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Eivør / Sylvaine EU Tour
  • Nina Cornelia Schilp

Eivør / Sylvaine EU Tour

A 24-day adventure by Nina Cornelia Read more
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  • Trip start
    October 1, 2024
    Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler
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    Travelday / copenhagen

    October 1, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    My day started early with a 07:30 flight to Copenhagen with Wouter. Since we arrived ahead of schedule, we had plenty of time to kill before the bus call at 18:00. We met up with Bella and spent a lovely, relaxed day exploring Copenhagen. We enjoyed some great food and even played a fun board game at Bastard Café.

    Despite taking the wrong metro, Wouter and I still made it in time for the bus call. It was great to reunite with the Eivør crew, and now we're all set to head to Hamburg.    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler

    Showday 2: Utrecht Tivoli

    October 3, 2024 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    We arrived in Utrecht around 11 AM, leaving just enough time for some last-minute shopping in the Netherlands (HEMA ❤️).

    I absolutely love this venue—it's one of the best in Europe. The catering and facilities for artists are top-notch. We had an extensive setup for our merchandise, which kept us busy.

    It was a bit hectic until the last minute, with everyone rushing around. We barely had five minutes for dinner before the doors opened.

    It was great to see so many familiar faces, and Michael was there to lend a hand! It’ll be the last time I see him until the end of the month.

    Finally, at 2:30 AM, it was time to call it a night.    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler
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    Showday 3: Brussels AB

    October 4, 2024 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Brussels AB Ancienne is such a great venue. We had amazing catering, a friendly audience, and easy load-ins and outs. It was the first show where we didn’t feel rushed, which was really nice.

    Wouter and I are starting to get into a routine—he handles the boxgrinding, and I make the booth look good.    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler
    11

    Off day 1: Calais - Dover - London

    October 6, 2024 in France ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    Yesterday, we prepared the border-crossing documents for the merchandise, just in case they were needed.

    It was a short night’s sleep. At 05:40, Emily woke Kathrine (Sylvaine) and me up for customs clearance. In the end, everyone had to get up for passport control. We were held in a cage-like area for about 25 minutes before the officers returned to stamp our passports. So far, no issues. What we didn’t know at the time was that they were also checking the bus with drug-sniffing dogs. Luckily, this isn't the kind of group they’d find anything with.

    The first stamp for the carnet was straightforward as well. They didn’t ask about the merchandise, so we didn’t mention it either. We made sure not to wear any of it, just to avoid raising suspicion.

    We enjoyed a proper English breakfast on the ferry before heading to the second customs office for import clearance. After a 40-minute wait, still no questions asked—everything went smoother than expected.

    Wouter and I stayed on the bus while the rest of the group checked into a hotel. The bus is parked at the Zeppelin bus company station in London, in a trendy neighborhood. Right next to us, I stumbled upon a vintage flea market—perfect for a day off.

    In the evening, we were all invited to Henning’s place for a BBQ. He served an amazing Côte de Boeuf and smoked ribs. It was great to hang out, relax, and have a few drinks.

    For the first time in a while, I had a good night’s sleep. An empty, stationary bus definitely helps.    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler
    Morning accounting in the bus
    1

    Showday 5: Camden Electric Ballroom

    October 7, 2024 in England ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    It was such a pleasure to be back in my old neighbourhood, Camden. Knowing my way around made it easy to grab a few supplies – even stopped by my old crafts store. This was the first show of our UK run, and as usual, there was no catering, just the typical buy-out for meals. So first i bought some lunch and later we had amazing pizza.

    The Electric Ballroom, with its classic Camden vibe, was our venue for the night. We had a booth inside, so we could catch part of the show while working. The bus and trailer were parked behind the venue, so we got a £130 fine

    Packing up was interesting as usual, especially since we had another border crossing to deal with.    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler
    11

    Offday/travel day 2: Dublin

    October 8, 2024 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Today was quite an eventful day. We had to cross the border again, which meant an early wake-up. Despite the lack of sleep I, along with Kathrine and Emily, were prepared with all our paperwork. We crossed the border by boat, and I managed to book myself a cozy cabin for £20, which was a lifesaver after waking up at 7 AM. That extra rest in the cabin was much needed.

    Upon arrival, things took an unexpected turn when border control singled us out. Their first question was, "Is there any American?" We had none in our group, so that was an odd start. Everyone had to disembark and stand in line while they x-rayed the tour bus using a van. Then, a drug-sniffing dog was brought in to check everyone, but nothing was found.

