly, she is so supportive of my jaunts (even if she thinks I am mental).

I’ll be honest, I was pretty nervous going up to the airport, especially that the friend who was coming with me on this trip wouldn’t turn up. We’d arranged it all before we’d even met properly, yes, kind of daft when you think about it but we subsequently had met up and gotten along ok. Plus, I knew that other friends would be over there if he didn’t show or he just decided he hated me on arrival! (He did come, he didn't seem to hate me, so my panic was over!)

We had the most bizarre (and freaking expensive) taxi journey to the hotel. After checking in and getting sorted, we wandered up to the Brandenberg Gate to watch the football final, drink copious amounts of beer and cocktails, watch some amazing fireworks, undertake more drinking in a bar on Unter den Linden and then sway arm in arm back to the hotel. 

As fans began arriving in Berlin on the Monday, we chose to use most of the day sitting in a park, next to a fountain in front of the cathedral; before venturing to the Pergamon museum and then various pubs. It was a brilliant first day.

The following day the fan takeover of the city was in full flow, Pearl Jam t shirts seemed to be everywhere and I began to get that feeling of collective excitement. More friends appeared and so my phone began buzzing with texts and messages (thank god for Wi-Fi!)

We had plans involving records for the morning so after discovering a local vinyl shop we decided on a bar for lunch which would become an adopted ‘local’ for the rest of the time there. Eating steak for breakfast whilst listening to acoustic buskers (how many versions of hallelujah did we hear?) was from then on, a mainstay. I have never made any suggestion that I am a morning person, the hotel had a comfy bed and therefore getting up for hotel breakfasts didn’t occur once. I'd recommend The Restoration 1840 bar and restaurant in the Hackeschen Markt – please go there if in Berlin!
The rest of the afternoon ended up being spent in there.

Pre-parties are a strange beast; I usually enjoy them, but never feel entirely comfortable at them, really as a result of my own confidence issues rather than the events themselves. They can at times feel like there is some form of fan top trumps. Part of me wants to spend time with those I know the most, to catch up with those I rarely get to see and other parts of me wants to meet new people. These events are a chance to hopefully do those things, though sometimes I prefer the randomness of just bumping into people. The party venue was bizarre in a cool way, a fake beach bar next to the river and they did great tequila sunrises. Sitting by the water was lovely, my fixation with being near it remains even on holiday. It was great to see people, to meet ‘virtual’ friends though and there are some odd elements to that night (umm... that cigarette machine was never going to work whoever you were!)

Walking back to the hotel after missing the last train was somewhat reflective but ended up being just the right thing to do. (Thank goodness we stayed near the television tower, truly a beacon guiding us home!)

Berlin night 1 was on the 4^th July, the last time I’d spent Independence Day with Pearl Jam it had been in Belgium but this was a very different experience. I think most of us were on a high from Manchester 2 (or Amsterdam/Prague). The afternoon outside of the venue on the grass gave us enough relaxation combined with anticipation (and a discussion over if a bear was a bear).
There was the usual talk of what would be the opener/closer (both of which I guessed correctly – go me). The O2 was a new venue to us, previously the magical Wuhlheide had been used for PJ gigs in Berlin, so this place had a lot to live up to.

All of us have different songs we want to hear, different favourites and it is always brilliant to see the excitement of my friends and other fans as they get those tracks. That night I can just remember so many smiles, and one of the biggest signs I think I’ve seen, so if that was your organisation/planning – well done you!   
The set was great, loads of dancing, In My Tree was great and as I sit here thinking over it, I just can’t help but grin. It stays on my face even when remembering hugs at the end and being with my Scottish friends talking to random homeless men when searching for an after show party in a bar which was in front of us!

Berlin night 2, well, this gig was added to the tour programme, and in all honesty, there was no way I wasn’t going! I didn't really give my tour buddy much of a choice (sorry!). It was pretty much like night 1 in terms of the day of the gig, though it involved booze from Lidl and a park in the drizzle, then gardens of a hostel.

The one thing different, is that the ‘group’ grew as we were joined for the night by a friend who had flown out from the UK, after his love for the band was reignited by the Manchester shows. However, there were some ticket issues to resolve initially which caused concern and worry (bloody wristbands!). 
It’s strange, I can’t sum up this show, it was far more emotional than night 1. I mean, I was crying and pretty much absorbed by the music within seconds of the first song starting, Oceans, it was beautiful, it was special (and completed Ten for me!). Mother reduced one of us to a crumbling wreck, Blood completed Vs for me, and Baba, well it was an awesome Baba. 
It was a gig that was like being swept with a tide, there were waves of emotion that just kept on coming.

Back to the hostel and copious amounts of alcohol was consumed, accompanied by a lot of shushing, exploding bottles, Into The Wild poses and just messiness. It was bloody excellent.

The band seemed to create two perfect nights in those gigs. They were awesome, the interaction between each other on stage was great to see (and good to see that Matt was comfortable to even let his son join him), the sound was ace, the set lists brilliant and balanced. The crowds were amazing, really getting into the music. They were taking this journey with the musicians on and it created a brilliant atmosphere. It felt like being at a club gig... in an arena.

I didn’t want this trip to end.