Catching Up: Surfer Joe Festival, Livorno, Ungawa! and Fat Joe's Hot Sauce Challenge!

I can't believe how easy it's been to get so far behind in posting! So much has been going on every day, sometimes wi-fi is limited and we've been super tired by the time we get back to the hotel at the end of the night. Sometimes we're not even back until 3-4 o'clock or so. Apologies to those following close that have been wanting an update.

Right now it's 2:49AM and we've arrived at our hotel for the night in Alessandria. It's a totally funky and ramshakle sort of place run by a Japanese woman just off the main road. It's extremely basic, but when you're this tired, no one really cares anyway. This is one of the good things about coming home so late. Although, the place we stayed last night in Bergantino was quite nice.

 OK, I'm getting ahead of myself...let me backtrack a bit and try to catch up.

So, the whole Surfer Joe Festival experience was beyond impressive in just about every single way. The work that Lorenzo puts into the whole thing is simply mind-boggling and he deals with every twist and turn with class and patience. He is truly one in a million!

The setting, bands, sound, lighting, hospitality, food, beverage and overall organization were all top notch! It was so wonderful to finally put actual faces to so many names known only through correspondence or Facebook, SG101, etc. It was particularly thrilling to finally see live so many bands that I've been a fan of for years--The Apemen, Speedball Jr., and The Atlantics! 

And, it was totally impressive to witness for the first time the awesome uber-traditional sounds of Les Agamemnonz, the sheer power and fury of The Mullet Monster Mafia and the upbeat energy of Tony Dynamite and the Shootin' Beavers, Dave and The Pussies, The Tonomats, Surfoniani and Spaceguards! Also, it was a real treat to hear the new Surfer Joe material brought to life by the exceptional musicians of the Boss Combo! 

It was an extremely inspirational 3 days of music, camaraderie and downright good times! Particular highlights that must also be mentioned include playing Psychotronic with El Firetone of El Ray, 

engaging in a communal howl at the humongous full moon on Sunday night, and of course, having the opportunity to play on the main stage for so many as the final band of the weekend! 

As if that all wasn't enough, on Monday night, those still in town were treated to a very special, last-minute intimate performance by The Atlantics on the stage inside Surfer Joe Diner! Wow! What a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be able to hear them so up close and personal! It was like being at a private party in someone's home, sitting 5 feet in front of the band! Amazing! 

The day off after the festival was spent getting some rest and continuing to explore Livorno and it's cuisine. More pizza led to more gelato and a nice leisurely day of wandering around town. 

Tuesday was all about getting down to business and hitting the road for the next gig in Bergantino. It was also quite sad personally, as it meant that it was time to say farewell to Marie, who departed early to visit her family in Poland. It'll be another month before I see her in person again, but it was so incredible to have her there for the festival! 

After condensing and packing all the bags, merch and gear, we had one last healthy lunch and strong coffee at the diner and then off we went! 

It was a lovely and relaxing drive through the Italian countryside, where the roads to our destination just seemed to get smaller and smaller until finally, they turned to dirt and it was clear that the farm-like property we had reached was our destination.

 The whole place was absolutely incredible--totally in the middle of nowhere, completely rustic and in no way whatsoever resembling a live music venue of any kind that we were used to. The main structure was almost like a barn and was fully equipped for a massive party, complete with an elevated stage, bar, couches, and dance area.

 In a separate building across a grassy field was a full kitchen and dining area and there was even a mini soccer field in the very back. It turns out that our gig was actually happening as part of the celebration surrounding a big soccer match, all arranged by local legend Lukino, DJ and owner of Italy's greatest Tiki Bar, Ungawa!, just a short distance away.

 The gig was quite fun and marked a noticeable increase in tightness as a whole. Lorenzo did an incredible job on drums, even at this early stage, after only 2 gigs. Bernard and Dave continue to get inside each other's heads, making for some extremely interesting and creative dual guitar improvisation. I don't really think that the majority of the crowd quite know what they're listening to, but by the end of an entire set, hopefully we've won them over. Actually, most of the compliments at the night's end come from the musicians in the crowd, and that validation is quite a welcome bit of encouragement in a strange new gig location. 

