Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵 - Night Before Departure

明日からついに始まる3週間のヨーロッパツアー。

メンバー全員ほぼ初めてのヨーロッパ。僕もドイツに行ったことはあるものの、この長さは初めてで、右も左もわからない。

3週間地元から離れるということで、メンバー全員ある程度の身辺整理が必要となり各自忙しく時間を過ごしつつも、集合時間やターミナルの確認の連絡を取り合った。

Hollow Sunsにはツアーマネージャーがいない為、旅の工程は自分たちでコントロールする必要がある。確認してもしても何か忘れているのではないか？と心配になってしまう。

そんな中アユムから熱が出たらしい連絡が。いきなり馬鹿野郎1号。そうかと思ったらコウスケもベースがトランクに入らないという連絡もあって2号。翌日のバスの時間を調べたらフライトに間に合わず、空港まで車で行くことになる私も現れて3号となってしまう。いきなりの幕開け。

結局三時間ほど寝て自家用車で午前4時半に成田へ出発。 眠る我が子と妻にそっと別れを告げ、いざ冒険の始まりである。

Narita to Copenhagen, Denmark 🇩🇰

コウくんとコウスケを拾って、朝7時に長期対応型の駐車場に自家用車を預けて成田空港に着く。アユムは空港直入り、どうやら熱は下がったらしいが、近づかないで欲しい。

チェックインする。 今回、最初の関門は荷物の重さだ。 ヨーロッパは物価も高いし、未知の経費もわんさかある。日本からマーチをできる限り持って行って利率を上げたい。各自の荷物は必要最低限に圧縮して、できる限り重量を稼ぐ。 ホロサンメンバーの荷物はみんな驚くほどに少ない。3度目の長期ツアーともなると様々なことが絞られてくる。 重量は余裕でクリア。うまく手荷物にもバラして持ち込むが、手荷物のリュックはパンパンでターミナルを歩くだけでしんどい。

今日のフライトはベトナム経由のトータル30時間。人生最長のフライトで最初からなかなかの試練だ。 ベトナムまでは約7時間。あまり寝てないのもあって座席に座ってからは一瞬だった。

ベトナムでは一度入国して約10時間のレイオーバーを満喫した。 ベトナムは以前コウくんが来たことがある土地で空港周辺を地元のように案内してくれる。流石だ。空港近くでご飯を食べて、激安のベトナムマッサージを受ける。

僕は欲張って90分コースを選択。なかなかグイグイ揉んでくれて気持ちよかったが、後にこれが大きな失敗の原因に。この時は知るよしもない。

マッサージを終えてスマホを見ると、今回のエージェント マシュー(AVOCADO BOOKING/ex-FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND)から良くない連絡が。 ブリストルでのライブが地元プロモーターの都合でキャンセルになってしまう。

今回のツアーを振り返るとキャンセルに振り回され続けるツアーだったが、それは追って。 その場でコペンハーゲンのオーガナイザー、Nasty Cut Recordsのアンドレアスに連絡。コペンハーゲンで別のショーを急遽ブッキングできないか助けを求めた。

キャンセル対応はホロサンのサバイブ術の一つ。前回のアメリカでもツアー中にライブを数本ブッキングしてプレイした。この手のトラブルは慣れっこではあるが、固定のギャラが減るのは死活問題。今回のツアーの金銭面はギリギリだ。

頃合いで空港に戻り次のフライトへ。ここからさらに13時間。デンマークは果てしなく遠い。

Copenhagen, Denmark 🇩🇰

退屈なフライトを乗り越えてやっとやっと、この旅の出発地点、一国目のコペンハーゲンへ着地。現地時間 朝7時。

税関でなかなかの時間足止めされ、冷や汗をかくが、ビザを見せてなんとか入国。「出国は車でします」という常軌を逸した返答が疑われたらしい。そりゃそうだよね、デンマークからイギリスまで車で行くという事実の方が嘘くさい。ちなみにその距離は1600km、EUを一度通過して、フェリーに二回乗る。

空港の時点でアートや、デコレーションが美しく北欧の豊かさに触れる。空港からUberを呼んで宿へ。 宿は4人部屋。なかなかの狭さ。物価が高いデンマークの中で1番の安宿だから仕方ない。トイレとシャワーも共同だ。 さらに今日は4人で使うが、明日からはドライバーも加わるため、一人床に寝る。 コウくんは率先して床に寝てくれるからマジですごい。

荷物を置いて街を観光。初めて見る北欧の街並みは綺麗でどこか洗練されている。

が、まず驚かされたのは物価だった。 デンマークはヨーロッパの中でも物価の高い地域で、ざっと日本の3から4倍で全てのものが売られていて、度肝を抜かれる。いつもの調子でレストランやコンビニに入ったらとんでもない値段になってしまう。 美味しいものも食べたいがもうとてもそんな気にならない。幸いスーパーが裏手にあるが、これもビビるほど高い。お弁当を買ったらすぐ二千円くらいかかってしまう。店内を探し、かろうじて許せる値段のチップスやパンで凌ぐ。「凌ぐ」は今回の旅の重要キーワードの一つ。西洋の物価高への極東からの挑戦だ。 アユムとコウくん、コウスケはめざとく安いビールやパンを見つけてきて喜んでいる。生命力すごい。

まず観光地のニューハウンへ電車で向かう。 電車は本当に洗練されていてホームも綺麗だ。 そして改札が存在しない。お金を払う場所はあるものの、ほぼ全員素通りしている。日本との違いに驚いた。

ニューハウンは現地ではお決まりの観光地で絵葉書の中に入ったような美しさ。そしてデンマークの人は川縁や公園に座って、おしゃべりしながら、お酒を飲んでいる。ワイングラスでワインを飲んでいる人もいるくらい当たり前のようにみんな外で時間を過ごしている。その姿はなんとも我々からすると豊かな時間の過ごし方だ。

ニューハウンではLeFexというストリートブランドのお店なども見つつ散策。とにかく何もかもがシュッとしていて美しい。お城のような建物もとても綺麗だ。

30分ほど歩いてクリスチャニアというエリアを訪問。こちらは先程と打って変わって建物の壁はグラフィティだらけ、ライブハウスや出店、アート、スケートランプやバーなどが密集している。 ここは元々、スクワット居住区でかつては、ドラッグ取引されていたような物騒な地域だったが、現在は観光地化して子供達も自由に遊んでいる。先ほどのニューハウンより幾分ものも安い。

散策してオープンカフェで一息。僕は流石にカレーを食べた。メンバーでうだうだしているとアンドレアスから、新しいショーができそうだという嬉しい連絡が。 詳細を確認するとなんとそのカフェの隣のライブハウスだった。

ちょうどよかったので内見させてもらう。オーナーのおっさんも気立ての良い方で中を案内してくれた。 流石に歩き疲れて宿に帰る、他のメンバーは楽しそうに飲み始めるが、時差が苦手な僕は12時間睡眠。一気に体を合わせにいく。

Copenhagen, Denmark 🇩🇰 - Tour Start

二段ベッドで目覚めると下に知らないドレッド男が寝ている。僕が寝ているうちにコペンハーゲンに到着した今回のドライバー、Fluff Wheelsのビクトルだ。身長2m弱の彼は最終地のチェコから10時間かけてきてくれた。ここから3週間寝食を共にする。

ヨーロッパのツアーは、かなりシステム化されている。ヴァンのレンタル会社が同時に機材レンタルも行っていて、運転手も一緒に雇う必要がある。支払いもデポジットをとってツアーが終わるまで待ってくれたり、そのあたりはかなりミュージシャンに寄り添ってくれる仕組みだ。Fluffはフェスの主催もしている。多角的だ。何より驚いたのはヨーロッパのヴァンはほとんどがマニュアル車。一瞬でも経費のために自分で運転しようと思った自分が恐ろしい。

寝起きのビクトルに挨拶し、スーパーで朝食を物色。朝飯で浪費をしたくないし、今日はフェスのケータリングもあるから凌ぎモード。 見切り品のアラビアータを買って食べた。これも今回の旅の大きな失敗だった。

前夜に寝てしまった僕は朝の時間を使って機材の用意をした。 今回はギターのネックを外してスーツケースに入れ、現地でまた組み立てる。通称「ゴルゴ13スタイル」(ゴルゴもライフルを組み立てるから) モクネジの扱いをFriendshipカズヤにあらかじめ伝授いただいて現地で組み立て、ボードも組む。ちゃんとできた！これを覚えたら世界中どこでも大丈夫だ。環境は人を強くする。

