This is Tour Diary, where artists give us a behind-the-scenes look at life on the road. Throughout the past month, Spiritual Cramp have been on the road with L.S. Dunes and Rise Against in Europe. Largely playing songs from their 2023 self-titled LP, plus a couple from their forthcoming album, the Bay Area crew brought fury and feeling night after night.
In the midst of the run, which just concluded over the weekend, frontman Michael Bingham gave us insight into their packed days with actual diary entries. Dive in below.
Driving to Seattle
Jan. 19, 2025
10:56 a.m.
Came up from LA the morning of the 17th to rehearse at Soundwave in Oakland for our West Coast with Death From Above 1979. An institution for the average hourly studio enjoyer. Under the freeways surrounded by trash fires. Oftentimes you’ll run into friends here, but this time it was just us. Two days of rehearsals. We are playing two new songs.
The evening before I left LA, we drove to The Valley to have dinner with Erica Cloud at Casa Vega. On the way home, our neighbor Jesse calls to let us know the neighborhood across the street has caught fire. By the time we get home, the fire department has put it out. See ya later, I guess. It’s strange to be leaving Los Angeles at a time like this. Sending love to all those who have been affected in any way by the fires.
After rehearsals, we drove from the North Bay to Oakland to pick up Nate [Punty] and Jose [Gonzales] and start our drive to Seattle for the West Coast with DFA1979. Seattle is sold out at The Crocodile. A great venue with an awesome staff. We look forward to playing every time. Our friend (and tour manager) Jaake will meet us in Seattle.
Jaake Margo
I have been listening to:
The Pains Of Being Pure at Heart – “Belong”
Bad Nerves – Still Nervous
Wallows – “Calling After Me”
The Walkmen – Bows + Arrows
3:47 p.m.
Hours on the I-5 again and again and again and again. Trying to DJ good music to impress everyone in the van. Stomach ache from sugar-free Red Bull and protein bars. The air is clear, and the roads are dry.
We are anxious to play a show. In between this tour and the last, we wrote a lot of music for this next album to be recorded in March. I went to the hospital for a week-and-a-half with a virus. I almost died. Immediately after that, I had a cold for three weeks. Thanksgiving, and then Christmas, and then New Year’s. Then poof — I am back on the road.
Jaake Margo
Flying to Ireland
Jan. 26, 2025
8:47 a.m.
We played the Novo in Los Angeles last night, to finish our West Coast tour with DFA1979. Those dudes are really cool and their band is awesome. It’s a gift to be able to rock with bands we respect and admire like that. Got to sleep after the show around 1:30 a.m… Up at 6 a.m. to head to LAX. Jaake picks us up in the van. He’s going out of his way to help us.
Remind me not to book flights to Ireland the day after a west coast tour. I am sitting in LAX with Julian [Smith] and Orville [Neely]. We are all tired. My least favorite airport in a city I have recently found a deep and real admiration for. I am listening to AC/DC. I am drinking coffee. I am thinking about whooping more ass when we get to Dublin. Spiritual Cramp loves Ireland. Our third time here in a year. I shouldn’t be drinking coffee — I should try to sleep on the flight.
8:32 p.m.
Sitting at JFK. Bad airport. Seven more hours and we’ll be in Ireland. Hope to sleep on this flight. Miss my wife and dog. In the 16 hours I was home between these two tours, we barely got to speak because everything was moving so fast. I fly home to LA the 12th. She leaves LA the 13th. This is the way things are these days. We both understand. Greater good or something.
Arrived in Dublin. Working out, then food, then sleep, then rock.
11:02 a.m.
Nine hours of sleep. Woke up at 5:30 a.m. and worked out for an hour-and-a-half to clear my head. It’s still not clear. First days of tour in other countries are just higher impact mentally for me. Sharing a bus with L.S. Dunes. Looking forward to spending more quality time with them.
Jaake Margo
Jan. 31, 2025
9:25 a.m.
Dublin/Belfast/Leeds
These days have flown by really fast. The first days of a European tour are always chaotic, getting gear together and getting your head on straight from the travel schedule. There were some technical difficulties during the sound checks in Dublin, but the band played good. We also played good in Belfast. The crowd felt a little dry, but it’s hard to know when I’m projecting my own internal feelings on a crowd. I try not to worry about it. We’ve been here three times in the past year.
I am sitting in London drinking a coffee at a coffee shop I have been to before — Marna Coffee in Kingston. I am listening to the new L.S. Dunes album Violet. The song title “You Deserve To Be Haunted” is so brutal. Whether I deserve it or not — I assure you it’s happening, Anthony.
We played an intimate club show with L.S. Dunes at the Key Club last night in Leeds. Their fans were amazing. If I’m keeping it ONE THOUSAND with you — it was refreshing. I’m so sick of playing to crowds full of cool-guy record snobs in vintage GAUZE T-shirts with their arms crossed. I have the same shirt, and it doesn’t fit me that well anymore. L.S Dunes fans are young and excited and unpretentious. I want more of that.