After getting to bed around 3:30AM, we had a bit of a sleep in the following morning and immediately headed over to Ungawa!, where Lukino graciously agreed to show us around. All I can say is wow, wow and WOW! This place was easily one of the greatest Tiki bars I've ever been to. 

Unlike my other favorites, Ungawa! isn't great because of it's history or sheer abundance of Tiki items, but because of it's location, the fact that it is such a labor of love against all odds, and the diy approach, creativity and dedication of Lukino. He was literally limited to just what he had to work with locally and out of necessity, invented new ways of using the materials available. Hence, the most striking decor is all centered around mosaic, mirror and stonework completely unique to Ungawa!. The place has an inside stage AND an outside stage, a patio, outside bar, very cool undulating inside bar complete with posters lining the inside of the booze shelves, and glass cabinets full of Tiki and vintage music memorabilia. What a place! Truly incredible!

We didn't ever want to leave, but had to get moving toward our next destination, Alessandria, where Fat Joe's was hosting the second gig on the road. It was a long day of driving, but always enjoyable due to the upbeat and positive attitudes of the whole Insect crew, the awesome soundtrack provided by Lorenzo and Dave's music libraries, and the beautiful and constantly interesting Italian scenery. A quick turn off the expressway and all of a sudden we found ourselves pulling into a curious industrial complex. Surrounded by car dealers and warehouses, Fat Joe's American-style decor and motorcycle theme seemed to fit right in. 

We were immediately greeted with huge open arms and ear-to-ear smiles by Fat Joe himself and his crew, who went out of their way to make us all feel comfortable and at home. Time was of the essence, so we unloaded the van and set up the gear for a quick soundcheck. For a small outdoor patio stage, the professionalism displayed was quite astounding. Not only was everything miked and run through a full PA, but there was a full pro light system, fog machine, and a whole other guy to operate them! Whaaat? And, the craziest part of the whole thing--they actually cared!! After they got us all dialed in, we were treated to drinks and a full dinner spread compliments of the generous Fat Joe. This is fairly common in the course of the gig night routine, but what made this particular night so special was the epic nature of the meal (absolute gigantic portions, particularly DA's and my T-Bone Steaks!!!)

 and Fat Joe's infamous hot sauce challenge. 

OK, so on the drive up, Lorenzo filled us in on the whole story about what a huge hot sauce aficionado Joe is and that   whenever a band plays his place for the first time, he brings out a tray of 10 pieces of bread, each doused in increasingly spicy hot sauces. Well, being  quite the hot sauce addict myself, I was very excited about this! The first one--no problem. Quite mellow. The second--same thing. It was the third one that got us! I've never seen Dave react like that to anything!!! He literally started crying and had to get up and run into the kitchen for some kind of relief! Thankfully, they were prepared for this kind of extreme reaction  and had a cup of whipped cream waiting in the wings! Well, Dave dove into that sucker and finished the entire thing in a nanosecond. At this point, we were getting a bit nervous, as this was only the 3rd sample!!!! Thankfully, and we still believe this was the joke of the whole thing, the rest were never as bad as the 3rd! (we would much later be informed that the demon sauce was called "Black Mamba!")

Now, what happened next was the true horror of the gig! I've NEVER (knock on wood) had this happen before, but as soon as we began playing I felt a rumble down south (and I'm not talking about the bass frequencies). No biggie, I'll just ignore it, stay focused and it'll pass--or so I thought! Sweat started pouring off my brow, my legs went weak and a stabbing pain started in my stomach. Hold it together, hold it together, hold it together I repeated to myself as a kind of mantra. Until, finally, after the third song or so, that was it! I threw off the bass and literally ran to the restroom! I barely remember what happened next, as the whole thing entered the vortex of bad memories in my brain, but I do remember  curling up into the fetal position on the floor while hearing the faint strains of the rest of the band playing "Rumble" and some Morricone while the Fat Joe's guys banged on the door asking if I was OK. Whew! What an experience!! Road rule learned...do not eat a large, heavy meal right before playing, especially if it's a steak the size of half a cow!!! 