満を持してビクトルがヴァンをホテル前に回してくれた。メルセデスの巨大なヴァン。荷台にはベッドまである。車高は中で大人が立てるくらいある。この3週間の本拠地としては申し分ない。乗車前にビクトルがマニュアルに従って、バンの説明をしてくれた。そこもシステマティックで、ヨーロッパの音楽産業の大きさを端々に感じることができた、契約やルールはきちんと説明される。

会場までは30分ほどの距離。ロー・フーセトはロケーションも綺麗な石畳でできていて、いかにも北欧。ライブハウスの中も綺麗だし、控え室の横ではアートエキシビションも行われている。

程なくして今回の主催者アンドレアス登場。 彼は25年11月渋谷eggmanで行われたホロサン主催のイベント「Swelling Out Fest」に足を運んでくれ、ホロサンを見て気に入り、今回のブッキングに至った。そして今夜はまさかのヘッドライナーを務める。

サウンドチェックの過程で、アユムのデジタルアンプの電圧が合わないことが発覚。今日はある程度フェスの機材があるからやり過ごせるが、これ以降がまずい。即アマゾンで変圧器を購入し、イギリスの宿泊先に配送させる。

今回のフェスは、ラインナップに知らないバンドが多かったものの、どのバンドもアメリカとはまた違うニュアンスでとても興味深い。 会場にはホロサンを目当てに来てくれた人や、わざわざオーストラリアから旅行がてら来たという人もいて、物販はいい滑り出しで出ていく。

いよいよホロサンの出番には多くの人が残ってくれて、会場いっぱいに。ステージダイブや、まさかのアンコールも出てセットは大盛り上がりで、トリをしっかり務めた。

異国でこれだけ受け入れてもらえるのは本当に感動する。無駄とも思える努力が海を越えてリアクションとなって帰ってくる様子はバンド冥利に尽きる出来事だ。

全てうまくいって終了。意気揚々と宿へ。

しかしビクトルから衝撃の一言。なんとデンマークでは外国人が車を止めるのに一晩約1万円払わなければならないとのこと。うそーんなにそれ聞いてないって。今回はこの手の予期せぬ出費にも翻弄され続けることになった。ちなみに路上の車で寝るのも違法だそう。 背に腹を変えられず、1万円払って駐車。

泥のように寝る。

Copenhagen, Denmark 🇩🇰 - Day Off

ツアーは2日目にしていきなりオフ。本来は移動日だったが、ブリストルのショーが無くなったので31日にコペンハーゲンでショーをブッキングした。そのため、今日はオフ日。Nasty Cut Festの2日目に遊びにいく。

アンドレアスの好意で物販は出店させてもらい、お客さんとしてフェスの2日目を楽しんだ。

この日もいいバンドも多かった、トリを務めたのはShoreline(ドイツ/Pure Noise Records)。Shorelineはなんとホロサンのことを6年前から聞いていたらしい。とても驚いた。

僕もフェスを楽しみたかったが、ベトナムでのマッサージがまさかの揉み返し、且つ、見切り品のアラビアータで熱＆下痢の状態に。ヴァンのベッドでほぼ寝たきり。凌ぎきれず。 他のメンバーはフェスを満喫したようだ。

宿に戻ってビクトルとまた1万円払って駐車。 「ここはクレイジーだから一刻も早く出よう」と彼はいう。ヨーロッパの人にとってもデンマークやスウェーデン、ノルウェーは物価が信じられないほど高いそうだ。

Christiania, Copenhagen, Denmark 🇩🇰

今日は初日に訪れたクリスチャニアのライブハウスで急遽飛び入り演奏。先日のオーナーが出迎えてくれた。 ジャンルレスなブッキングだったために色んな人が来て話すことができた。国が分裂しスロバキアから移住してきたピアニストや、地元のパンクスまで、クリスチャニアはなかなか変わり者だらけだった。

飛び入りということでトップ出番。 急な告知にも関わらずフェスに来てくれた人が再度訪れてくれたり、アンドレアスも彼女と顔を出してくれた。シャツをチェックしてくれた人もいて感動。

今夜はコペンハーゲンを離れフェリーに乗ってドイツを目指す。そのため終演を待たず会場を後に。1時間ほど走ってフェリーに乗ってドイツへ。夜中でもたくさんの車がいて驚いた。

初めて見るフェリーの中はとても綺麗なラウンジや免税店、レストランがあり過ごしやすい。ただ物価が高いことには変わりない。コーヒーなんかも我慢しながら凌ぐ。ソファーで横になって5人で疲労困憊。

ドイツに着き、真夜中に近くの宿へ。 ぶっ倒れて気を失う。

En Route to Leeds, United Kingdom 🇬🇧

真夜中に非常ベルが鳴る。どうやら同じ宿の修学旅行生が押したらしい。僕も修学旅行生に文句を言うオッサンになったなと遠い目。若くはない。

ムカつきつつ、8時ごろ起きて久々のシャワー。ぬるい。これも今回のツアーのネックで、安宿はお湯がでないパターンがある。

今日から二日間かけてイギリスLEEDSを目指す。その距離約1600km。もう一度フェリーにも乗る。本日はその半分を消化する予定。フランスで宿泊。

道中フェリーのチケットをネットで買う。UKのあと再びEUへ戻るため往復約7万円を支払う。ちなみにガスも一回満タンにすると約3万円。予算管理担当の僕は不安でいっぱいになるがやるしかない。

ビクトルは本当に辛抱強く運転してくれる。彼はもともとDJであまりパンク/ハードコアに知見があるわけではない。だからこそ今回はドライバーに徹してくれて助かった。さらに車内の選曲は終始最高でストレスがなかった。

しかし道中いやな連絡が再び。日本が台風に見舞われ、Foreign Handsとして来日したexcideのメンバー2人が足止めされているようだ。リーズのショーに間に合うのだろうか？不安すぎる。

車内が広いこともあり快適にフランスへ到着。自分で運転してなくても疲れた。ビクトルありがとう。

Leeds, United Kingdom 🇬🇧 - Arrival

本日もひたすら移動日。残り800キロを黙々と走り続ける。本日は2度目のフェリー。カレーからドーバー海峡を渡る。 「昔ウッチャンナンチャンが泳いで渡った」とおっさん全開のことを言ってしまう。メンバーはいまいちピンときてないようだった。

船に乗る前に出国手続き。こんなの初めてすぎて右も左もわからない僕らをビクトルが扇動してくれた。今回彼がいてくれて本当に助かった。知らないことだらけの旅で僕らだけではなにもできなかっただろう。

出国手続きも済ませてフェリーへ。二回目ともなると慣れたもんだ。みんなさっさと自分の寝床を見つけてぐーぐー寝ている。僕はずっとお腹の調子が悪く本当に困っていた。

フェリーを降りて今度は入国。ついにイギリスへ入りリーズを目指す道中、またしてもいやな連絡。今度はブッキングエージェントからリーズのショーがキャンセルになったことが告げられる。日本で足止めを食らったexcideのメンバーはやはり間に合わないようだ。2本目のキャンセル。不安も高まった。1本減るだけでギャラが減ってどんどん経費を圧迫してしまうからだ。

リーズでクルーは二手に別れて宿泊した。 Higher Power のアレックスの家、そしてずっと金沢にいたトムの家に分かれる。

夜11時ごろアレックスの家に到着。本人はBasementのツアーのドラムテックとしてツアーに出ているために不在だったが、彼女のオーロラと、兄貴でHigher Powerボーカルのジミーが出迎えてくれた。 ジミーにキャンセルの件を伝えると「心あたりがある。別のショーを組んであげるよ。」と奇跡の助け舟。今回ジミーには本当に助けてもらった。

ビクトルと僕はトムの家へ。林に囲まれた美しい家だった。彼と再会するのは約10年ぶり。彼は金沢に長年住んでいて、ホロサンのこともよく知っている。今回のツアーが決まって、彼から連絡をもらえてありがたかった。彼女にも挨拶してこの日もぶっ倒れる。

