Clowns of The Rolling Circus: Part I

Stokepedia

What is it that makes The Rolling Circus Europe’s most freakishly fantastic bus tour? As is always the case with Stoke, the point of difference is the people. Meet our strapping team of fearless leaders, performers, friends and tag-alongs and just see if you can resist joining them on their European jaunt.

The Rubics

Aka “The Band”. We like to treat them as one person, otherwise they hold too much sway in group decision making. The Rubics put on a live show tighter than a cat’s arse, bringing flavours of funk, soul, R’n’B and Kiwi to classic rock’n’roll. Their sound won them Battle of the Bands New Zealand, and their prize was to tour Europe with us… Lucky them, huh? See if you can guess which one’s the frontman.

What do you bring to The Rolling Circus?

Rob: Energy.

Jason: A great live show.

Zel: Rock’n’roll.

Leo: Life.

Jason: Good times.

Rob: We bring a fresh kind of music, all the way from New Zealand. We’ve come here to explore and to share the love, that’s pretty much what we bring, that’s all we do.

Brendon: A revival of classic rock.

Rob: That’s the one, that’s the one. It all starts here.  

What is your favourite thing about Stoke’s Rolling Circus?

Leo: The people.

Brendon: Yeah, the people.

Rob: They make you feel like you’re part of the family.

Jason: Yeah, they’re not bad.

Rob: You don’t sense any fake attributes to it, it’s…

Simon: It’s organic, spontaneous, it’s got a lot of character. You just wanna know everybody because it’s like each person brings something new to the group. It’s changing all the time – there’s new people joining, and  you catch up with other people later, it’s just constantly rolling…

Rob: That and the booze, and a lot of women. Yeah. Next one.  

Which of the other staff members do you secretly lust after?  

Collective “ooooh”s.

Rob: COUGH Chantal! COUGH

Leo: Emily and Sophie, that’s my two.

Rob: Leave me out of this, but I think most of the boys, most of them want Chantal. And obviously Toni.

Someone wolf whistles.  

It would be nice to shag her.

What is your spirit animal?

Rob: Mick Jagger is my spirit animal. Fuckin’ no wilder animal than Mick Jagger. For real? Like a real animal? Mick Jagger!

Simon: Mine’s an owl.

Brendon: I love owls.

Zel: Satan.  

Rob: Alright, alright, maybe next question.

What is your favourite destination on the Circus itinerary/which one are you looking forward to the most?

Brendon: Munich!

Simon: Each destination offers different things, but in terms of music, I think we’re most looking forward to Munich, cos it’s just going to be a huge festival, there’s going to be so many people and we’re gonna be partying.

Rob: I’m looking forward to Prague!

How many shows are you playing Munich?

Zel and Simon: Just one.

Simon: One big show though.

Rob: One unlimited show.

And why Prague?

Zel: He likes the women there.

Rob: Czech girls! No no no, hey, the beer, you know the medieval type of architecture…

Leo: It’s a beautiful city man.

Jason: And the show’s sold out, that helps.   

What is the craziest thing that has happened to you/that you have done abroad?

Simon: Shit, I mean you’ve gotta put some kind of filter on it hey.

Rob: Can I speak anonymously? There’s this one night where I know these two band members, who got on with these two French girls, and they show us the French way. Showed them the French way. Thank you very much. That’s it.

Elaborate. What’s the French way? We don’t know.

Rob: Let’s just say they played pool at the pool table, from 11 o’clock pm, to 8 o’clock in the morning.

So what happened at this pool table?

Rob: Lots of sticking and…

Simon: …balls.

Did anybody sink any of these balls?

Rob: Ah yeah, one Russian guy? He had a really massive pole!

Who sunk the eight-ball that night?

Rob: Definitely the Russian guy. He was pretty talented. He knew how to stroke it.

Zac (aka Mr Suntan)

The Circus’ resident rapper and panda bear. Get yo’self a taste of Mr Suntan on SoundCloud.

What do you bring to The Rolling Circus?

I bring energy, I bring finesse. I bring everything that you could ever want and ever need, it’s called energy. The good energy, the good vibes, I bring that, and if you need that, I got plenty of it. Winks.  

