All right Crani, you might certainly have been freaking out. Writting an article about a concert ? Isn’t this website about comics and video games ? Well yeah it is : because I’m going to talk about a « book-signing concert » my sweet tiny jelly sardines <3 !

Today, 11 march 2015, I’m staring at the walls of my office… My boss is droning on about something I just absolutely don’t care, but agree on, while butterflies are messing around in my empty skull ! Tonight I’m going to the Freak Kitchen show… featuring Juanjo Guarnido ! One of my favourite bands with one of my favourite illustrators ! Could you just imagine a better combination ? Don’t answer, I don’t care…

About Juanjo Guarnido. He’s a Spanish illustrator, daddy of « Sorcelleries », illustrator for« Voyageur », and well known for the fabulous « Blacksad » (scenario by Juan Diaz Canalez). Read it ok ? Just READ IT. But before Blacksad, he was an animator working on Disney projects (you can tell looking at the Freak of the week clip but let’s talk about this later).

 

Within 3 minutes, Guarnido draw a caricature, fill in his tax return and make a coffee.

Guarnido is one of those artists I admire… And hate at the same time. Thanks to him and many other great artists, I got into drawing and comics. My house is full of comics, piling up every fucking where. I love Guarnido because his artworks are splendid, I hate him because seeing mine I feel like I should quit drawing and start a sheep shepperd carreer. I know nothing comes without hard work… But boy, I feel just like I have the same habilities as a toddler sucking her feet… (I think I’m getting a bit off topic…). Anyway, tonight Guarnido stopped by to say « Hello » to his Freak Kitchen friends and that could not have been any cooler !

Well… I have to admit it but… Before seeing on Guarnido’s FB page the record sleeve he drew for Freak Kitchen, and the clip project coming, I hardly knew the band (Actually I DIDN’T know the band). I love hard rock and metal tough (particularly pagan and heavy) but oddly, I never stumbled upon their albums.

 

Many « Freaks » on this website… And a pun I wouldn’t dare trying to translate in english…

 

So I started to listen to Freak Kitchen when the music clip Kickstarter was launched. First I listened to their last album (that I loved), then I listened to the previous ones (That I loved too). And surprise ! I knew one of the songs pretty well : « Speak when spoken to ».  Actually I’d already heard this song in a magazine sampler when I was 15 and I was immediately hooked ! The song was funny, rhythmic (too much « h » in this word)… And it was the perfect idea of the teenager I was… Still has a big mouth tough… Learned how to keep it closed (with some relapses… oh hey hi boss !). At that time I just recorded the song with my walkman to keep listening it over and over (« Walkman »… Simply using this word makes you feel old right ? Let’s try the same with « modem »…). Well now I know most of their songs by heart !

Let’s get back to our topic. It’s now 6 p.m. and I’m tired of keeping pretending to work. Like Solid Snake, I flee from my office, hidding behind the garbage cans, hoping my boss wouldn’t catch me. I see him sniffling the air… His idler sense may be tingling… But finally I’m out, walking down Pigalle streets, window shopping (that blue Eiffel Tower sextoy would be wonderful in my living room), waiting for the concert to begin.

Soon I find Dox, waiting for me in front of the Divan du Monde, ready to queue with other fans. I’m really excited, I can’t keep still. Maybe I’ll be able to get a mediator or a drumstick (Yeah I know even if I get one, I’ll lose it ! I don’t care I want it !) or a sketch ! I’m hopping like a… err… I’m just looking stupid I guess…

Finally we get in. We’re in the middle of the room and the first part starts. Inch by inch, using my great squid powers, I sneak between people and get closer to the stage. Before Freak Kitchen even come on stage, I’m already just 2 meters away from stage… And Dox gave up following me instead he’s drinking beer at the bar.

 

Allright… If one day Dox look at me this way, I’m pretty sure I would never be able to sleep anymore…

 

It is showtime ! Freak of the week begins to roar. The video clip is projected onto the stage and… %@& »# here they are ! Only two photographers are separating me from the stage. It’s Christer, the bassist with a biker look who is right in frond of us. IA, the guitarist and band leader is on the other side of the stage. Björn is hidden behind his « cymbal almost destroyed » drums ! We could hardly see his head and his hair… His beautiful princess hair… Raaah why does this bearded man has such gorgeous hair when I get these rat tails ??? In front of me Christer is happily posing for pics, with his tongue out, looking like one of the sons of anarchy show badass. But as I’m some sort of disabled slowpoke, I can’t get a good shot… Or this man is naturaly blurred…

 

Bwahahahahah ! (Yes… That’s the only caption I could think of !)