ビクトルは落ち着くからという理由で1人ヴァンで就寝。あのヴァンは本当に寝心地がいい。

Leeds, United Kingdom 🇬🇧 - Studio Session

朝一、ジミーやブッキングエージェントのマシューから連絡が飛び交う。ジミーは僕らをたまたま明日開催されるConvergeのアルバムリスニングパーティーにブッキングしてくれた。 しかしその後、マシューからはホロサンだけで予定通りショーをやってもいいとの連絡も。 別で宿泊するメンバーともチャットでコミュニケーションして、結局、両主宰が協力する方で奇跡の一本が大決定。BOOMという箱に会場を変更となった。 その場で僕が作ったやや情報過多なフライヤーがこれ。

なんだかすごいものが出来上がった。

暇すぎてコペンハーゲンからなぜかランニングを始めたアユムとコウくんはリーズでもランニングを敢行。なぜかジミーまで加わって3人で走っている写真が送られてきて、ただのフォレストガンプ。なにこれ。

お昼頃からジミーが街を案内してくれた。 駅前から、カークストール修道院の廃墟を案内してくれた。ジミーは昔この辺りに住んでいて、犬の散歩コースだったらしい。

彼の働くタトゥーショップThe Tatt Shackにも案内してくれた。アレックスの彼女のオーロラもそこで彫り師として働いている。かなりクールな場所だった。

その後一向は、BOOMへ。

BOOMはライブハウス、練習スタジオ、レコーディングスタジオが収容されたコミュニティ施設。地元のハードコアコミュニティから真に愛されている場所で、HPの練習スタジオもここにある。

トムはBOOMのレコスタ「PanaWave Recording」でエンジニアをしている。彼の提案で今回はAudio Tree形式のスタジオセッションを録音する。 ジミーも一緒にスタジオに来てくれたのでFREE FALLでフィーチャリングを依頼した。快く引き受けてくれて、その場で2人で彼のパートを考えた。 僕はHPの長年のファンだ。ジミーとこうやってクリエイティブに作業出来ることは本当に嬉しかった。 BOOMのPanaWave Recordingは本当に広くて居心地がいい。こんな場所があるなんて羨ましい限りだ。

先日リリースしたReimeiセッションとはまた別のセットリストを演奏した。ジミーパートもバシッと決まって大満足。 レコーディングが終わって、スタジオのドアを開けると聴き覚えのある曲が。実はこの日はThe Story So Farのリーズ公演。隣のビルで演奏している。ライブが見たかったが、タイミングが合わずメンバーとも会えなかった。また今度。ちなみに明後日はゴリビスのリーズ公演だった。ご縁があるバンドばかり。

明日はBOOMでライブなのでスタジオに機材を置きっぱなしにしてジミー行きつけのピザ屋へ。BOOMのあとはこの店が定番だそうだ。

各自宿へ帰宅。実りあるオフだった。

Leeds, United Kingdom 🇬🇧 - BOOM

ぐっすり寝て、午前中はトムの家で仕事や振り込みをこなす。タスクは世界のどこにいても追いかけてくる。

アユムとコウくんはジミーにタトゥーを入れてもらっているようだ。アユムのツアー先のタトゥーはだんだん定番になってきている。 頃合いでメンバーで合流し、今日はBOOMでライブ。 リスニングパーティーの主催はDevil Dog。彼はリーズでハードコア/パンクのディストロやショーの主催を10年以上行っていて、僕らのレーベルSDRとも提携している。僕らの音源も取り扱っていてくれて、ホロサンのことは知っていてくれた。

リスニングパーティーには多くの人が集まってくれて、ショーもたくさんの人が残ってくれた。HPのメンバーもアレックス以外は全員来てくれて本当に嬉しかった。最後のFREE FALLではジミーも飛び入りしてくれて大円団。ジミーも「フリーショーだからみんなホロサンの物販買ってあげてくれ」とマイクでアナウンスしてくれた。 そのおかげもあって物販は大盛況。キャンセルの穴埋めをすることができた。

最後にまた昨日と同じ店にHPメンバーらとハングアウト。再会を誓ってお別れした。

立役者のジミー、トム本当にありがとう。この恩は忘れないよ。

Manchester, United Kingdom 🇬🇧

クルーは一路マンチェスターへ向かう。今日は約2時間の道のりで大したことはなかった。 今日からついにexcideと合流する。

マンチェスターではSalford Lads ClubというSmithsの有名な写真が撮られたコミュニティセンターを訪れた。当初表で軽く写真だけ撮って帰るつもりだったが、中からたまたま出てきた係のおじさんが館内を案内してくれた。 Smithsの部屋と呼ばれる部屋には訪れた人の写真や、本人の写真が壁一面に貼ってあって圧巻でとても感動。この施設は若者向けのコミュニティセンターとしては地域最古のもので、Smithsのファンが絶えず訪れている場所。モリッシー本人もこの施設存続のために寄付をしている。 この日に、アユムとこうくんがどのスーパーにも「ミールディール」なるお得セットがあることを発見。飲み物、食べ物、スナックの3点セットが単品で買うより格段にお手頃価格になる。早く言ってよ！以後、箱についてはスーパーの「ミールディール」をディグる日々がスタート。凌ぎきる。

いよいよ箱に着くとボーカルのタイラーと会えた。日本でフライトがキャンセルになり新しいチケットは2000USDもしたそう。そりゃさぞかしキツいだろう。 excideはみんなホロサンのことは事前にチェックしていてくれたようで楽しみにしてくれていたそう。いいやつばかりでホッとする。今回のUK/EUツアーは二回も計画が流れてやっと決まった。ツアーメイトに迎えてくれたexcideには本当に感謝だ。

彼らのドライバーのダニーもいいやつだった。彼は腕にStrung Outのタトゥーが入っている高速パンク野郎。Fair Do's(https://www.instagram.com/fairdosband/)というバンドで日本にもくる予定があるからチェックして欲しい。 この日の会場は古い建物で雰囲気最高。 連絡してくれたカメラマンのRiley Croft(https://www.instagram.com/rileycroftmedia)と開演前にフォトセッションしてもらった。

開演するといい感じでお客さんも集まってきて、ライブは盛況。excideもぶちかましていた。お互い納得の一発で信頼関係が生まれた日だったと思う。

Glasgow, United Kingdom 🇬🇧

excideと合流して2日目。この日は4〜5時間ドライブ。

会場に着くとexcideのメンバーがなにやら困っている。今日はバーの一角を使ってライブするがスペースが狭く、ドラムのケイレブが頭を抱えている。うまく機材納めてどうにか設営。

どんなシチュエーションであれバンドはしっかりライブして盛り上げる。その積み重ねがないと長期ツアーはできない。

この日はDepizeのメンバーが僕に会いにきてくれた。二人に会うのは久しぶりで本当に嬉しかった。

Birmingham, United Kingdom 🇬🇧

ひたすら移動の後、到着。 この日はPeace Of Mind、Overpowerのツアーに参加させてもらう。時間早めのマチネハードコアショーだ。

会場に入って彼らと話すと日本のハードコアのことをたくさん聞かれて驚いた。ハードコアは世界共通言語だ。 川沿いの綺麗なべニュー。雰囲気がとても良かった。

どのバンドもクールで楽しい一本だった。 Overpowerのメンバーはみんなホロサンのマーチを買ってくれた。こういうのは本当にありがたい。

早めにショーが終わったので宿ではゆっくり過ごせた。こういう時間がツアーでは貴重だ。体をしっかり休めた。

London, United Kingdom 🇬🇧

だんだんとツアーエンジンがかかってきた。 今日の箱はロンドンでは定番の箱。様々なバンドがここでライブしている。楽しみだった場所。

excideに今日からYour Flowersで歌っていいかサウンドチェックで相談するとHell Yeah!!とのこと。ちょっとキー高いけどどうにか頑張ろう。

オープンすると今日は客入りもいい感じ。アユムの日本人の友達も来てくれたり大きな都市ならでは。 ホロサンのライブではタイラーがモッシュしてくれたり嬉しい一幕もあった。

