titting around

Blogging in Italy appears to be a nightmare- no internet points, crashing computers- hours of fine-crafted poetry have been lost so here are a few bullet points…

Day 1)  OMISSIS Festival dello Spettacolo Contemporaneo  @ Gradisco d’Isonzo, Friuli.

Spend the afternoon drinking in a backstreet pop-up bar with the local blood-doning group. A band of older gentlemen who come here every day to drink and play cards. The law over here says that you must stop giving blood at 65. A proud 67 year old informed me that the nurse had asked him neither for his age nor his blood group, only the type of wine he drank. There’s no risk of iron deficiency here though- one of the more experiemental acts on today’s bill (VestAndPage - Balada Corporal) requested 5 fresh pigs hearts for their show (two fainters in this audience), and so the merry butcher trots in and out proffering trays of black blood sausages on toast.

Being the vegetarian I am I have to decline…I meet the darlings behind Ciboselvatico Concerti who’ve organised all this and head back to their place in the foothills of the Alps.

Day 2) A family garden feast followed by a show in Tarcento. Wooden Wand is great and makes me nostalgic for whisky nights. He’s joined by his lovely wife Leah for a song, and the ground of the manor house we play in are beautiful. More feasting, including a curious but delicious green risotto that tastes like asparagus but in afact is made from the famous vegetable, ‘Bladder Campion’…

Day 3) 3 successive missed trains to Verona due to apperitivos for breakfast, long lunching, wine, coffee… Finally arrive in Vallegio to play in a candle-lit garden centre, hosted by Humus Association (based in an abandonned primary school complete with underground grotto for sick horses). Three Lakes starts the night with his gentle melancholy. The audience are a darlingly weird mix of regular Humus gig-goers and garden centre customers who’ve heard about the strange Inglese and her experiemental folk.  The night’s wound up with deckchairs on the dark lawn to watch fireworks and an electrical storm battle over the town’s central, Medieval castle. A night spent in the roof room of a wooden chalet house listening to the rain pelt teh skylight after playing one obligatory song’s payment ‘to the kitchen’ (and the cat).

Day 5) Sightseeing around the Garda lake thanks to the tireless Davide who’s given up his day to entertain me, and a night in my Padova hotel room, sitting up late drinking beer in my bed big enough for 5 people, watching another storm, recording new songs.

Day 6) Hot, hot day wandering around Padova, finished with a set under the city in a Medieval fortress, supporting Adam Green (Moldy Peaches). It’s an immense dungeon, kit out in retro furniture. Adam Green rolls in after the sound curfew, plays 3 songs then gets to DJing The Monster Mash and jiggling around the stage… 

Day 7) and siamo a posto alora…. an imminent train to Bologna….. Ciao for now, Baci xxx