What is your favourite thing about Stoke’s Rolling Circus?

Oh my God, the people! These people right here are my family, these motherfuckers right here make you feel so right, so tight. I left my homeland and I finally found a new home, and this is where it’s at, my new fam bam, and I love it so much.   

Which of the other staff members do you secretly lust after?  

Mm, I think I really lust about the people that really get down, the people that can feel, understand – no judgement. The people who, you can listen to a story, and you can understand and feel this person, with no judgement, and that’s what I really love about these people.

What is your spirit animal?

Mmmm get me some panda! I’m talking ‘bout the white and the black, and a little bit of the Asian. Lifts hats to show bruise in the centre of forehead. Uh oh, we got a third eye going on right here, that’s because I crushed a walnut on my head, because I also love the world at the same damn time. Panda bear though, panda bear. I’m fuckin’ a panda [please note: Stoke does not condone bestiality].

What is your favourite destination on the Circus itinerary/which one are you looking forward to the most?

You know, let’s get real here, you know, I’m Dutch-Indonesian, so we gotta give it back to Amsterdam, where my family first took refuge. I gotta give back my love and my respect for my Indonesian people. Amsterdam’s the place that I love and that I will always cherish.   

What is the craziest thing that has happened to you/that you have done abroad?

Whistles. I would have to say, first and foremost, it’s performing for y’all. I never done such crazy type-a things, performing for such open-minded people that are so appcecting… accepting… there we go. That’s what I love. I love being around people that can get down with the get down. And, also just being with the people that can really love each other. That’s a very rare thing to come across, especially with strangers, and these ain’t strangers, this is my family. Nods.   

Sophie

Hobo, photographer, promoter and vegan Power Ranger. She subsists on a diet of raw fruit, sangria and wifi.

What do you bring to The Rolling Circus?

A bunch of blurry photos, awkward flirting and coconut scented perfume.

What is your favourite thing about Stoke’s Rolling Circus?

The freedom of travelling independently yet with a group, if that makes sense… and the fact that I’m getting away with being over my visa.

Which of the other staff members do you secretly lust after?

Definitely Luis [the Circus bus driver, a middle-aged Spanish man who listens exclusively to classic rock].

What is your spirit animal?

Chimpanzees when I’m feeling energetic, sloths when I’m tired.

What is your favourite destination on the Circus itinerary/which one are you looking forward to the most?

San Sebastian never fails to impress but I’m probably looking forward to Amsterdam the most… So many hot Dutch men to awkwardly flirt with.

What is the craziest thing that has happened to you/that you have done abroad?

Ummm showing my tits to the security guards plus the whole line for free entry into Jamboree (a nightclub in Barcelona) is pretty up there. As is skinny dipping in broad daylight on the beach in Pucol after the Tomato fight… And I’m sure there’ll be plenty more after this trip.

Jono

Jono frequently compares himself to Jesus. Some might say he has a god complex, others might say he is the Circus’ revered leader. His official title is PEST – we’ll leave you to work out what that means.

What do you bring to The Rolling Circus?

Ahh clothes, and a skateboard. [Too literal, Jono, too literal.]

What is your favourite thing about Stoke’s Rolling Circus?

Barcelona, and Amsterdam, and Moliets.

Which of the other staff members do you secretly lust after?  

There’s only one other staff member… What, of all of Stoke? Or just the circus?

Keep it to the Circus, cos otherwise this could get uncomfortable.

…Reuben?

What is it about Reuben that attracts you?

His red hair.

Do the curtains match the drapes?

Not that I’m aware.

What is your spirit animal?

A dolphin.

What is your favourite destination on the Circus itinerary/which one are you looking forward to the most?

Moliets, cos I don’t have to work in Moliets.

What is the craziest thing that has happened to you/ that you have done abroad?

I dressed up as Jesus and proclaimed that everyone must go to the Rolling Circus show in San Sebastian, cos I was Jesus.

How’d that go down?

Well! It was awesome, everyone came in. They were too scared.  

Written by the Hobos

Tagged with: burlesque, bus tour, DJ, Europe, magic, Munich, music, Oktoberfest, Paris, Prague, Amsterdam