Categoria: Musica

bene bene, a quanto pare Ben Harper torna in italia, il primo giugno (domenica) a Bologna, ora resta da capire che e’ questo flippaut festival, a quanto sembra ci sono anche gli Audioslave, peccato non nello stesso giorno, ma il giorno dopo.Inoltre sembra che il 29 Maggio torni in italia (non si sa ancora dove) anche Dan Bern, speriamo che non ci siano sovrapposizioni

torno a casa in tarda mattinata e mi trovo 3 simpatici pacchettini contenenti ore e ore di pura soddisfazione:musica, concerti dal vivo, assortiti : ani difranco, bob dylan, cowboy junkies, joan osborne, counting crows. E’ il piu’ grosso (28 cd) scambio fatto finora e devo ringraziare Gianfranco che da parte mia ricevera’ una dose massiccia di ani. E’ proprio questa l’essenza della musica dal vivo, del trading delle registrazioni , convidere momenti nei quali non si e’ potuti esserci e il tutto con totale gratuita’, senza nessun disgustoso profitto, tenendo conto del tempo, dell’impegno che ci vuole per fare, mettere assieme e scambiare questi preziosi materiali sonori.

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

i was going to post a review of the Nonantola (Modena) gig of Ani DiFranco i just’ve been yesterday, but it seems that my inspiration is suddenly trapped most likely by the fog that right now is coming over my hometown, and maybe by me being a little tired after i drove for 560 Km (w/ the way back in the fog too), got to sleep in Milan at 5am this morning and woke up at 9.30 am (and i felt super.ok at that time). The show has been overall very good, so don’t worry and be patient, in the meantime this is the setlist (not yet 100% checked and sure, but enough close to it). :

ain’t that the way,
wish i may,
here for now,
marrow,
shameless,
firedoor -> hat shaped hat,
dilate,
o.k.
what how when where (why who),
[new song ?],
slide
come away,
tamboritza lingua,
freakshow,
the diner,
-band intro-,
gravel-> carry you around;
encore song : sick of me

dunque, stavo dicendo che dopo un po’ di tempo passato a chiedersi dove fosse finita Natalie Imbruglia, ora mi sto sentendo “That Day” e c’e’ qualcosa che mi colpisce nel come la interpreta: come se fosse presa da quella sottile inquietudine, impazienza, anticipazione, insomma restlessness direi, come quando hai fretta di raccontare qualcosa e non puoi mettere in ordine i pensieri, badare troppo alle battute, ai quarti, agli ottavi. Il tutto con un sentimento oscillante con tracce di dolore ma anche bellezza e gioia, what a wonderful mess dice lei.
Non e’ la prima volta che ritrovo questo stile e a me ricorda molto un’altra cantante, forse meno nota ma che mi piace : Maria McKee. Altri commenti sul disco : l’artwork interno che mi sembra molto simile a quello dei Radiohead anche se forse meno angosciante e con tracce di reminescenze infantili e la copertina con lei sul divano con una maglietta con un cultural jamming abbastanza innocuo dove levis diventa elvis e a piedi scalzi, sexy direi io.

ho perso il conto di quante volte negli ultimi giorni mi sono sentito “non volermi male” di Carmen Consoli, penso che la bambina impertinente mi abbia stregato, e si’ che io non ascolto quasi per nulla musica italiana (male dira’ qualcuno), non so, forse perche’ se una canzone e’ particolarmente stupida in italiano non riesco ad andare oltre 10 secondi, magari invece con la scusa dell’inglese, arrivano delle attenuanti generiche e il giudizio viene sospeso. Certo pero’ che a maggior ragione dove si trovano poesia e intensita’ in italiano, queste colpiscono ancora + forte.

just listening to the latest by Tori Amos : Strange Little Girls, and well i’m quite, say perplexed, i’m not exactly a big Tori fan but was considering going at her show in Milan on dec. 17th but as first impression this cover album is making me falling asleep, i agree that the workplace is not indeed the best place to valuate music and second time around can change views, but that is. Instead on the same shopping drive i already bought ticket for Ani DiFranco in Milan , althought there’s no need to buy’em in advance according to previous experience, having it in my wallet and being the first at Ricordi, Milan to get it, make me feel better…