    However, when we mentioned we had quite a bit of merch cash on the bus, they conducted a more thorough search. The dog went into the bus, and, after a while, they found a pouch. Of course, no one claimed it. After some investigation, we found out that it belonged to the bus driver, who had stashed some cannabis onboard—completely unprofessional since it put the band at risk. The driver received a fine for it, but thankfully, after we counted the cash, everything was in order.

    Next, they checked three suitcases before clearing us. But the ordeal wasn’t over yet; we still had to deal with the carnet. It turned out the bus company had incorrectly booked us as tourists, which caused further delays. Fortunately, there were no questions about the merchandise. When they asked to open the trailer, I was nervous, but since they didn’t ask directly about the merch, we didn't volunteer the information—better to avoid extra taxes.

    After finally arriving at the hotel just in time for check-in, I had a much-needed rest and went out for a bit of shopping. The others started a pub crawl, and I joined them later for some pub food and cider. Before we knew it, the night had gotten late, and everyone was feeling tipsy from all the ciders and Guinness.    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler

    Showday 7: Glasgow

    October 10, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Today was another tough day, probably the hardest one yet due to the lack of sleep. I woke up at 4:30 AM after only 1.5 hours of rest. Thankfully, the carnet process was much smoother this time—we got to stay on the bus while border control came by to collect and stamp the papers.

    But today was also a show day. After finishing with the carnet, we boarded the ferry. I booked a cabin again, this time a luxurious (and expensive) one, but every bit of sleep I can get is priceless right now. Once we arrived, we had another two-hour drive to Glasgow. I took a handful of sleep aids to knock me out as quickly as possible.

    When we finally arrived, we realized how unique this venue was—it was located at the University of Glasgow, right in a building where students were attending their classes. Our backstage area was literally in a hallway shared with students going to lectures!

    To make things even more interesting, our merch booth was set up in what used to be a Chinese takeout place. We had a lot of confused passersby throughout the day because of that.

    I have to admit, I wasn’t the nicest person today. I was pretty snappy with Wouter, but I’m so lucky to have him around. He completely understood, given how intense the night had been.

    Despite the hectic setup, sales went well. The Scots are incredibly polite, which made the day a bit easier to handle.    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler
    11

    Showday 8: Manchester

    October 11, 2024 in England ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Manchester was another university night. First, I went for a stroll and did some shopping. When we arrived at the venue, we were told we couldn’t start setting up the merchandise until around 5 p.m., which was far too late for us. So, we came up with a plan to pre-build the fabric displays so that all we had to do later was hang them. The reason for the delay was that the merchandise area was located in the main food court of the university building, which was busy with students all day.

    Once we were allowed to set up, everything went smoothly. Wouter prepared all the boxes and handled restocking while I worked on setting up the displays.

    Emily took care of the "buy-out" food, which means the venue didn’t provide catering but gave us money to buy our own meals. It wasn’t the best today, but food is food.

    Packing up was tight, but since everything had been pre-pinned, it was relatively easy.    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler
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    Showday 9 : Bristol

    October 12, 2024 in England ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    We arrived in Bristol right on time, a city I had never visited before. As usual, I started with a stroll around town. I visited the cathedral and did some vintage shopping, treating myself to a nice coffee and a smoothie.

    I found a great wool sweater and picked up some gifts for people back home.

    Today, we played at Thekla, a boat-turned-venue in Bristol. It was by far the stickiest venue I've ever experienced. There were many challenges: loading in had to be done via stairs with no elevators, and the steps were uneven, causing me to trip a few times. The venue itself was so small that the dressing room felt like a broom closet. It was tricky finding enough space to store our merchandise, and the place was dusty, dirty, and even moldy. Thankfully, everything was still pinned from the day before, so setup was easier.

    A lot of people were sick, which meant no showers for anyone—not that they looked very appealing anyway.

    The cool thing about this venue is that it once had a Banksy on it, though it’s been removed. Still, Bristol is full of Banksy’s influence.    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler
    1

    Showday 10: Paris

    October 13, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    After a restless night, interrupted once again by early morning border control—thankfully without any questions about merchandise, so no taxes to pay—we found ourselves back at the same office in Dover where, last time, there had been a big complaint note about the hot chocolate. This time, the note was gone, so we decided to give it a try... and we all agreed with the original complaint—it tasted like nothing.

    Afterward, we boarded the ferry and had a nice breakfast, but I crashed soon after, thanks to my travel pills.

