2010-10-26: The Train to Germany

This first tour, the appetizer to the much longer Miracle 3 tour ahead ended in Rome on Sunday night. It was the best of the four shows. And I'm sure the next one would have been better. True to the name of the project, I was indeed the stranger on this particular tour and it took me several shows to find my place within the large ensemble. It was musical Goldilocks out there-first show a little too timid and deferential, second and third a little too bold and rocking. I think I found the right mix at the last gig, placing my songs and vocals within the orchestral sound but pushing my guitar to more noise, more dissonance and more dirt to offset the beauty. It seemed to work.

The show was followed by a lengthy dinner around the corner from the theater and since the curfew had been 11pm there was plenty of time for much food, much wine and much recapping and reminiscing about the week that had just passed. I had a bucatini cacio e pepe that rivaled the same dish at Lupa, one of the best restaurants in New York and, as absurd as that might sound, that is truly a compliment. The pepper steak was better than a photo might indicate. In other words, LOTS of pepper which means occasional moments of choking as we all raised many toasts and worked our way into the wee hours.

And then the usual scattering after a tour-Stef back to Belgium, John back to Bristol, Hugo up to Modigliana to begin a tour with Erik Van Loo which will take him right up to our rehearsals next week. Marta, Giorgia, Manuel, Rodrigo went to various homes and hangouts in Italy (as did Marco, Davide, Roberta and Cecca-the fearless crew and management team). Cesare and I, on the other hand, ended up back at his pad in Milan where his roommate (and, I'm told, stellar lead guitarist), Lorenzo made an orichiette and what I think was broccoli rabe that was as good as anything I had eaten all week. We made our way back to the Caza de 139 where I had a beer and chatted with various pals including Giorgio and Roberto, the rhythm section from After Hours and the band's former keyboard player Enrico who had played in New York City last week (with Linda in attendance) the same night I was playing in Milan, a musical and cultural exchange program sponsored only by our own wanderlust.

And now that you've managed to digest all of these new names (not to mention vicariously digesting the various culinary pleasures), it's time for a week in Germany, promoting "Northern Aggression" and the upcoming tour that begins in 10 days. For those of you on these shores, I hope to see you all at a show or two. And for those of you back home, I hope you'll drop by this travel/tour-a-logue and enjoy the road with us. I'll have a glass of wine waiting for you.