2010-10-22: The Road to Turin
One day out on the road with the all-star collective that is Songs With Other Strangers and I'm already moonlighting. I had booked a solo acoustic show at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan before I was asked to join this tour which meant that the Big Show had to take a little day off to allow for the Little Show. I had asked Rodrigo to join me for the gig when it was first booked but was pleasantly surprised to find out that Miracle 3 (European Style) bass player Erik Van Loo was planning on driving down to Italy for a tour next week with Hugo Race (yet more complicating, twisting and intertwining in our touring lives). In true Van Loo defiance of time, space and physical limitations, he decided to make the 600 mile drive from Holland in one day to join me and Rodrigo at our show. This would be madness enough but the feat was further challenged by an atypical 6:30pm stage time which gave him little time for error, traffic jams and bratwurst stops. I traded texts with Erik throughout the day and had my doubts but he walked into the theater just moments before I began and the solo show I had booked months ago was now an elegant strum-and-bowed baroque folk rock adventure in front of a very appreciative, sold-out audience. I mean, the audience themselves didn't sell out They maintained their integrity. Oh, you know what I mean.
And our trio moved into a choir double digits strong when we walked into the audience on "Manhattan Fault Line," the last song of the encore and I recruited John, Manuel, Hugo, Giorgia, Marta, Cesare and Stef who had all very kindly chosen to spend the early evening hours of their only free night at my gig. Next thing you know, the 10 of us were in the center of the room, singing to each other as well as the audience and transitioning my brief sojourn from the pack back into the big big show that resumes tonight in Turin.
The set list:
- The Medicine Show
- Anthem
- Strange New World
- The Side I'll Never Show (First Four Songs Alone)
- Tears Won't Help
- Bring The Magic
- Punching Holes In The Sky
- Love Me Anyway (Four Songs With Rodrigo)
- Boston
- Wait Until You Get To Know Me
- Carolyn
- Amphetamine
- The Days Of Wine And Roses (Five With Erik)
Encore:
- If My Life Was An Open Book
- Fear Is A Man's Best Friend
- Manhattan Fault Line
The nice thing about having such an unusually early show is that there's plenty of time for dinner and our entire Songs With Other Strangers collective was joined by Giorgio and Roberto from After Hours (for non-Italian readers, this is the band of Manuel and Rodrigo and the absolutely biggest rock band in Italy. I've seen them live-they're fantastic) as well as other pals, wives and kids at Osteria Grand Hotel, a favorite of Manuel's. One of the best meals I've had in recent memory-a photo would only reveal just the tiniest evidence of the bacchanalian delights. The secret to the dish, I'm told, is the use of egg whites, making it quite different from what seems to be just your "average' pork and pesto dish. Incredible place and one that may not be in tourist guides so you'll have to check it out on your own the next time you're in Milan.
And the night was still young by your average post-show standards, so a bunch of us (Erik, Rodrigo, Cesare, Giorgio, Roberto and their pal Lorenzo) made our way to their favorite local bar, La Casa 139. I had hung out with After Hours in New York City and turned them on to my favorite "local" (okay, it's 7 miles from my apartment but it's where I hang out), the Lakeside Lounge. Rodrigo told me that this was their Lakeside Lounge and even though the look was completely different-much bigger, much more "rock"-I completely got what they mean. Great music, nice people, no pretension, an easy hang, just like passing the hours on Avenue B at Eric "Roscoe" Ambel's joint back home. A potentially sunrise seeking endless jam session nearly ensued but I managed to get out by 3am and get my first full night's sleep since arriving on these shores. After all, there are still three more shows ahead, more songs to learn, more tales to tell and more miles to drive.