A Metalhead’s Dilemma
I can’t believe it’s the end of February, and I still haven’t written this damn blog.
January came and went in a blur, but one major thing happened: Mike came to visit.
Yes, that Mike. All the way from Kansas City, Missouri. This visit had been years in the making. Mike hadn’t been to Germany in two decades, and the last time Chris and I saw him was on our honeymoon in 2012—before kids, before responsibilities, in a completely different lifetime.
Back then, Mike was just Mike – a high school friend of my husband. I wasn’t into metal. Hell, I wasn’t even into music at all. So naturally, Mike and I never really talked about it.
Years later, when I started my Izzy Izbourne-project, our dynamic shifted. Mike, being the walking metal encyclopedia and insanely talented musician that he is, jumped right in. “Have you heard this band? Do you know this song? You have to check out...” It was the beginning of something cool. Suddenly, I had my one and only music friend – someone to bounce ideas off, someone who got it.
Fast forward to January 2025, and there he was, in the flesh, standing in my living room ("Cool Peter Steele poster there!").
Escape The Internet... and into a German Moor
Mike didn’t just come to see us, though. He had another mission: joining Ola Englund on his "Escape The Internet"-tour.
Because of course – Mike isn’t just a black metal musician, medieval sword fighter, and absurdly good pianist. No, he’s also good friends with Ola Englund and a blues harp player. Because why not?
Naturally, his flight was delayed. Naturally, he arrived in the middle of the night. But Chris and I were ready. Kids shipped off to the grandparents, weekend fully dedicated to eating, talking, and driving through the area. Mike, in true fashion, managed to fall into the moor. Classic.
While I had to work during the week, Chris and Mike did the full tourist routine—sightseeing, bar-hopping, the whole deal. But the real highlight for me was January 21st, 2025 – the day Ola’s tour stopped in Hamburg, and Mike would perform on stage. And we had full backstage access.
Meeting Ola & My Fucked-Up Brain
We drove to Hamburg, walked to the venue. Soundcheck at 2 PM. Mike called Ola, and he came to let us in. At this point, I was a wreck. But, as it turns out, Ola is ridiculously chill – totally down-to-earth and unpretentious. He showed us around, let us check out the tour bus, and then led us backstage. I shook hands with Charles Berthoud. Got glowered at by Bernth. Sorry, Bernth, you're scaring me.
And here’s where things got... complicated.
Mike? Totally in his element. Cracking jokes, chatting with everyone like he belonged.
Me? Deep in introvert hell.
Just standing there, trying not to be in the way, while everyone else vibed like they’d been touring together for years. It wasn’t that anyone made me feel unwelcome – far from it. It’s just that me, randomly walking up to some dude with a guitar backstage and starting a conversation? Not. Bloody. Happening.
Instead, I stuck to the shadows, enjoying my Backstage Crew-lanyard and soaking in the atmosphere.
The Great Blues Harp Crisis of 2025
Soundcheck time. Mike, being the hyper-aware musician that he is, realized he brought the wrong blues harp. Did I notice? Nope. Did Ola notice? Also nope. But Mike did. So we had to make a run to a music shop on the Reeperbahn to get him the right one. And guess who tagged along? Ola fucking Englund.
There’s actual footage in Ola’s YouTube vlog of me just awkwardly trailing behind them. That’s really all you need to know about my mental state that day. Thrilled to be part of it, yet also absolutely mortified and incapable of functioning like a normal person (skip to 7:10 for the walking scene).
Anyway, crisis averted. Blues harp acquired.
The Show, the Balcony, and My Ultimate Social Battery Failure
Once we got back, Ola had to do his Meet & Greet, so we grabbed some food and returned in time for the show.
By now, I knew the drill – first three songs, take pictures, then enjoy the show. Thanks to my backstage pass, I got to watch from the balcony, which was a godsend because I could just exist in peace for a while.
The official live report is here:
👉 [Escape The Internet Tour 2025 – Stormbringer.at]
But here’s what you won’t read in that report:
By the end of the night, I was done. Just completely drained. I knew my in-laws had to drive home after babysitting. I had work the next day. My social battery was dead.
So the second the last song ended, I grabbed my coat and went downstairs.
Mike? Nowhere near done talking. Trying to pull him away from people is like prying a stubborn cat off a warm laptop. Eventually, I just left – which, of course, made Chris and Mike drop everything to follow me. Not my finest moment.
Regret vs. Reality
Do I regret it? Yeah. A little.
This could’ve been my chance to hang with the band, make new connections, have fun. But I didn’t. Because I couldn’t. My brain doesn’t work like that. I get overwhelmed, and when that happens, I just need out.
So I’m torn – between regret and acceptance. Because maybe this is just who I am. And even a backstage pass can’t change that.