Our four hiphop-travellers get to know genuine French hospitality, perform at an alternative bar and try to save a rave in the rain.
For the same reasons as on the road from Amsterdam to Paris, the boys have to take the fee free countryroads to Pontarlier – at least a ten hour ride, but worth it. The lovely french countryside of the Champagne is a wonderful journey road.
Tired and with a little city hangover the boys arrive in Pontarlier, a town 50 km east of Besançon. Mr. Organizer MC Amalgam managed that the boys can stay at his girlfriend’s parents’ house. Finally beds after sleeping on the floor for the last two nights!
The boys awake from the smell of fresh boiled coffee, french toast and sausages. It feels like heaven. While Hanno, Jamie, Max & David update their facebook status and homepage, André, a prime example of French hospitality, has already washed the four boys’ „Don’t let the lable you“-T- shirts and their underwear. And as a French tradition, the boys have to start with the typical local liquor „Pontarlier“, a famous Absinth. What a warm welcome.
For the night, Amalgam has organized a gig in a local bar, the „Cafe du Théatre“. After rehearsing in the family’s garage, the excited boys head up to the Bar. In a very sweet way, the Bar printed posters to promote the boys’ gig. It says: „Hip-Hop Travellers Tonight“.
The Bar is famous for it’s very alternative, leftwing, liberal scene and the night turns out to be a wonderful mix of music, talking and drinking. Our heros seem really relaxed and happy. Performing together with MC Amalgam makes it even better. And as a final, the “hiphop-travellers” jam together with a ska/reggae band – a perfect mix of French influenced music, accordion, sax, trumpet and Jamie’s and Hanno’s raps.
Just David is a little distracted. His girlfriend Audrey is in Lausanne and it’s just 50 km away from Pontarlier. They haven’t seen each other for a long time. He thinks about visiting her the next day.
A long night out requires a long sleep-in the next morning. Nothing is heard or seen of the boys until later that afternoon. When they finally do crawl out of their beds though, the news they wake up to isn’t that pleasant.
David has decided to take a day off, so to speak, and take the train to Lausanne, where his girlfriend lives. They normally spend their holidays together, but due to the 39 days project they have to relinquish this time which is causing a little bit of a rough patch between them.
In order to clear things up, David leaves his three buddies behind and makes his way to Switzerland. The ticket he purchases is one-way… The other three that are left behind support him in his decision but obviously want him to come back as soon as possible. This night they have to perform without David’s guitar and keyboard.
But to make up for the missing instruments, they simply find two new ones. On the way back from the train station, Hanno and MC Amalgam pick up two musicians they all jammed with at the Café du Théatre the night before. Trumpet plus accordion. The musicians offered their help last night and are now looking forward to contribute to the song the boys want to record during their trip. Max sets up a little record studio in Julie’s parents’ garage and off they go.
The plan for the rest of the day is to perform at a rave that will take place in the forest between Champagnol and Poligny. Again, an event that was organised for the lucky boys by MC Amalgam. He makes that stay in Pontalier a very productive and comfortable one. It’s not so easy for the boys to pack up their stuff, thinking about having to leave the cosiness of Julie’s parents’ house.
But the idea is to go directly to Nice after the rave is over the next morning. The only obstacle is the slight drizzle coming down. The weather forecast predicted torrential rain for that day but so far there’s nothing, so the packed car makes its way through the mountainous region around Pontalier searching for the little forest track that will lead them to the rave. Thanks to the navigation system it’s easier to find than it sounded when Julie explained it to them (“Well, between Poligny and Champagnol there’s this little road on your left.”)
With every kilometre they drive though, the rain gets heavier and heavier. But their minds are so set on this event, they can’t go back now. Only another approximately 40 people have the same idea, so this rave turns out to be a rather private one.
After setting up their tent, Hanno, Jamie and Max are about to start their show when suddenly a huge wall of water comes pouring down, hits the DJ spot and Hanno. And that’s the end of that. No more music. No more raving. No more rapping.
But the boys are determined. They want to rap and they want to see the people (only another five left due to the heaviness of the downpour) dance, no matter what. The solution is very simple: leave the speaker in the car, connect it with the laptop and microphone and start the show.
It’s a very sweet attempt at trying to save the party, but people are just too soaked to really appreciate the show. The plan of camping out in the forest is quickly revoked, the tent packed up into the car again – and all are very happy to spend another comfy night at Julie’s house!
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