Dicey Reilly’s in Strabane has that ever present malty smell of the proverbial Irish pub, generations of drinkers having spilled gallons of beers over the decades that were only marginally mopped up and soaked through every possible surface. It has a gallery in the upstairs lounge where we a playing and no stage, so Killtribe will be performing in some kind of neon-lit bear pit later on. The lounge also has posters of Led Zeppelin, The Smiths, the Hacienda club in Manchester and Radiohead hanging on the walls and a giant Jaegermeister-flag in lieu of proper silence cloth. It feels like a place where the walls have seen a lot of things, I hope they approve of the Germans.

After yesterdays antics of half the tribe, only Malik and Max joined me on a short trip up the Northern Irish coast, past Carrickfergus and along the bays, but we had to abandon our trip after an hour or so as we needed to gather all bands to head to Strabane earlier then expected as the local promoter wanted us to be in town as soon as possible. So we set up in convoy, the tourbus followed by my trusted and rented Fiat Bravo and reached Strabane in the West after a 2-hour drive. The town was, according to Wikipedia “once the most bombed town in Europe per size and the most bombed town in Northern Ireland”, but tonight it looks rather sleepish with most stores barred and only a few places open. I’d learn later on why.

We quickly unloaded our gear and started soundcheck, after which we tested the local food offerings of chips, pizza and Indian food, finally settling for a non-tasting pizza in a neon-lit parlor on the main street in town. Around 10 we were back at the venue and opening act Darkness in Paradise soon kicked off the evening with their synth-supported Deathcore and a guitar painted blood-red. Punters started to trickle in, it seemed St. Patrick’s day-hangovers did not bar the local kids from showing up and the place (and the gallery) filled up soon. Mandala Skies were up next, playing a more mellow and post-rock-orientated sound reminding me of Tool. Then it was time for Gacy’s Threads to heat up the place, which by then had become quite cold, due to an outside temperature of 2 degrees Celsius and a constant draft in the room from the downstairs bar. Strabane is the hometown of guitar player Blane, so the crowd ate out of their hands and spilled more beers than usual on the wooden floor, courtesy of extensive moshing. Vocalist Aaron reminds me of a Leprechaun from hell, always on the move, constantly fronting up the crowd and even running up the stairs to the gallery to “have a better look”. Sweaty.

Killtribe where again on after midnight, celebrating tour guitar player Patrick’s birthday on stage and again giving 120 %. Thomas managed to fill the space in front of the “stage” from absolutely empty to packed and heaving within minutes. And again, the Strabane crowd was convinced and celebrated along, fighting the cold with extensive pogo, banging and the worlds smallest wall of death, 5 against 5. I even stopped feeling cold behind the merch stand.

After loading the bus we again headed for Belfast, which we reached at around 4.30 AM, which again meant two nightcaps for yours truly and off to lala-land soon. Malik and Thomas continued talking and drinking beer with the Gacy’s until 9 AM, but then they don’t have to drive, those rockers.

PS: speaking of sleepish Strabane: the quietness was induced by a bunch of Travellers who smashed a local pub on St. Paddy’s Day night, ruining the place and stabbing people in the process – so even more kudos to the Strabane crowd for turning up and celebrating with the Germans.