お互いにそれまでのベストショーをかましてこの日は大満足で終了。フィーチャリングもどうにか上手くいった。箱の前で写真も撮り、UKでの日程を完遂した。

明日は朝早く再びドーバー海峡をフェリーで渡るため、港近くに宿泊。寝れたのは夜中だった。

Paris, France 🇫🇷

6時ごろ起きてフェリー乗り場へ。また入出国があるため時間に余裕が必要だ。 短期間にこんなにフェリーに乗ったことは今までの人生で一度もない。

フェリーを降りるとパリは2時間ほど。今日は箱もいい感じだ。

毎日違う国に移動すると言語、通貨、車線の向きまでもがどんどん変わる。物販でキャッシュカードを切るためのマシンもレンタル先に連絡して通貨を切り替えないといけない。 ポンド、ユーロ、デンマーククローナ、そしてチェココルナとせっかく覚えた為替も意味がなくなるのでiPhoneが手放せない。アユムだけ日本円に換算するのが早くてなぜか腹立たしい。

今日からのEUツアーではバンドに食事が提供される。この日はアラビアータを出してくれた、給食のようにみんなで食べた。同じ釜の飯を食うとクルーは本当に親密になる。毎日excideのショーが見れて本当に嬉しい限りだ。

ショーにはたくさんの人が来てくれた。どのバンドもカッコよくて楽しめた一本。LESTERの千葉くんもショーに来てくれて嬉しかった。

どの街もそうだが、結局街を見る時間が全然ない。次はゆっくり街を観れるといいなと思いつつ、宿へ向かった。

が、道中また嫌な連絡。excideタイラーの喉が枯れてしまいユトレヒトのショーがキャンセルになった。まじかよー勘弁してくれ。 悪いことはさらに続き、レイトチェックインできるはずだったホテルが、先方の手違いで入れず。やむなく車中泊となった。

ビクトルは予定よりもさらに数時間運転してサービスエリアで一夜を明かすことに。

もう正直シャワーに入れない日も多かったので慣れてはきていた、開き直って寝ることに。

Wiesbaden, Germany 🇩🇪

朝サービスエリアで目覚める。全員とっ散らかっているがなんとか生きているという感じ。 自分へのご褒美にコーヒーを買う。高い。

この旅では節約のためにほぼレストランを利用しなかった。安売りスーパーに行っては、さらに安い食品を探して食い繋ぐ。生き残りをかけてのサバイバルだ。凌ぐ。

ヨレヨレで箱に着くと宿泊施設も完備された最高の環境だった。本当に助かった。 11人のクルーで合宿状態。洗濯機もあったので、溜まった汚れ物を一気に洗った。

ライブもいい感じで終了。

本数が減ったのは問題だが、ライブの後移動しないでいいのは本当にありがたい。車中泊も手伝って、正直僕も喉が厳しめだったのでホッとしたのは秘密だ。

それぞれ思い思いに過ごして、体を休めた。 僕は即気絶。

Wiesbaden, Germany 🇩🇪 - Extra Day

２日ぶりにシャワーを浴びた。ちゃんとお湯が出るなんて最高だ。

ユトレヒトがキャンセルになったため、ヴィースバーデンに延泊する。1日オフになってしまったので、僕はexcide連中と1時間ほどの距離にあるフランクフルトでハングアウト。 1日ふらついて楽しんだ。excideともだいぶ打ち解けてきた。

彼らとホロサンは音楽的には多くの共通点がある。それをお互いにリスペクトできているのは本当に嬉しいことだ。 特に僕にとってホロサンでハードコアバンドとツアーすることは非常に特別な出来事で心から感謝している。

宿に戻るとアユムがキッチンでパスタを作ってくれた。なかなか上手くて感動。メンバー四人で仲良く食べた。

Bochum, Germany 🇩🇪

ツアーも終盤に差し掛かってきた。終わりが見えると寂しい。環境はタフでも音楽に集中できるツアーの日々は他では体験できないことだ。 タイラーの喉もどうにか調子を取り戻したようだった。 この日はビクトルがケルン大聖堂に連れて行ってくれた。でっか！これ手作りなの？人間って信じられない。そのあとは彼のおすすめのドイツ鉱山博物館へ。鉱業の歴史や技術、資源利用についての展示を行っている。地下の坑道を実際に歩いて体験できる特別ツアーに参加。迫力の地下道だが、ガイドは全てドイツ語。ちんぷんかんぷん。でもクールな体験だった。

そのあと箱へ。今日はDie Trompeteという雰囲気のある箱。ケータリングも美味しいカレーを提供してくれた。ローカルサポートも素晴らしかった。 この日のショーもいい感じ。次の日はいよいよベルリンでフェス。終演後足早に会場を後にした。

Berlin, Germany 🇩🇪

8時にホテルを出発。6時間のドライブを経てベルリンへ向かう。このツアーの目玉の一本、Break Out Berlinだ。

この日に物販をしっかり売らないと経費が回収できない。車中で搬入や物販などメンバーで役割分担を確認した。

到着すると会場はクリスチャニアの如く、グラフィティで壁が埋め尽くされたクールな会場だったし、来場者もかなり多い。

会場入りするとすぐexcideはメインステージで出番。Your Flowersを歌うためにステージ袖へ。かなりいいセットで盛り上がっていたし、フィーチャリングもうまく行った！緊張した！ その間機材や物販をセットしてくれたホロサンメンバーには感謝。

そしてその約1時間後、いよいよホロサンの出番だ。サブステの真ん中あたりのいい出順を回してもらった。人が来るか心配だったが、蓋を開けたら入場規制だったようで本当に嬉しかったし、いいショーができたと思う。あっという間だった。 たくさんの人がマーチを買ってくれた。本当にありがとう。

会場ではこの日ヘッドライナーだったTouche Amoreとも再会。彼らの日本のショーもかなり良かったが、1000人以上いる会場でぶちかます姿はレベルの違いを感じるほどだった。 ショーの途中ではHollow Sunsにシャウトアウトしてくれた。ジェレミーありがとう。感動したよ。

最後まで会場で物販を売りベルリンを後にした、いよいよ最後で最大の難所がやってきた。

明日チェコの大型ロックフェスRock For Peopleに朝10時に出演するため、このままノンストップで7時間、チェコを目指す。会場8時半入り。 ビクトルにはそのために日中は寝ておいてもらった。無理言ってすまなかったね。

次の日歌うために僕は後部座席で気絶。 あとは任せたビクトル。

Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic 🇨🇿 - Rock For People

ビクトルの声で目が覚めた。そこはもう朝7時半のRFPの会場。昨日のライブから着替えてもいないけど、もう正直どうでもいい。

会場入りのために本部へ。楽屋は使えませんとか聞いてないことをたくさん告げられるが、もはやなんでもいいよ。 声もカスカスだし本当に歌えるか不安だった。

僕らのステージはフェスの一番小さいステージだけどそれでもこのツアーでは一番でかい。会場はテントエリアのど真ん中にあって、予想に反して人がいるのに驚いた。

現場につくと即セッティング&サウンドチェックが始まる。さっきまで車で寝てたのにもうライブやるんだ。言っているうちにexcideも 到着。彼らは昨夜早めに会場を後にしたがそれでも数時間しか寝れなかったらしい。

ダニーとビクトルは「ケータリングがもらえないなんて、んなことあるかい！」と担当者に直談判。ケータリングを勝ち取ってきたのは頼もしかったし、僕らが演奏している最中にダニーがさらに直談判し、ステージ袖に物販をセットして売ってくれた。「俺はDIYツアーばかりやってるからサバイバルは得意だ！」となんとも頼もしかったし、excideのドライバーの彼がそこまでしてくれたことに感動した。

ライブは10時ということもあって、人はまばらだが、その場にいるほとんどの人がライブを見て物販を買ってくれた。一本一本意味があるなと感動する。 そしてこれをもってホロサンはツアー出番は完了。お疲れ様。

11時から同じステージでexcideもプレイ。最後にYour Flowersを歌って僕も出番を終えた。Gillは「Best band in the world」とシャウトしてくれた。お世辞でも嬉しいよ。

終演後クルー全員で写真を撮って、勝ち取ったケータリングをみんなで並んで食べた。excideはあと4本ライブが続く。残りもいいショーになってくれたら嬉しい。

しばしフェスを満喫して7時ごろexcideと別れ、ホロサンクルーはプラハへ移動。道中にビクトルへの支払いも済ませて、ヴァンを綺麗にした。

そしてホテルの前でビクトルと最後のお別れ、このツアーは彼がいなかったら成り立たなかった。本当にありがとう。また会う日まで。

ビクトルが去った後はメンバー全員で荷造り。レフトオーバーマーチを各自の荷物で振り分けできる限り持ち帰る。それでやっと経費が賄えるのが現実で骨が折れる。日本から持ってきたポータブルの計量機で重さを調整しながらトランクに詰めていく。

