say that this was my 9th reply to a call of beauty, i.e. a gig of Ani DiFranco…, as i was saying it was just a matter of getting a little deserved restand now to share something about last night gig in Nonantola, it’ll not be a review, or at least, i’ll distill a review from this. So, we got to Modena a little late compared to our plans, we got Lavinia at train station, we’re trying to figure out a photo shop to get batteries, film and all that stuff, got it, lookd out for some people to tell us where to go for this unknown little town, Nonantola and stumbled into a lady who when asked for directions really behave like a crazy ” no it’s so damn far, no way, who told you to get here??” i mean it was amazing freak, it’d have deserved a part in hat shaped hat. anyway it was easier than expected and more or less at 6 PM we got to this place and there were just a few people already there, you’d count’em using one hand fingers.
The Vox Club is indeed bigger than expected (on two stories it can host 1300 people) but only the floor level was open for the gig (i think audience was around 600 people), we waited basically outside freezing our asses ‘til a little after 8 PM and got inside and conquered the front row, and my favorite place, i.e. just 3 or 4 people left than the center.
Ani started singin’ at 9.45 with Ain’t that the way, did you know that the first time that song played was just in Correggio last year ? (i obviously was there too), acoustics of the place was good enough, but i guess there was something to fix for the volume, Ani went to the sound engineer (guess it’s Shawn) a couple of time to talk, in my opinion her voice was a little too low while the horns were very (too much?) present.
For the curious, Ani was wearing some blueish work jeans and an orange shirt, she was in a good shape and as usual when she’s in italy she didn’t forget to remember how good they ate here, with all the band patting their bellies, (this show is pasta powered she said),she didn’t tell much stories apart from remembering when she played in the same place a couple of years ago and there were some americans just screamin and shoutinng while italians in the back were quiet,the audience this time was respectful and quiet and it’s something we appreciate.
Gig went on and i highlight a very intense Marrow, then Firedoor blent with Hat Shaped Hat, i know (as Ani said in another gig that’s a song about nothing but the arrangement and rhytm was just groovy) there were two other new songs : in the way and slide too, i appreciate more the second, being new song, of course you can’t react too much so especially for us italian the first impact is with music and sound and lirics after (although i did catch the passage “my pussy is a tractor”, uhm interesting 😉
after we got come away and it was really an intense and intimate time. Freakshow was done with Ani and Daren playing bongo and that little drum and ani and julie singing together, nice shot. coming toward the end gravel (not my best arrangment)
ended up in carry you around with the disco arrangement, i really enjoyed that version she also did in Florence in February this year, with also jason on the end saying oh yeaaah, just fun, the drive with that kinda 70’s groove is incredible and able to keep me on for all the driving back home after.
Encore song : Sick of Me, we’d take inspiration from this title, will be there a time when we’d say we’re sick of Ani ?
of course things can change, but i don’t wanna think about it right now.
random notes :Ravi Best on trumpet really kicks ass and dance and swings, it a strange couple he, black and knda soulman side by side with Hans that looks like a german (well maybe he’s also…) Daren was in a good shape and very powerful, Julie and Jason not so under the light, but doing a good work. There was also this couple of people recording the show with two cameras (one from the audience suggested : “hide it, hide it” but they’re working for Ani so hopefully we’d see some video production sometimes…
ok, enough (well too much maybe), almost time to get ready for tonight in Milan