Cancelled: The Long Count, Rex Club, Paris
The first Paris Long Count was due on Saturday 14 March. France closed its clubs from midnight that night.
Saturday 14 March was going to be the first Long Count in Paris, at Rex Club. It did not happen.
I took the Eurostar that morning, on a train about a third full. Anselm Reuter came in from Berlin and Sacha Vidal came up from Lyon with two bags of 45s. We had dinner round the corner from the club at about seven, past the posters already up on the street.
At about 8pm the French prime minister went on television and announced that all places not essential to the life of the country would close at midnight. The set was due to start at midnight.
Nobody argued with it. The people at the club had a far worse night than we did, with a whole building to deal with and staff to tell, and I will leave that account to them.
Everyone who bought a ticket will get their money back. It may take about a week, as I am doing the refunds myself.
Before leaving on Sunday I went back and asked for a poster, and carried it home in a tube on an even emptier train. It has been framed and is on the wall above the packing table.
The Post Office was open this morning, so outstanding GLB002 orders have gone out. The next Long Count will be announced when it is possible to announce one.