作業も終わってプラハでしばし打ち上げ。 プラハの街はまるでディズニーランドのよう。石畳で情緒がある。3週間の旅もこの美しい街で終わると思うといい締めくくりかもしれない。

Narita / Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵 - Return

ついに家に帰れる。家族の顔が見たい。

朝、UBERを呼んで空港へ向かう。あらかじめ空港に近い宿を取ったので今日はイージー。帰りのチェックインも荷物の重さでやや手こずるがきっちり収めて飛行機に乗る。ツアーの帰りの飛行機には独特の感情がある。安堵と寂しさが混ざり合うし「さぁ次はどうするかなぁ〜」とあてもなくボンヤリ悩む。しかし今回は多くの収穫があったし、帰ってすぐ国内ツアーが待っている。ツアーバンドでいられることは幸せだ。

帰りの飛行機はプラハ発北京経由。大体14時間ほどの工程。30時間の半分とは言え、かったるいもんはかったるい。北京に降りた瞬間、物価がものすごい勢いで安くなりメンバーは久しぶりに値段を気にせず買い物。アジア最高。でもそのうちヨーロッパみたいになるのか？と漠然と不安に。やっとの思いで成田に着陸し安堵も束の間。こうくんとアユム、まさかのロストバゲージ。だるすぎる！(数日後に無事に返ってきました)

不機嫌になりつつ、自家用車をピックして無事帰京。我が子と、やっと帰ってきたか！そんな表情の嫁さんを抱きしめつつ。

この日も結局ぶっ倒れて大冒険は終了。マーチの数はしばらくしたら数えよう。美しきヨーロッパの景色よまた会う日まで。

波乱万丈の21日間に及ぶUK&EUツアー 2026の模様を書き綴ってみました。 文中でも書いたように、日々の積み重ねが海を超えて声援となって返ってくる体験は、バンド冥利につきます。また新しい出会いで溢れた旅ができるよう、バンドとして精進を続けたい一心。

素晴らしい体験を支えてくれた関係者や、共演バンド、excide、何よりメンバーにも心から感謝。 また近いうちに！

BONES

Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵 - Night Before Departure

The three-week European tour finally begins tomorrow.

Almost all of the members were in Europe for the first time. I've been to Germany before, but this is my first time, and I can't tell which is right or which is left.

Since we were going to be away from our hometowns for three weeks, all members had to organize their affairs to some extent, and although they were all keeping themselves busy, they kept in touch to confirm meeting times and terminal locations.

Hollow Suns doesn't have a tour manager, so you have to control the journey yourself. Even if I check, am I forgetting something? I'm starting to worry.

Meanwhile, I received a call from Ayumu who said she had a fever. Suddenly Idiot No. 1. I thought about that, but then I got a call saying that Kosuke's bass wouldn't fit in the trunk, so I went with No. 2. When I checked the bus schedule for the next day, I ended up not being able to catch my flight in time, and I ended up being number 3 because I had to drive to the airport. A sudden beginning.

In the end, I slept for about three hours and left for Narita by car at 4:30am. I gently said goodbye to my sleeping child and wife, and the adventure began.

Narita to Copenhagen, Denmark 🇩🇰

I picked up Kou-kun and Kosuke, left my car at a long-term parking lot at 7 a.m., and arrived at Narita Airport. Ayumu arrived directly at the airport and apparently his fever has subsided, but please do not approach him.

Check in. This time, the first hurdle was the weight of the luggage. Europe is expensive and there are a lot of unknown expenses. I would like to increase the interest rate by bringing as much March as possible from Japan. Compress each person's luggage to the minimum necessary to gain as much weight as possible. All of the Holosan members have surprisingly little luggage. When it comes to the third long-term tour, various things are narrowed down. The weight is clear with plenty of room. I try to carry it in separate pieces in my hand luggage, but it's tiring just walking around the terminal with a backpack packed in my hand luggage.

Today's flight was a total of 30 hours via Vietnam. It's the longest flight of my life and it's quite a challenge from the beginning. It takes about 7 hours to reach Vietnam. I hadn't slept much, so it only took a moment for me to sit down.

Once in Vietnam, I enjoyed a 10-hour layover. Kou-kun has been to Vietnam before, so he shows us around the airport like a local. As expected. We had lunch near the airport and received a super cheap Vietnamese massage.

I was greedy and chose the 90 minute course. It felt good as he massaged me hard, but later this turned out to be a big mistake. There's no way to know at this point.

When I finished the massage and looked at my smartphone, I received a bad message from my current agent, Matthew (AVOCADO BOOKING/ex-FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND). A live show in Bristol was canceled due to the local promoter's circumstances.

Looking back on this tour, it was a tour that kept getting swayed by cancellations, but we'll get to that later. I immediately contacted the Copenhagen organizer, Andreas of Nasty Cut Records. I asked for help booking another show in Copenhagen on short notice.

Dealing with cancellations is one of Holosun's survival techniques. During our last tour in America, we booked and played a few live shows. I'm used to this kind of trouble, but having my fixed salary reduced is a matter of life and death. The financial aspect of this tour is on the edge.

Return to the airport in time for your next flight. Another 13 hours from now. Denmark is far away.

Copenhagen, Denmark 🇩🇰

After overcoming the boring flight, we finally landed in Copenhagen, the starting point of this journey and our first country. 7am local time.

I was stuck at customs for quite a while, breaking into a cold sweat, but I managed to enter the country by showing my visa. Apparently, his unusual response, ``I will leave the country by car,'' was suspected. That's right, the fact that I'm driving from Denmark to England is a lie. By the way, the distance is 1,600km, passing through the EU once and taking two ferries.

At the airport, you can feel the richness of Northern Europe through the beautiful art and decorations. I called an Uber from the airport and went to the hotel. The accommodation has a room for 4 people. Quite narrow. It can't be helped because it's the cheapest hotel in Denmark, where prices are high. The toilet and shower are also shared. Additionally, four people will be using the car today, but tomorrow the driver will also be joining, so he will sleep alone on the floor. Kou-kun takes the initiative and sleeps on the floor, which is really amazing.

Leave your luggage behind and explore the city. The Scandinavian cityscape I saw for the first time was beautiful and somehow sophisticated.

However, the first thing that surprised me was the prices. Denmark is one of the most expensive regions in Europe, with everything being sold for roughly three to four times as much as in Japan, which is mind-boggling. If you go to a restaurant or convenience store as usual, the prices will be outrageous. I want to eat delicious food, but I don't really feel like it anymore. Fortunately, there is a supermarket in the back, but it's also shockingly expensive. If you buy a lunch box, it will cost about 2,000 yen. Search the store and settle for chips and bread at prices you can barely afford. “Surpass” is one of the important keywords for this trip. This is a challenge from the Far East to the high prices of the West. Ayumu, Kou-kun, and Kosuke are happy to have found surprisingly cheap beer and bread. The vitality is amazing.

First, we headed to Nyhavn, a tourist destination, by train. The trains are really sophisticated and the platforms are clean. And there are no ticket gates. Although there are places to pay, almost everyone passes by. I was surprised at how different it was from Japan.

Nyhavn is a popular local tourist destination and is so beautiful that it looks like something out of a picture postcard. And Danish people sit by the river or in the park, chatting and drinking alcohol. Everyone is spending time outside as a matter of course, with some even drinking wine out of wine glasses. From our perspective, this is a rich way to spend time.

In Nyhavn, we took a walk and looked at street brand shops called LeFex. Anyway, everything is refreshing and beautiful. The castle-like building is also very beautiful.

After walking for about 30 minutes, we visited an area called Christiania. This place is different from the previous one, and the walls of the building are full of graffiti, and there are live music venues, stores, art, skate ramps, bars, and more. This area was originally a squat residential area and used to be a noisy area where drugs were traded, but now it has become a tourist spot where children can play freely. It's also somewhat cheaper than the Nyhavn mentioned earlier.

Stroll around and take a break at an open cafe. As expected, I ate the curry. While the members were excited, I received a happy message from Andreas saying that he was planning to do a new show. When I checked the details, it turned out to be a live house next to the cafe.

