The second ZPZ show in The Netherlands was to be held at Metropool, Hengelo, Netherlands.
Getting there was going to be an issue. Hengelo is a minor town up north, not far from the border with Germany. Since it is not exactly your major metropolis (I assume the name of the hall is a gentle poke at its location), there run very few trains between there and the rest of the world. My attempts to getting a hike on DZW and Zappa.com were all in vain.
So, what to do? There was an off chance of me getting fired, and in that case I would be able to stay over. But I couldn't get the day off from work, even though I had asked for it one month in advance.

So I bought a return ticket to Hengelo. It cost a whopping €42. Less than that Premium ticket I bought, but still much.

The train trip to Hengelo started a little shaky. I had the option between two ways: either I took the train to Utrecht and got on the train to Hengelo there, or I went to Den Bosch (on the way to Utrecht), took the train to Zutphen, and get on the train to Hengelo from there.

There was a breakdown in the train electric cable between Den Bosch and Utrecht, so there were less trains. Of course I'd juuuust missed the train to Utrecht (saw the doors close from the bottom of the stairs) and so I took the slow train to Den Bosch, stopping at legendary train stations like Eindhoven Beukenlaan and Vught.

In Den Bosch, I found that I would have to wait another 45 minutes for the train to Zutphen, so I decided to go over Utrecht, since that train would leave in three minutes.

Once in Utrecht, I found I had to wait another half hour for the train to Hengelo. Fortunately Utrecht is a large city, so there was actually something to do. I bought a Guitar Player magazine, showing Dweezil's piercing blue eyes on the front cover.

The train between Utrecht and Enschede goes once per hour. It travels a long way, past Amersfoort, Apeldoorn, Deventer, Almelo and Hengelo. The trip took an hour and a half. All the waiting included, I finally arrived at Metropool (which really IS next to the station) at 15:45, and I was at Eindhoven station at 12:05.

The wait for the sound check lasted a lot longer than 15 minutes.
Waiting at the Metropool cafe was eased a little by the FZ music played, but after a while I had heard Trouble Every Day and Valley Girl twice, so when the radio player put on different music I didn't feel too bad.
While waiting I met a nice guy named Mischa. We chatted for over an hour.
The soundcheck was set to start at 16:00, but alas the band got stuck in heavy traffic. Upon arrival, Billy Hulting even came in to apologize for the delay. "It's not because we don't like you..."

At around 17:30 the soundcheck finally started. The rules were laid out clearly: no flash photography, no videos (except for the TV crew).
The fun and excitement of sound check!

It was actually a sound check. While we got a private show in Amsterdam, it was actually setting mike volume and setting the light. Fortunately I did get right in front of Dweezil and got quite a few nice photos.


The band did play some songs: to check the video, the band played Cosmik Debris,WITH Frank. Dweezil did a little dance during his solo. After Frank's solo, Dweezil stopped the song, since the video worked.

After more volume checking, the band played RDNZL, Stinkfoot, Black Page and Gumbo Variations. Plus Pete Griffin checked his bass volume by playing the Seinfeld theme.

By 6, we were sent out by none other than Pete the techie! To my complete surprise, Pete recognized me, and we hugged. We talked a little, then he went out to bring the Premium card owners their free poster.

Although it was promised as "signed by the band", it was NOT signed. Dweezil didn't want to do it and said he'd have a signing session after the show. Since I knew I wouldn't be there by then, I couldn't get my poster signed. :mad:

I met a very nice German man, from near Cologne. I chatted with him and the friend he drove with, while the band had dinner in the room next to us. Since the wall was glass, I had the distinction of watching Dweezil eat. Wow. He's human.

The band members were walking off to their dressing rooms afterwards, and I had a small talk with Pete the techie again (who was walking next to Pete Griffin the bass player, causing a little mix-up). Pete told me the apple pie was great and that he was very full. In the mean time, Bernd was wondering where to get dinner.

Bernd and I then went out to find some take-away. We ended up having dinner at a Chinese restaurant. He treated, too! Thanks Bernd!

After getting in at the stage, finally, we managed to get on the front right (AGAIN!!!) of the stage. Unfortunately I stood next to a more professional photographer, and with my mini Kodak I didn't stand much chance of getting a photo of The Dweez.

Here he is at the sound check, looking at Daddy.

