BARREN EARTH have checked in with the following update:

"It looks like tonight's show in Tulsa, Oklahoma (February 3rd) is being canceled because of the harsh conditions the blizzard is bringing. The way from Louisville to Tulsa is just too dangerous and the roads are closed. We'll be back soon!"

Keyboardist Kasper has issued Part 2 of his ongoing studio report. Check it out below:

"Yesterday the weather in Atlanta, Georgia was not very welcoming. The whole day was damp and cold, and towards the end of the evening the amount of rainfall reached ludicrous proportions. Our clothes are still drying out. However, we can at least be sure that today there won’t be any rain or wetness. I am quite confident on this, since now the temperature has gone from cold to freezing, and what was coming down as water in Georgia, is now coming down as snow in Kentucky. It has started to dawn upon us, that perhaps the sandals, Bermuda-shorts, Hawaii-t-shirts, and sun lotions (SPF 25) should have been left at home…

Yesterday’s venue, The Masquerade, was a vast complex, sporting two separate halls, with separate performers. Whilst we played in the smaller hall downstairs, NOFX was on the bill upstairs. At first it seemed that the people of Atlanta’s musical choice for this rainy Tuesday evening was going to be punk rock on the second floor. But by the time we were starting, a decent and curious crowd had assembled at the front of the stage. Compared to the first gig, the second one was a more relaxed and confident affair. As we even managed to do a sound check this time, the whole thing seemed to be better under control.

After the performance Sami had a discussion with a member of the audience:

MotA: Are you still playing with KREATOR?

S: Yes, I am.

MotA: Cool. When are you going to tour with him?

This member of the audience didn’t seem to be aware that Kreator is not actually a ‘he’, but a 4-man band. Then again maybe he wasn’t referring to Kreator in the first place. Maybe he thought that Sami is touring with Ville Valo and was actually referring to HIM. And what do I know? Maybe Sami really is going tour with HIM! I, too, will have to ask him about this...

Tonight’s show will be at Headliner’s Music Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. There is no backstage, and no showers. The tour manager has given us strict orders that no guests are to be given backstage passes. This is hardly an issue, considering the lack of a backstage in the first place…

On a sadder note, because of harsh weather conditions, Thursday’s gig in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been cancelled. We have been informed that the city and the surrounding area is submerged in snow, and roads have been closed. Getting in and getting out is deemed to be to too risky a venture for us to take. While I feel that I have seen quite enough snow already this winter, and whilst I have no need to compare Oklahoma snow to Finland snow, it is still a shame that it had to come to this. I had been looking forward to doing a bit of ‘livin’ on Tulsa time’. Alas, this will now have to wait.

Anyway, I have a sneaky suspicion that we will end up making snow comparisons sooner or later."

Remaining dates on the tour are as follows:

3 - Tulsa, OK - Marquee
4 - Austin, TX - Emo’s Alternative Lounging
5 - Ft Worth, TX - Tomcats
7 - Tempe, AZ - Clubhouse
8 - Los Angeles, CA - Key Club
9 - Santa Ana, CA - Galaxy Theatre
10 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge
11 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
12 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
14 - Calgary, AB - The Republik
15 - Edmonton, AB - Starlite Room
16 - Regina, SK - The Exchange
17 - Winnipeg, MB - The Osbourne Village Inn
18 - Minneapolis, MN - Station 4
19 - Chicago, IL - Reggie Rock Club
20 - Detroit, MI - Blondie’s
21 - Cleveland, OH - Peabody’s
22 - Toronto, ON - Opera House
23 - Quebec City, QC - Imperial de Quebec
24 - Montreal, QC - Metropolis
25 - Rochester, NY - Montage Music Hall
26 - New York City, NY - The Gramercy Theatre
27 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium

March

1 - Philadelphia, PA - The Trocadero
2 - West Springfield, VA - Jaxx
3 - Charlotte, NC - The Casbah
4 - Raleigh, NC - Volume 11