It was a good fit so I decided to take a look inside. The owner, an old man, was also very kind and showed me around. I went back to the hotel feeling tired from walking, and the other members started drinking happily, but I didn't like the jet lag, so I slept for 12 hours. Let's get together at once.

Copenhagen, Denmark 🇩🇰 - Tour Start

When you wake up in your bunk bed, you'll find a Dread Man you don't know sleeping below. Our driver, Victor from Fluff Wheels, arrived in Copenhagen while I was asleep. He is just under 2 meters tall and traveled 10 hours from his final destination in the Czech Republic. From now on, we will eat and sleep together for three weeks.

Touring in Europe is very systematic. The van rental company also rents equipment, and you also need to hire a driver. They take a deposit and wait until the end of the tour to pay, so the system is very supportive of the musicians. Fluff also hosts festivals. It's multifaceted. What surprised me most was that most European vans are manual cars. I'm horrified that I even thought for a moment of trying to drive myself to cover the expenses.

I said hello to Victor when he woke up, and looked for breakfast at the supermarket. I don't want to waste money on breakfast, and since I have catering for a festival today, I'm in rush mode. I bought some arrabbiata and ate it. This was also a big mistake on this trip.

I slept the night before, so I spent the morning preparing the equipment. This time, I removed the neck of the guitar, put it in a suitcase, and reassembled it on site. Commonly known as "Golgo 13 style" (because Golgo also assembles rifles) Friendship Kazuya taught us how to handle the mokuneji beforehand, assembled it on-site, and assembled the board. It worked! If you remember this, you can do it anywhere in the world. The environment makes people stronger.

At long last, Victor brought the van to the front of the hotel. A huge Mercedes van. There's even a bed on the cargo platform. The car is high enough for an adult to stand inside. It's the perfect home base for the past three weeks. Before getting on board, Victor explained the van according to the manual. It was also very systematic, and I was able to get a real sense of the scale of the European music industry, with contracts and rules clearly explained.

The venue is about 30 minutes away. The location of Lohuset is made of beautiful cobblestones, giving it a very Scandinavian feel. The inside of the live house is beautiful, and an art exhibition is being held next to the waiting room.

Soon after, the host of this event, Andreas, appeared. He visited Holosun's event "Swelling Out Fest" held at Shibuya Eggman in November 2015, and after seeing Holosan, he liked it, which led to this booking. And tonight, he will be the headliner.

During the sound check process, it was discovered that the voltage of Ayumu's digital amplifier did not match. I'll be able to get through today because I have some festival equipment, but everything after this will be bad. I immediately purchased a transformer from Amazon and had it delivered to my accommodation in the UK.

Although there were many bands in the lineup for this festival that I didn't know, all of them had a different nuance from those in America and were very interesting. There were people at the venue who came just for Holosan, and some who had traveled all the way from Australia, and the merchandise sales got off to a good start.

When it was finally Holosan's turn, many people stayed behind and the venue was filled to the brim. The set was a great success, with stage dives and an unexpected encore, and they performed well.

It's really moving to be so well received in a foreign country. It is the band's greatest joy to see what may seem like a waste of effort come back as a reaction after crossing the ocean.

Everything ended well. I went to the inn in high spirits.

However, Victor makes a shocking comment. In Denmark, foreigners have to pay about 10,000 yen per night to park their cars. No way, I didn't hear that. This time, I was left at the mercy of these kinds of unexpected expenses. By the way, sleeping in a car on the street is also illegal. Unable to change my back or stomach, I paid 10,000 yen to park.

Sleep like mud.

Copenhagen, Denmark 🇩🇰 - Day Off

The tour suddenly stopped on the second day. It was originally supposed to be a travel date, but since the Bristol show was canceled, we booked a show in Copenhagen on the 31st. So today is an off day. I'm going to hang out on the second day of Nasty Cut Fest.

Andreas kindly allowed me to set up a merchandise stall, and I enjoyed the second day of the festival as a customer.

There were many good bands that day, and the closing act was Shoreline (Germany/Pure Noise Records). Apparently Shoreline has been hearing about Holosan for six years. I was very surprised.

I also wanted to enjoy the festival, but the massage I received in Vietnam turned out to be too much for me, and I ended up with a fever and diarrhea from the discounted arrabbiata. Almost bedridden in the van's bed. I can't get over it. The other members seemed to enjoy the festival to the fullest.

I went back to the hotel and paid another 10,000 yen to park with Victor. "It's crazy out here, so let's get out as soon as possible," he says. Even for Europeans, prices in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway are incredibly high.

Christiania, Copenhagen, Denmark 🇩🇰

Today, I suddenly performed at the Christiania live house that I visited on the first day. The owner from the other day greeted us. Because it was a genre-neutral booking, a variety of people were able to come and talk. Christiania was full of eccentric people, from a pianist who immigrated from Slovakia after the country split to local punks.

It was the top's turn to jump in. Despite the short notice, people who had come to the festival came back again, and Andreas even showed up with his girlfriend. I was impressed that some people checked out my shirt.

Tonight we will leave Copenhagen and take a ferry to Germany. Therefore, I left the venue without waiting for the performance to end. After driving for about an hour, we took a ferry to Germany. I was surprised to see so many cars even at night.

The inside of the ferry, which I saw for the first time, had a very clean lounge, duty-free shop, and restaurant, making it easy to spend time. It doesn't change the fact that prices are high. I can even endure coffee while holding back. The five of us were lying on the sofa, exhausted.

Arrived in Germany and went to a nearby hotel around midnight. I fall down and lose consciousness.

En Route to Leeds, United Kingdom 🇬🇧

The emergency bell rings in the middle of the night. Apparently, a student on a school trip from the same hotel pushed it. From afar, I feel like I've become an old man who complains about students on school trips. Not young.

Feeling annoyed, I woke up around 8am and took a shower for the first time in a while. Lukewarm. This is also a problem for this tour, and cheap hotels often don't have hot water.

Starting today, I will spend two days aiming for British LEEDS. The distance is approximately 1600km. I'll take the ferry again. I plan on finishing half of it today. Overnight in France.

Buy tickets for the en route ferry online. After the UK, I will return to the EU again and will pay about 70,000 yen round trip. By the way, it costs about 30,000 yen to fill up the gas tank once. As someone in charge of budget management, I am filled with anxiety, but I have no choice but to do it.

Victor is a really patient driver. He was originally a DJ and didn't have much knowledge of punk/hardcore. That's why it was so helpful for me to focus on being the driver this time. Furthermore, the music selection in the car was excellent from beginning to end, making it stress-free.

However, on the way there was another unpleasant call. It seems that two members of Excide, who came to Japan as Foreign Hands, are stranded due to a typhoon hitting Japan. Will it make it in time for the Leeds show? I'm too anxious.

Arrive in France comfortably due to the spacious interior of the car. I was tired even though I wasn't driving myself. Thank you Victor.

Leeds, United Kingdom 🇬🇧 - Arrival

Today is also a moving day. I continued running the remaining 800km in silence. This is my second ferry today. Crossing the Straits of Dover from Currie. ``A long time ago, Ucchannanchan swam across the river,'' he says, referring to the old man. The members didn't seem to be paying attention.

Clear immigration procedures before boarding the ship. It was our first time doing something like this, so we didn't know what was right and what was left, so Victor encouraged us. Having him there this time was really helpful. It was a journey full of things we didn't know, and we wouldn't have been able to do anything on our own.

After completing immigration formalities, we headed to the ferry. By the second time, I got used to it. Everyone quickly found their own beds and slept soundly. I've been having a really bad stomach for a long time.

I got off the ferry and entered the country this time. Finally, on the way to England and heading to Leeds, I received another unpleasant call. This time, the booking agent tells them that the Leeds show has been cancelled. It seems that the members of excide who were stranded in Japan will not be able to make it in time. Second cancellation. Anxiety also increased. This is because just one fewer book reduces the salary and puts more and more pressure on expenses.

The crew split up and stayed overnight in Leeds. They split up at Alex's house from Higher Power and Tom's house who stayed in Kanazawa the whole time.

We arrived at Alex's house around 11pm. He wasn't there as he was on tour as a drum tech for Basement's tour, but his girlfriend Aurora and older brother Jimmy, Higher Power's vocalist, were there to greet him. When I told Jimmy about the cancellation, he miraculously replied, ``I have something in mind. We'll arrange another show for you.'' Jimmy really helped me this time.