 

On the other side of the stage, IA is enjoying himself and playing with cables. Between two song, he’s chatting with the public. The atmosphere, both on stage and in the room is great, and the songs epic. One song after another, the mood gets better and better. Propaganda pie, Sloppy, God saves the spleen, Nobody’s laughing, Private property… (I would have loved to hear Mathematics of Defeat or Hip hip hip Hooray but whatever, the setlist was rich and had song from every album so…). At that time, my fan girl mode is fully activated. I can see Dox out the corner of my eye : he’s ready to perform an exorcism. I’m hopping, singing (sort of) and getting closer and closer to the stage. I’m pretty sure I managed to kill someone by my delicate armpit odor of the moment…

 

The three musicians are on these pic. YEAH, THE THREE OF THEM !!! Just… just open your minds ok ? A forehead is still part of someone…

 

The show is epic ! The artists seem to have the time of their life on stage and the crowd is going wild. When Freak of the week is about to be played, Juanjo enters on stage (« Juanjo JE T’AAAAIIIMEUH », screams  some freak in a high pitched  voice… Actually I am the freak… Well to be honnest, I had such a throat ach due to my « singing » that I didn’t think I would scream out loud enough to be heard… I was wrong ^^). Guarnido is about to draw live all of the artists for three songs ! At the fourth song, IA gives him his guitar and they start to play together « Goody, goody ». I am.. I do… I DON’T CARE IF I DIE TONIGHT MY LIFE WAS GREAT SO FAR ! Just… Awesome ! Totaly and absolutely awesome !

 

I told you I was very close !

 

Ok too close. (And imagine that’s the only « almost » good pic I have of Björn…)

 

At the time I’d just reached the stage. I’m so close to them that I can’t even take pictures : the guys are always out of the frame ! When playing « My new haircut », they all switch instruments. All right guys. I get it… I can’t even get the note when I’m singing and my neighbor has a more regular pulse when hammering a nail than I have when playing drums… And you are just « Hey we can play everything we want… LOL ! »  » (Well ok I could practice if I wanted to improve my skills… But… Naaaaah too much work, forget it. That’s funnier to be jealous when not even trying). Anyway I love this song. The concert comes to its end. Björn approaches to give away his drumstick. I had even not noticed it… I was too busy looking at his feet. I know he’s not the only drummer to play bare foot but that DOES impress me. When I look up, the drumsticks have just went right by my nose… Litteraly… Not as if I really wanted it… Stupid me…

 

I’m gifted when it comes about taking pics…

… Mattias is holding dangling things…

… Christer is praying some nordic God (probably Thor or Byggvir… yeah probably Byggvir…)…

… and Bjorn is drinking water… I’m gifted I said !

 

Now it’s time for the encore. Warm round of applause and yells ! But the show is over. I’m sad seeing them leaving. Soon Dox comes next to me. We look at the place getting empty, quietly talking together. In the end, I’d have caught nothing from the artists (apart from a very very good time… Which is good enough actually)… as usual. But then, Dox sweetly says « It’s Guarnido right there, isn’t it ? » I straigthen myself out and just leave him standing here. Yes it’s Guarnido ! He’s signing the clip making of book ! Luckily I manage to buy the last one and queue up to have it signed. And… Wait a minute ?! Björn and Christer are here too ! And soon IA comes too. They take time to chat and have fun with their fans ! I get pics and hugs ! Everyone is king enough to sign in my book.

 

 Autographs ! A self-portrait of Christer, a self-portrait (?) of Mattias, drums by Björn (YEAH THAT’S DRUMS OK ?! HE TOLD ME SO, SO THAT’S DRUMS ! Leave me alone with my dreams… drums… Whatever…) and a beautiful drawing by Guarnido.

I am such in a good mood ! I try to talk in english to them (ahahah « english »… I can’t even remember the word « barefoot » so when I talk to Björn I hear myself asking him if he always plays naked… Luckyly, he doesn’t seem to notice, but Dox does and won’t let me forget it). I ask them the same questions thousands of people may have asked them but they answer happily anyway. That’s so cool to see they’re reachable and so close to their public ! I wan’t to stay there but the bouncers don’t. We go out with the other fans. Dox is making jokes at me but has to admit that he really enjoyed the show. I will remember this night for a long time.

 

Love you all ! Please come back soon guys !!!