Feb. 1, 2025
6:23 a.m.
On the way to Paris for a day off today. I’m going to run 10 miles. I’m drinking instant coffee and listening to Bolt Thrower on the bus. We’re about an hour out from the ferry. I need more coffee.
Jaake Margo
Feb. 4, 2025
9 a.m.
Paris
I didn’t run 10 miles in Paris, I only ran seven. I woke up after about eight hours of sleep thinking the bus would be parked in some sort of city center. I sat in bed for about an hour before deciding to venture out and get coffee. I exit the bus and realize we are parked in an underground maze. An exciting thing to navigate pre-coffee. The venue is already full of people working. I’m working to put one foot in front of the other. Poor Mike.
After a little while Tim [Payne] from Dunes and I take a sunny walk for a cappuccino in the center of Paris. We exchange stories of trying to remain in gratitude for all of this. It’s hard to remember sometimes. I wake up every morning to 70 text messages from my friends and work colleagues all over the States. It’s weird going to bed knowing your whole world at home is still alive and well. I want to be available to everyone all at once.
I needed to run. Running away is a weird common theme in my life. I ran seven miles through the Louvre and by Notre Dame. I ran down the river until I knew I’d be pressed for time to get a shower and sound check. The sun beamed down on me, and I checked out completely. I really like checking out.
The show was very good. A sold-out 2K cap room called L’Olympia in Paris I’m told is hard to come by. We played good. We play the best when I’m completely checked out. Completely outside of myself. The crowd was receptive. We are told by our friends that the Beatles played here. That Jimi Hendrix played here. There is a historical landmark plaque out front. Remaining in gratitude.
Jaake Margo
Feb. 8, 2025
Manchester
The past few shows have been great. We played the legendary O2 Academy Brixton in London. The venue where the Smiths played their last show. We spent most of the day doing press with Bad Nerves for our spring tour. We played great. The room filled up a little slowly, which is rare for this tour. Usually, we walk out to an extremely packed-out room. Rise Against fans are excited about new music and get there early. It’s beautiful.
Day-off in between shows and we head to a pub to do more press with Bad Nerves. Four hours of interviews and photos. We head back to the bus and meet L.S. Dunes. They just finished a BBC session at Maida Vale. Studio 4 — my favorite room! The John Peel room. We did ours in Studio 3. Everyone is excited. We go to sleep early and wake up in Manchester.
Everything is cold. 35 degrees. Seven-mile run. Stopping at Salford Lads Club for a selfie. I’ve been here more times than I can count. Grateful for that. It was too cold to sweat. My fingers are having trouble typing this. I am sick of feeling disconnected. I wonder if people can tell? Feeling like an alien this morning. Don’t know where to put my hands.
Jaake Margo
Feb. 9, 2025
Birmingham
Seven-and-a-half hours of sleep again. I can work with it. Last night was my favorite show of the tour. Manchester is my favorite city in the U.K. to play. It’s easy to let my freak flag fly onstage in the city that birthed both Ian Curtis and Morrissey. The love felt reciprocal during the set.
Feb. 10, 2025
Birmingham Airport Hotel
11:15 a.m.
Tonight was our last night of a world tour with L.S. Dunes and Rise Against. It was a beautiful show. This will be my last entry in this journal, so I will try to summarize as best I can.
It’s very exciting to get to come into orbit with a bunch of people who shaped your musical taste at a young age. It’s very exciting when you become friends with them and hear them tell you how much they love and respect the art that you’re making. It’s also exciting when they go above and beyond to extend their support to you. Standing on the side stage almost every night and clapping. Talking about your band on social media because they know what it feels like to get that boost from other bands. Making sure you have what you need backstage. Learning everyone’s names and checking in.
Jaake Margo
You learn a lot from people who have been doing this longer than you. You learn the higher you let your freak flag fly, the further away people see it and to be unafraid of waving it. You learn cool stage moves and how to do bigger windmills. You learn not to take things personally when you don’t get what you want. You learn to be unapologetic in your choice to be an artist. You learn how important it is to make sure you are helping other artists. You learn how to play the exact amount of time you’re supposed to without going over your set time. You learn how to be nice to people you think are kinda annoying. The most successful people I meet are always the nicest. You learn that other people are as sick as you and still here. You realize the same thing that drives you is what drives them. You learn you weren’t crazy and that thing you were betting on your whole life that everyone but your day ones kinda side-eyed you about was the right bet and you just needed to hold onto it a little longer.
I’m ready to go home and make an album. I just need a second at home to screw my head on straight. It feels pretty wobbly at the moment. I just need to get grounded for a second. I have everything I ever wanted I think. It’s gray in England, but I heard the sun is shining in Los Angeles. One more flight.
Thanks for reading.