    We arrived quite late in Paris, but wow, what a stunning venue! It was a classical building with beautiful stages and grand halls, and the catering had the best bread. It's always a joy to be back in France—they really know their food. But first, I desperately needed a shower! After days on the road, I finally got to take a long, hot shower.

    We had a larger crowd today, so we prepared for bigger sales. There was also plenty of space for a good signing session with Eivør after the show.

    The performance was one of the band’s best. The audience went absolutely wild.

    Since the next day was a rest day at the hotel, we knew it was going to be a party night! I rallied everyone to come dance with me. The venue and hotel were near the Moulin Rouge, so we were bound to find a good spot to party.

    And we did! It was one of the best nights of dancing I've had in a long time. Everyone had a blast, and we all got a little tipsy. Luckily, we had the hotel close by and could sleep in until noon!    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler

    Showday : Lyon

    October 15, 2024 in Switzerland ⋅ 🌫 15 °C

    We arrived on time in Lyon, which was great since today was a busy one for the merchandise team—restock day, meaning lots of sorting and unpacking. It came at the perfect moment, as we were running low on stock. Thankfully, we were set up indoors, so we didn’t have to worry about anyone messing with our stuff.

    I set up the booth, and while the location was decent, the catering was excellent, as always in France.    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler
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    Showday: Lucerno

    October 16, 2024 in Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Since the border was only 2.5 hours away, Emily, Katrine, and I decided to push through. Unfortunately, we left a bit late and didn’t arrive until around 4 a.m. In hindsight, it worked out because I was struggling to finish the restock admin—Excel isn’t my strong suit, so it took me longer than expected.

    Thankfully, I managed to get the border files ready on time for tax declarations. When we arrived, it was smooth—once again, no one asked about the merch, so no taxes to pay! At least we had a bit of time to do some bus yoga

    I was absolutely exhausted and ended up oversleeping, waking up in shock at 2:45 p.m.—two hours late to start the day. Wouter didn’t wake me, figuring that after the heavy day in Lyon, sleep was more important.

    Luckily, I felt much better after the extra rest, but now I had to rush the setup. The first space they gave us was way too small, but like at some other venues, they quickly realized how much merch we had and moved us to the mini stage. Kind of fun having our own 'merch gig' tonight! It was a bit high up for shorter people, but we made it work, and with some clever signage, we set up nicely.

    Despite the stress, we managed to finish converting prices just five minutes before doors opened—and we had a great sales day!

    Oh, and I almost forgot—I found these 'My Name Is' stickers in London but totally forgot about them until today! So we had some fun swapping names. Despite the chaos, it definitely lightened the mood and gave us all a good laugh.    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler
    1

    Showday: Vienna

    October 17, 2024 in Austria ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    After Lucerne, we let loose a bit and had a party. Once again, we stayed up for the border crossing, this time with the whole crew. It was pretty funny—three of us ladies trying to be super serious in front of the border police. I had all the files ready, and once again, no questions, except for one officer who asked if I was in another band too.

    There was a brief mix-up where we thought we had to go back to the Swiss side, but that got sorted quickly.

    Vienna’s venue was in a shopping mall, which felt a bit odd, especially with fans and random people already walking around while we were setting up. Since we started building later than planned, I didn’t get to see much beyond the merch booth.    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler
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    Showday: Budapest

    October 18, 2024 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    We arrived in Budapest on time, and I even had an hour to stroll around. I needed to pick up some supplies and wrapping paper for the art prints, so it worked out perfectly.

    The venue was in a newly developed area by the Donau River, and you could tell it was a popular spot for various events. They gave us a nice, large merch board, but the space for our stock was a real challenge to manage. It was funny because another concert—a punk band—was happening at the same time, and the audiences mixed together.

    The only stressful part was that the crowd was let in much earlier than expected, but luckily, Balasz was there to help us get everything sorted in time.    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler
    111

    Showday: Warsaw

    October 19, 2024 in Poland ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    We arrived in Poland after an incredibly long drive, knowing this load-in would be tough—lots of stairs, and only stairs. Thankfully, the local crew helped out. The merch spot was great, with plenty of room and a nice pinboard, and setting up sales was smooth, especially since the venue provided us with some extra cashflow.

    The food wasn’t my favorite, but at least it was healthy.

    I love the Polish crowd—they’re always so excited and dedicated. We did a signing session, and I’ve never seen so many people after a show on this tour! The energy was wild, with people screaming when Sylvaine and Eivør came out.

