I took the time (had to) to visit the U.S. consulate in Berlin, Germany to get a new visa document into my passport while I was in Berlin last week on Thursday. My old one expired last October, but I already got the approval papers for my visa extension for 3 years (l am living in the U.S. for over 7 years already, but do not have any Green card yet).
Okay, this is nothing worth to bug you with, but this is also not the reason why I am writing this.
I had an appointment at the U.S. consulate at 8 am that morning and was waiting in line when I noticed some familiar faces in the crowd of people that were waiting as well.
It was my favorite Band, the two members Ronan Harris and Mark Jackson.
They are the British EBM band VNV Nation.
I engaged them and asked what (WTF was actually the precise thought that crossed my mind at that moment) they are doing close to 8 am at the U.S. consulate in Berlin, Germany.
It turns out that they got them paper work done for the upcoming U.S. tour and they were giving a concert in Berlin that night, so they decided to get their visa’s for the U.S. here. That does make sense.
No picture to proof it, because no camera was available anywhere (including no camera cell phone), which is no coincidence, because you are not allowed to bring any electronic device (including cell phones, iPods, Blackberries and whatnot) to the consulate. You heard right, ???bring to the consulate???, since they do not give you the option to drop it off at the door and pick it up again when you leave.
Everybody felt so safe now, which is no surprise, since everybody was virtually as naked as a hippy in the sixties. Add now nitpicking bureaucracy to the mix and it would have been a bad day for me, if it had not happened that I meet and talk to my favorite band in person.
It made my day so to speak.
Want to hear more like this, because it does not just end there. Weird coincidences seem to ???travel??? in packs hehe. What is also funny, is the fact that by a weird twist of fate VNV Nation is using ???my???* ShoWare Box Office Solution of one of my companies clients for their Fan Direct Ticket sales.
Fans got the access code for the site. I got it ???officially??? via internal mail at MySpace.com, because I befriended VNV Nation at MySpace.
p.s. Visit My MySpace Page. Guess what music is being played in the background?
* I am the Head Developer of the U.S. ShoWare Solution so I joked when I told Ronan that he could send complaints to me directly, if he has any.
He seems to be quite happy with the System though and I gave them my business card, in case they want to do some more Ticket sales via ShoWare. Maybe even get their own co-branded site to do all their ticket sales on their own. We will see.
My favorite VNV Nation Song ??? ???Solitary??? (live)
More VNV Nation Music Videos at YouTube.com
– VNV Nation ??? Standing (Live)
– VNV Nation ??? Legion (Live)
– VNV Nation ??? Kingdom (Live)
– VNV Nation ??? Procession (Live)
and also
– VNV Nation ??? Saviour (VOX) Fan Video
and
– VNV Nation ??? Pastperfect DVD Trailer
Also check my EBM, Industrial and Gothic Music Video play list at my YouTube.com Page.
Here is the play list directly (Via a widget provided by YouTube.com, which I use for the first time now. Nice!).
Cheers!
Carsten aka Roy/SAC
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