Victor and I went to Tom's house. It was a beautiful house surrounded by woods. It's been about 10 years since I met him again. He has lived in Kanazawa for many years and knows Holosan well. I was grateful that he contacted me after this tour was decided. I also said hello to her and fell down on this day as well.

Victor goes to bed alone in the van because he thinks it will calm him down. That van is really comfortable.

Leeds, United Kingdom 🇬🇧 - Studio Session

First thing in the morning, I receive calls from Jimmy and my booking agent, Matthew. Jimmy happened to book us into the Converge album listening party tomorrow. However, after that, Matthew informed me that he could do the show as planned with just Holosan. We communicated via chat with the members who were staying separately, and in the end, it was decided that the two organizers would work together to create a miraculous event. The venue was changed to a box called BOOM. This is the slightly information-heavy flyer I made on the spot.

Something amazing was created.

Ayumu and Kou, who had so much free time that they somehow started running in Copenhagen, decided to run in Leeds as well. For some reason, they sent me a photo of the three of them running together, including Jimmy, and it was just Forrest Gump. What is this?

Jimmy showed me around the city around noon. From the station, he showed me around the ruins of Kirkstall Abbey. Jimmy lived around here a long time ago, and apparently it was a dog walking course.

He also showed me around the tattoo shop where he works, The Tatt Shack. Alex's girlfriend Aurora also works there as a carver. It was a pretty cool place.

After that, I went to BOOM.

BOOM is a community facility that houses a live house, practice studio, and recording studio. A true favorite of the local hardcore community, HP's practice studio is also located here.

Tom is an engineer at BOOM's record studio ``PanaWave Recording.'' At his suggestion, this time I will record a studio session in Audio Tree format. Jimmy came to the studio with me, so I asked him to feature on FREE FALL. He gladly accepted the role, and the two of us came up with his part on the spot. I'm a long time HP fan. I was really happy to be able to work creatively with Jimmy like this. BOOM's PanaWave Recording is really spacious and comfortable. I'm so jealous that a place like this exists.

They played a different set list from the Reimei session they released the other day. Jimmy's part was also fixed and I was very satisfied. When I opened the studio door after recording, I heard a familiar song. Actually, this day was the Leeds performance of The Story So Far. They're playing in the building next door. I wanted to see the concert, but the timing wasn't right and I couldn't meet the members. Maybe next time. By the way, the day after tomorrow was Golibis' performance in Leeds. These are all bands that I have a good relationship with.

Tomorrow I'll be performing at BOOM, so I left my equipment in the studio and went to Jimmy's favorite pizza place. After BOOM, this store seems to be the standard.

Everyone returned to their accommodation. It was a fruitful off-season.

Leeds, United Kingdom 🇬🇧 - BOOM

I get a good night's sleep and spend the morning at Tom's house working and making bank transfers. Tasks follow you no matter where you are in the world.

It seems that Ayumu and Kou-kun are getting tattoos from Jimmy. Ayumu's tattoos on tour are becoming more and more common. The members met up at the right time and performed today at BOOM. The listening party was hosted by Devil Dog. He has been hosting hardcore/punk distros and shows in Leeds for over 10 years and is also affiliated with our label SDR. They also handled our sound sources and knew about Holosan.

A lot of people came to the listening party, and a lot of people stayed for the show. I was really happy that all the members of HP came except Alex. At the final FREE FALL, Jimmy also jumped in and formed a large circle. Jimmy also announced on the microphone, ``It's a free show, so everyone please buy some Holosan merchandise.'' Thanks to that, merchandise sales were a huge success. We were able to make up for the cancellation.

Finally, I went to the same store as yesterday to hang out with HP members. We said goodbye, vowing to meet again.

Thank you so much to Jimmy and Tom for being the main actors. I'll never forget this favor.

Manchester, United Kingdom 🇬🇧

The crew heads straight to Manchester. Today was about a 2 hour drive and nothing major happened. Starting today, I will finally meet up with excide.

In Manchester, we visited the Salford Lads Club, the community center where the famous Smiths photograph was taken. At first I was planning to just take a quick photo at the front and then go home, but the guy who was in charge happened to come out from inside and showed me around the building. The facility is the oldest community center for youth in the area and is a constant visitor destination for Smiths fans. Morrissey himself has made a donation to keep the facility running. On this day, Ayumu and Kou-kun discovered that every supermarket had a special set called ``Meal Deal.'' A 3-piece set of drinks, food, and snacks is much more affordable than buying each item individually. Tell me quickly! After that, I started digging into the supermarket's ``meal deals'' for boxes. I can surpass it.

When we finally arrived at the box, we met Tyler, the vocalist. My flight was canceled in Japan and a new ticket cost 2000 USD. That must be really tough. Everyone at excide seemed to have checked out Holosan in advance and were looking forward to it. I'm relieved to see only good people. This UK/EU tour was finally decided after two plans. I'm really grateful to excide for having me as a tour mate.

Their driver Danny was also a nice guy. He's a fast punk guy with Strung Out tattooed on his arm. We have a band called Fair Do's (https://www.instagram.com/fairdosband/) that is planning to come to Japan, so please check it out. The venue for this day was an old building with a great atmosphere. I had a photo session with the photographer Riley Croft (https://www.instagram.com/rileycroftmedia) before the show started.

Once the show started, the audience started to gather and the live performance was a success. Excide was also angry. I think it was the day when we both agreed and a relationship of trust was born.

Glasgow, United Kingdom 🇬🇧

2nd day after joining up with excide. This day we drove for 4-5 hours.

When I arrived at the venue, the members of excide were having some trouble. Today we will be performing in a corner of the bar, but the space is small and drummer Caleb is having trouble. I managed to get the equipment and set it up.

No matter the situation, the band will perform well and liven things up. Without that accumulation, you won't be able to go on a long-term tour.

On this day, members of Depize came to see me. It's been a long time since I met them and I was really happy.

Birmingham, United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Arrived after a long journey. On this day, I will be participating in Peace Of Mind and Overpower's tour. It's an early matinee hardcore show.

When I entered the venue and talked to them, I was surprised to hear so many things about Japanese hardcore. Hardcore is a universal language. A beautiful venue along the river. The atmosphere was very good.

All the bands were cool and fun. All the members of Overpower bought me the Holosan merch. I really appreciate this.

The show ended early, so I was able to relax at the inn. Time like this is precious on tour. I got a good rest.

London, United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Gradually, the tour engine started to pick up. Today's box is a standard box in London. Various bands perform live here. A place I was looking forward to.

When I asked excide at sound check if I could sing with Your Flowers from today, they said Hell Yeah!! It's a bit expensive, but let's do our best.

When we opened today, the number of customers seemed to be good. Ayumu's Japanese friends also came, which is typical of a big city. There was a nice moment when Tyler moshed with us at the Holosan live.

The day ended with great satisfaction as we both put on our best show to date. The featuring also went well somehow. I also took a photo in front of the box and completed my schedule in the UK.

Tomorrow we will cross the Straits of Dover by ferry again early in the morning, so we will stay near the port. I was able to sleep in the middle of the night.

Paris, France 🇫🇷

I woke up around 6am and went to the ferry terminal. You will also need to have plenty of time to enter and exit the country. I have never been on a ferry like this in a short period of time in my life.

Once you get off the ferry, Paris takes about 2 hours. The box is looking good today.

When you move to a different country every day, the language, currency, and even the direction of the traffic lanes change all the time. Even if you use a machine to cut cash cards at a retail store, you will have to contact the rental company to change the currency. The exchange rates I had learned to use such as pounds, euros, Danish krona, and Czech koruna would be meaningless, so I couldn't let go of my iPhone. For some reason, it's frustrating how quickly Ayumu is converted into Japanese yen.

Meals will be provided to the band on their EU tour starting today. On this day, they served arrabbiata, which we all ate like a school lunch. Crew members become really close when they eat from the same pot. I'm really happy to be able to watch Excide's show every day.

A lot of people came to the show. All the bands were cool and I enjoyed this one. I was happy that Chiba from LESTER also came to the show.

As with any city, I ended up not having time to see the city at all. I headed to my inn, thinking that next time I would be able to see the city at a leisurely pace.