The show started off with somebody shouting "What's the secret word for tonight?" Well, the secret word for tonight was: Gumbo!
The band kicked off with a smashing Gumbo Variations! Dweezil used an awesome effect on his guitar. I'd have sworn it was a violin, and I was looking around the stage for anyone being the Sugar Cane Harris. It wasn't until the end of the solo that it was really Dweezil playing. And a great solo too!

Unfortunately, Photographer Guy took up much of my view of The Dweez. I had to curl around him all the time. So most of my photos are of Jamie Kime and the equally incredible Chris Norton.


Gumbo was followed by a complete rendition of the Apostrophe album. Fortunately I practiced my lines on these, so I sang along with every song! Cosmik Debris, with Frank doing an awesome solo, got a magnificent audio response.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scTFnTakF4k

Then it was time for more of the band, with RDNZL.
It was a totally smashing and amazing performance with flaming solos by Billy on marimba, Scheila on sax and Jamie on his guitar!

Next up: Inca Roads, with FZ. This performance was a little flatter than the rest, notas bad as Eindhoven but still no match for Brussels '06.

The next firy moment was for Joe Travers! He got his own little drum solo, which I captured almost in its entirety!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSCvK9s7E6c

It segued into Montana, which segued into Pick Me I'm Clean. The solo Dweez recorded here was uploaded onto the audio page of his website.


After Pick Me, Dweezil wanted to bring a little girl on the stage, a young thing, maybe 8 or so, with wild curls and a long dress.
(There was an even younger girl standing next to her, who no doubt felt like me when my sister was called up to join in on the playbackshow in Duinrell years ago. Is no fun.)
Anyway the little girl was pulled on stage. Dweezil assumed for some reason that the little one spoke English and asked if she played an instrument. No response.
When he asked "Do you play guitar?" and made playing motions on his SG, she nodded. Dweez handed over his guitar, which was big and heavy, but after she got a hold of it she managed to play a nice note progression, with Dweezil operating the effects manually.

After that, it was Dumb All Over, with Frank. And no doubt the show was highly fantastic after that... but I had to run and catch the last train to Utrecht.

And then came the Return Trip Straight From Hell.

I got my coat and bag from wardrobe, and explained to the good people there I had to run to catch the train. Guy at wardroberecognized me as the girl who asked for a hike at the Zappa forum. He advised me to get a driver's license.

Went to the station, which is a few minutes walk, and so tiny it only has one platform. I got in the 22:36, which arrived just a few minutes after me.

In the train, there was this information set which said: "This is the slow train to Meppel."
FUCK. Train doors closed.
Train takes off. I ask, crying from fatigue and missing out the show, to a guy with a guitar where this train is heading.
"Ehhh... to Apeldoorn..."
Apeldoorn was indeed one of the places I had to pass, so I calmed down. I told him I had to go to Eindhoven.
"You'll never make it now!" he said. "Sure," I replied, "I checked out online, this is the last opportunity."

The train moved through the night, eventually reaching Utrecht at 0:15. I hurried to the station hall and checked the huge blue signs for my train.
There was only 1 train moving in my direction, a slow train, a Sprinter type with no bathroom, and that would leave at 0:55.
AND... it would only go halfway.
I asked one of the Dutch Railways employees what to do, but he told me that I couldn't get any farther than Den Bosch. I could borrow his cellphone to get DED on the line, so he could pick me up from Den Bosch.

And just before the train arrived at Den Bosch, the conductor called that the train to Eindhoven would arrive at a different platform.

I'm exhausted and extremely upset, slept through the entire day and am feeling rotten.
And my dad gave an encore presentation of Mr Green in Clue.
:umm:

Thanks for the report Bonny. Sorry to hear you had to suffer for it.

great review! Reminds me of the zpz show in Kansas City where I ended up getting my head bashed for the ride home. Three years ago! Seems like last month.

Anyway, this Hengelo show is great. I think that because of the size of the venue (you said it was fairly small) the recording turned out well. The bass is rich and warm if a little much. Easily dialed down with the bass control on the stereo. But the instrumentation all seems there, the intimacy of the venue and so on. Nice show!!!
:bouncing:

[Edited on 12-11-10 by punknaynowned]

I just discovered somebody was sneaky enough to record the sound check! I found one of the DZW members appear on it. Have only seen the first minute, but maybe I'm in there too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uER5DlnaUR8&feature=mfu_i...

Edit: No I'm not. Sorry.

[Edited on 20-11-10 by BBP]