Vanuit Music Export Rotterdam worden doorlopend ondernemende Rotterdamse muzikanten ondersteund die bezig zijn ook voet aan de grond te krijgen buiten de landsgrenzen. Mihael Hrustelj vertrok onlangs naar Slovenië en Oostenrijk voor een aantal shows, workshop en promotionele activiteiten. Over hoe die ervaring was lees je in het volgende verslag (in het Engels)!

On the road, again! Finally! Since 2019 I haven’t done a single tour. And now I got a chance to build up my tour stamina again! I really enjoy touring and the concept of it. I dedicate my time to only giving concerts a couple of times per year and for the rest I can work on my new music.

I was now touring for the first-time with a completely new setup for my solo performance, which includes bass keyboard. It is a small invention of mine (not the keyboard though) to get a sub bass sound while I am performing. Putting it in simple terms, I accompany myself with bass lines that I play with my feet. I managed to pack everything what I needed into a jumbo suitcase that in the end weighted 70 kilos. I said to myself this time I will go without my amp and just have my soundcard with me, where I predesign my sound, and a laptop and then I rent out a PA. It worked very well!

I was using an Apollo x4 sound card that has amazing analog plugins and 4 inputs, which was perfect for me since I could plug in my complete setup: Guitar mic, guitar pickup, bass drum, vocal and then the bass keyboard would be plugged in to a USB port on my computer.
Maybe I should write a separate blog only about my setup. Will stop about this for now.

After coming to Slovenia from the Netherlands, I first touched down in Radlje ob Dravi, where I had a workshop and a couple of concerts. I was staying there for 4 days, after which I left to Vienna and met with Oscar Antoli, a wonderful clarinet player, with whom I played 2 concerts. After 4 days in Vienna I came back to Slovenia for a concert with a Coffee Sessions Duo, playing some jazzy funky music to celebrate international Jazz day. I had to recover a bit from all the traveling and playing, so I took a weekend trip and went swimming in the Adriatic Sea and went for a hike in the mountains.

After a quick energy, boosting weekend followed another week of preparing for some more live performances. This week was more promotion based. I had a couple of interviews; one on national radio that was a bit longer and it covered my career and playing, practice routine, being a musician entrepreneur, and another one on E-TV in a show called Jazz with Nina. Alongside the interview, I also did a live performance and played some tunes. I wrapped up the tour with the final concert in Cajnica Pec in Slovenj Gradec. A town which is very dear to me.

I have to say that the first concert I gave in Radlje was very emotional for me. I saw the people enjoying being together, brought together by the joy of watching a live performance. There were several moments when I realized just how much fun I was having and that I started off as a musician just to do this. Because I love performing, making music and sharing it with people.

After that I had my final 2 days off to relax my shoulders for a long trip back with a train and 5 train switches. Things didn’t go so well with the train timings so I missed a few connections. But I had my book, I had my music, I had myself and I was enjoying every single moment of it. Feeling alive and serving my purpose.