    We had planned a big party for the night, and it didn’t disappoint! Everyone was in great spirits, and Mikael was on point with his famous gin and tonics, doubling as our DJ.

    But at around 3 a.m., when the bus was supposed to leave, Arthur, our driver, panicked—he couldn’t find his bus card. He freaked out, accusing Konrad, our new Polish driver, which led to a heated argument. At one point, Eivør didn’t even want to leave. Eventually, Arthur calmed down, and the bus company gave him the green light to go. So, we kept the party going until early morning, devouring a ridiculous amount of crisps and popcorn.

    Just as Per, Mattias, Gwenaël, and I were about to call it a night, we made a pit stop at a gas station and spotted a McDonald’s sign. Naturally, we had to go see if we could get fries—and we did! After even grabbing a Subway sandwich, I went to bed, tipsy but content.

    Meanwhile, our second bus driver mysteriously left without telling anyone. Apparently, there’s a black market for those bus cards, but who knows what really happened!    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler

    Offday: Berlin

    October 20, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Today was a rough travel day—dealing with the inevitable hangover you get after partying until 8am, endless berlin traffic, and trying to focus on admin tasks. Thankfully, Bella convinced me to go out for some sushi, and I'm so happy I did! It was amazing to see her again and unwind a bit.Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler
    11

    Showday: Berlin

    October 21, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Finally, a full night of sleep in a proper bed! I enjoyed breakfast at the hotel and checked out by 11. Wouter and I then wrapped up the last of the admin work. I made a quick run to the Idee store for some final wrapping paper—I knew my way around since I was just here recently with Heilung, exploring these same shopping streets.

    The Berlin venue was beautiful and unique, but also full of challenges for everyone. Nothing was straightforward, and that included the merchandise area. We were given a 360° round bar to work with—no walls to hang anything on. I wasn't about to accept a useless space from a venue charging such a high fee, so after some negotiation, I found a workaround by rigging a clothing rack on top of the bar. Don’t ask me how, but I got creative and made it work!

    Later in the day, we realized that we'd missed a merchandise delivery from Sylvaine. Everyone had completely forgotten about it, and it turned out the delivery had been dropped off—not at the venue—but at the liquor store next door, which was now closed. A big oversight for both Wouter and me.

    Luckily, Bella was at the show and planned to fly back to Copenhagen the next day. She was an absolute lifesaver, agreeing to pick it up tomorrow and pack it in my empty suitcase. We decided this just two minutes before bus call, and it was such a relief!    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler

    Showday: Århus

    October 22, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    Aarhus marked our first show in Denmark. After a good night's sleep, Per, Wouter, and I went out for a breakfast tapas, which was fantastic. I even had time to pop into a thrift store and found two hidden gems!

    The Aarhus show itself didn’t bring in the best sales, and we found ourselves a bit bored—possibly because the audience was a bit older than usual.

    It was nice, though, to catch up with Martin

    And update on the missing merch delivery, Bella was able to pick it up and fly with it! It was meant to be because the Eivør merchandise was following her haha.    Read more

  • Nina Cornelia SchilpEivør / Sylvaine EU TourTraveler

    Showday: Copenhagen

    October 23, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Today marks my last show of the tour, while the rest of the team continues for three more shows. Due to a delay with our Sylvaine merch delivery, Bella arrived about an hour after us, bringing the much-needed suitcase—a real blessing after a rough night. I’d woken up at 4 a.m. with a massive headache, worse than anything I’d felt before. I took some paracetamol, but when it came back an hour later, I went for naproxen, and thankfully, it helped.

    Hanna is starting today, learning the ropes to replace me, and she brings such joyful energy! I have full trust in her and in Wouter, too.

    Sales were slightly better than yesterday, though the Danes are generally a bit reserved with spending—probably because Eivør has played so many shows here over the past 20 years.

    At least the catering was amazing, best we all had so far on this tour, they cooked like it was a star restaurant.

    I made little farewell gifts for everyone: a fortune cookie, a heart-shaped chocolate, face glitter, and a personal note. And yes, that kicked off a great end-of-tour party! We had so much fun, especially since the bus wasn’t leaving until 5 a.m. I felt so happy sharing laughs and words with everyone. I can’t wait to see a bunch of them again in a few days down under.

    At 5 a.m., I headed to my hotel for a quick three-hour sleep before catching my flight back home to the Netherlands.    Read more

    Trip end
    October 24, 2024
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