Well folks, we did it!
The first European GDP Round Up is part of Gretsch history and is specially commemorated by the document Dr.Nyl surprised us with over dinner, signed by Fred Gretsch, Joe Carducci and Tim Baxter. Thanks folks, that was a very nice surprise and made it all even more real and special!
It all started with Dr.Nyl posting if anyone would be interested in a European Round Up as an answer to the American Round Up activities. Several people reacted and Ratrod took the initiative to organize a place to play, place to sleep, food and a drummer and Bassplayer!
September 6th arrived with 6 people attending. Dr.Nyl, Sjolte, Rocketman, Will, Ratrod and Danman.
Will drove up together with Rocketman and I (Danman) planned on driving our two scandinavians up to the small town in the very north of Holland with a name most of us couldn't pronounce (Schraard) and had never heard of. I picked up Dr.Nyl at the airport at 10.15 and according to plan we would make it to the train station on time to pick up Sjolte at 10.45. But unfortunately his train stopped at the Dutch border and he had to find another train. I'm not sure if the problem was his Gretsch or the fact that he is danish but he said it was the trains fault.
So Dr.Nyl and I went over to my house and played with my collection of guitars and amps and went to my hang out/ gretsch store across the street. Then at last was the long awaited message from Sjolte saying he would be arriving soon, 2 hours late. Well at least they let him into the country ;-) He arrived at 12.30. So we went to pick him up and went for lunch. Then off to my house again, loaded all the amps and guitars in and headed of north. After a traffic jam, a long trip over a windy dyke and a road we couldn't get off and that wasn't know to my navigation system because they shut part of it off two days before (actually driving by the hotel and not being able to stop), we arrived at the hotel and then went to the Frisia where the actual event was going to take place.
Ratrod's bassplayer had called in sick that day so we were without a bassplayer and the drummer planned on coming later in the evening so basically the six of us had to organize some bassplaying, drumming and singing ourselves. Dr.Nyl and Rocketman took up some of the drumming and Sjolte, Will and Dr.Nyl did some of the bassplaying. Will and Sjolte and later Ratrod did some of the singing. Of course there was lots of jamming and beer drinking. I had two watch Dr.Nyl and Sjolte starting with the beer already at lunch, complaining about the small dutch beers, while I was still stuck with my tea because I had the responsiblity to get our foreigners up north safely ;-) But luckily we could catch up later....
So like i said, there was a lot of jamming, noisemaking and beer. And then every now and then we remembered that we had also made a list of songs to play. So every now and then we had a semi organized part of the evening. Sometimes pretty hard because of not all songs had singers and sometimes songs ended in chaos but that was all part of the show ;-) But there were some great players and playing, but I vote for Sjolte as being the fingerpicking and Hendrix playing hero of the evening.
Of course there also was lots of drooling over the equipment and switching of guitars.
I think we went back to the hotel at around three or 3.30 at night, and had to drag Rocketman along into the taxi because he wasn't ready to leave yet.
It is late and I am really tired and about to go to bed but I'm sure there will be more contributions from the others these coming days.
All in all it was a great day and we ended up having a really good time.
It was great meeting everyone, and to at last see faces behind the avatars. They are a really nice bunch of people and I'm happy I met them.
So where will the next European Round Up be?
And some pix:
Ratrod playing my gretsch, Rocketman on his Tennie and Will playing bass
Food!
Will, Dr.Nyl and Sjolte
Dr.Nyl and Sjolte
Will, Dr.Nyl and Sjolte
Will, Dr.Nyl and Sjolte
Will rocking away
Sjolte on bass!
Yep it's Will again
Sjolte and Will messing around.
Will trying to copy a lick from Sjolte. Sorry Will just kidding
Dr.Nyl showing off his finger work.
The whole collection!
The round uppers and their signed Round Up Documents!
Rocketman, Sjolte and Dr.Nyl standing on a dyke behind the hotel looking out over the sea. Yep all those white dots are sheep.
My car being over loaded.
The last moments together.
Ok, just one more.
Rocketman just can't stop playing