However, I had another unpleasant call on the way. excide Tyler's Utrecht show was canceled due to dry throat. Seriously? Give me a break. Things got even worse, and I was supposed to be able to check in late at the hotel, but due to a mistake by the other party, I couldn't get in. I had no choice but to sleep in the car.

Victor decides to drive a few more hours than planned and spend the night in a service area.

To be honest, there were many days when I couldn't take a shower, so I was getting used to sleeping with my head open.

Wiesbaden, Germany 🇩🇪

Wake up in the morning in the service area. Everyone seems to be a mess, but somehow they are still alive. Buy yourself a coffee as a reward. expensive.

I almost didn't go to restaurants on this trip to save money. I go to discount supermarkets and look for even cheaper foods to keep me fed. It's a matter of survival. Surpass.

When I arrived at the box, I found it to be in a perfect environment, complete with accommodation facilities. It was really helpful. A crew of 11 is in training camp. There was also a washing machine, so I washed all the dirty things that had accumulated.

The live performance ended on a good note.

It's a problem that the number of shows has decreased, but I'm really grateful that I don't have to travel after the show. It's no secret that I was relieved because he helped me sleep in the car, and to be honest, I was also having a hard time with my throat.

We each spent our time in our own way and rested our bodies. I instantly fainted.

Wiesbaden, Germany 🇩🇪 - Extra Day

I took a shower for the first time in two days. It's great to have hot water.

Since Utrecht was cancelled, we will stay in Wisbaden. I had a day off, so I hung out with the excide guys in Frankfurt, which is about an hour away. I enjoyed wandering around for a day. Excide and I have gotten to know each other quite well.

They and Holosan have a lot in common musically. I'm really happy that we can respect each other. Especially for me, touring with a hardcore band in Holosan is a very special occasion and I am truly grateful.

When I returned to the inn, Ayumu made pasta in the kitchen. It's really good and I'm impressed. The four members ate together happily.

Bochum, Germany 🇩🇪

The tour is nearing its end. I feel sad when I see the end. Even though the environment is tough, the days of touring where you can concentrate on the music is something you can't experience anywhere else. Tyler's throat seemed to be feeling better, too. On this day, Victor took me to Cologne Cathedral. Huge! Is this handmade? I can't believe humans. After that, we went to the German Mining Museum, which he recommended. Exhibits are held about the history, technology, and resource use of mining. Participate in a special tour where you can actually walk through an underground mine shaft. It's an impressive underground passage, but all the guides are in German. Gibberish. But it was a cool experience.

Then go to the box. Today's box is called Die Trompete. The caterer also provided delicious curry. Local support was also great. The show today also looked good. The next day was the festival in Berlin. After the performance, I quickly left the venue.

Berlin, Germany 🇩🇪

Departed from the hotel at 8 o'clock. After a 6 hour drive, we headed to Berlin. One of the highlights of this tour is Break Out Berlin.

If we don't sell our products well on this day, we won't be able to recover our expenses. While in the car, members confirmed the division of roles, such as loading and selling goods.

When we arrived, the venue was a cool venue with walls covered in graffiti, much like Christiania, and there were quite a lot of visitors.

As soon as they entered the venue, excide took their turn on the main stage. I went to the wings of the stage to sing Your Flowers. It was a pretty good set and we had a lot of fun, and the featuring went well! I was nervous! Thank you to the Holosan members who set up equipment and merchandise during that time.

About an hour later, it was finally Holosan's turn. I was given a good starting order in the middle of the secondary stage. I was worried about whether people would show up, but when I opened the lid, I was really happy to see that admission was restricted, and I think we put on a good show. It went by so quickly. thanks so much.

At the venue, they reunited with Touche Amore, who was the headliner that day. Their Japanese show was pretty good, but seeing them perform in front of a venue with over 1,000 people was on a completely different level. During the show, he gave a shoutout to Hollow Suns. Thank you Jami. I was impressed.

After selling merchandise at the venue until the end and leaving Berlin, the final and most difficult part came.

Tomorrow, we will perform at Rock For People, a large rock festival in the Czech Republic, at 10am, so we will be heading to the Czech Republic for 7 hours non-stop. Entered the venue at 8:30. I asked Victor to sleep during the day for that purpose. I'm sorry for forcing you to say so.

I passed out in the back seat to sing the next day. I left the rest to Victor.

Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic 🇨🇿 - Rock For People

I woke up to Victor's voice. It was already the RFP venue at 7:30 in the morning. I haven't even changed since yesterday's concert, but honestly I don't care anymore.

Head to the headquarters to enter the venue. I've been told a lot of things I didn't hear about, like I can't use the dressing room, but it doesn't matter anymore. Her voice was so weak that I wasn't sure if she could really sing.

Our stage is the smallest stage at the festival, but it's still the biggest on this tour. The venue was in the middle of the tent area, and I was surprised to see so many people.

As soon as we arrive at the venue, setup and sound check begins. I was sleeping in the car until just now, but I'm about to do a live show. While I'm saying that, I also exclude arrival. They left the venue early last night, but still only managed to sleep for a few hours.

Danny and Victor directly spoke to the person in charge and asked, ``How can you not get catering?'' It was a great relief that we won the catering, and while we were performing, Danny even talked to us directly and set up a stand on the side of the stage to sell some merchandise. ``I do all the DIY tours, so I'm good at survival!'' He said with great confidence, and I was impressed that Excide's driver went so far.

Since the concert was at 10 o'clock, there were not many people there, but most of the people there watched the concert and bought merchandise. I'm moved by how each piece has a meaning. And with this, Holosan's turn on tour is complete. good job.

Excide will also be playing on the same stage from 11am. I ended my turn by singing Your Flowers. Gill shouted "Best band in the world". I'm happy even if it's a compliment.

After the performance, we took a photo with the whole crew and ate the catered food we won together. Excide will have 4 more live shows. I'll be happy if the rest of the show turns out to be good.

After enjoying the festival for a while, we parted ways with excide around 7 o'clock, and the Holosan crew moved to Prague. On the way, I paid Victor and cleaned the van.

And then we said our final farewell to Victor in front of the hotel. This tour would not have been possible without him. thanks so much. Until we meet again.

After Victor left, all the members packed up. Each person will take home as much of the Leftover March as they can in their own luggage. The reality is that we can barely cover our expenses, which is a pain. I use a portable weighing machine brought from Japan to adjust the weight as I load the items into the trunk.

After finishing the work, we held a short launch in Prague. The city of Prague is like Disneyland. The cobblestone streets have a sense of atmosphere. It would be a nice way to end our three-week trip in this beautiful city.

Narita / Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵 - Return

I can finally go home. I want to see my family.

In the morning, I called an Uber and headed to the airport. I had booked a place close to the airport in advance, so today was easy. Check-in for the flight home was a little tricky again because of the luggage weight, but we managed to get everything within the limit and boarded the plane. There is a strange feeling that comes with the flight home from a tour. Relief and loneliness mix together, and I find myself vaguely wondering, “So, what comes next?” But this time we gained so much, and a domestic tour is waiting as soon as we get back. Being a touring band is a happy thing.

The return flight was from Prague via Beijing. The whole trip was about 14 hours. Even if that is half of 30 hours, exhausting is still exhausting. The moment we landed in Beijing, prices suddenly became incredibly cheap, and for the first time in a while the members shopped without worrying about the cost. Asia is the best. But I also felt a vague worry that one day it might become like Europe.

After finally landing at Narita, the relief lasted only a moment. Kou-kun and Ayumu had somehow lost their baggage. Way too rough! (It was safely returned a few days later.)

Still in a bad mood, I picked up my car and made it back to Tokyo safely. I hugged my child and my wife, whose face seemed to say, “So you finally made it home.”

In the end, I collapsed again that day, and the great adventure came to an end. I will count the remaining merch after a little while. Beautiful European scenery, until we meet again.

I wrote down the story of our eventful 21-day UK&EU Tour 2026. As I mentioned throughout this diary, experiencing the way each day of work crossed the ocean and came back to us as cheers is one of the greatest rewards of being in a band. We will keep pushing forward as a band so that we can make another journey filled with new encounters.

My deepest thanks to everyone involved who supported this incredible experience, to all the bands we played with, to excide, and most of all to the members. See you again soon!

BONES