the club gig

Riot Cop plays at squats, houses, bookstores, fundraisers, parks and even recruiting centers but not at clubs. I remember our first ‘klub’ gig in Europe at Kafe 44. Technically, Kontrolpunkt in Berlin was our first club but it was dark, dirty (it’s toilet deserves a whole blog entry to itself) and literally underground so it doesn’t count.

At Kafe 44 in Stockholm, we played with Imperial Leather and Insurgent Kid. It was after our return from Umea, Sweden which is way up north. Everyone managed to get sick, it was a eight hour car drive both ways and we didn’t make enough money to pay for the gas. When we arrived at Kafe 44, we got to sit in plush seats, got fed good soup and sandwiches and were taken care of by some of the most awesome people.

We want to go back to Europe this year so we are forced now to play places we normally wouldn’t play. Yesterday, we played at Dante’s for the first time. It felt odd and a little uncomfortable, playing at a for-profit bar so minors weren’t allowed and there wasn’t much political ideology floating about.

Anyway, it did make me realize that I really really want to go back to Europe with these guys. Even at the clubs, the scene in Europe is so much more inviting and so much less…American. Well duh.