Over and out...until the next entry! On to Switzerland! 

Day 2: Local Market, Rehearsals & Pizza!

Well, I'm already getting behind! I had wanted to be disciplined and post every night before bed, but somehow our exhaustion took over last night and a short nap turned into sleeping straight through to the next morning! I blame the heat, the sweating, the marathon rehearsal and most of all...the pizza!!!

The day began nice and early with a much-needed Espresso at the corner cafe, where Bernard caught up on some laptop activities and Rebecca, Marie, Dave and I attempted to practice our Italian. Slowly but surely, phrases such as "how much" "good morning" "juice" and "water with bubbles" are being prefected and added to the lexicon. After a few shots of the mega-cool "Creature From the Italian Lagoon" fountains in front of the cafe, it was off to find the local open air market behind the main cathedral. 

Around this corner, that corner, past one Gelato shop after another, weaving in n' out of scooter traffic and avoiding tiny yapping dogs, finally, like the first time The Wizard of Oz switches from black and white to color, the bustling, noisy, frenetic market rose from the grey cobblestone streets and delivered a right hook to our senses! 

The colors, smells, sounds and sheer variety on display were truly something to behold! From the freshest veggies and fruit to newly butchered meats to giant blocks of cheese, the sky was the limit! I swear the tomatoes were the most intense and deep red I've ever seen in my life! Marie and Rebecca grabbed a bunch of fruit for the next couple of days and Dave and I laughed, explored and shot lots of photos. 

Our time was limited because we had to be ready for Lorenzo to pick us up for rehearsal at the Surfer Joe complex, so it was reluctantly time to head back. However, 2 hilarious things happened next. First, as if in some kind of strange Italian dream, we heard someone whistling "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly." Were we actually hearing this? Was this really happening? Were our minds playing tricks on us? Absolutely not! Apparently, the local olive salesman/Iggy Pop look-alike saw DA walking by in his all-black Western outfit, complete with black cowboy hat (as only Dave can pull off) and graciously provided a theme tune! What are the chances of hearing that from a local while in Italy! So awesomely satisfying! It was as if the Spaghetti Western Gods were watching over us and offering their approval! Funny event number 2---well, not so funny for Dave, but after succumbing to the desire to indulge in the giant open tin cans brimming with rock salt and anchovies, he was hit with a stomach salt bomb that literally left him cringing for a good couple of hours. 

So, most normal people might have a small taste to appease their curiosities, right? Not Dave, no sir! He downed four whole anchovies in a matter of seconds!!! Well, lesson learned. But, it certainly gave us all a good laugh! Oh, and another strange delicacy that just had to be tried...the fried crabmeat/claw poppers! I was hesitant, but man, they were sooo tasty! 

On to the Surfer Joe complex and a marathon day of the first rehearsals with the incredible Lorenzo Valdambrini on the skins! Although we went to the diner the first night for dinner and had a tour, this was the chance for us to really explore, take it all in and soak up the space. It really is a remarkable Surf kingdom he has built! One could spend hours just checking out all of the posters and other memorabilia covering the walls of the diner! As a continuous soundtrack in the background, the house music system pumps Surf tunes, and one couldn't help but feel an instant affinity for the ocean turquoise vinyl booths and stainless steel everywhere! 

Rehearsals on the upper floor of the diner right next to the worldwide office headquarters for the Surfer Joe empire were nothing short of a mind-blowing experience. It's awesome enough to have Lorenzo on drums for us on the tour, but to play on exceptional gear with a view of the Mediterranean was something out of a dream! 

We got through the whole set and more and things really sounded great. After a bit of diner lunch (a refreshing cold pasta salad with ham, tomatoes and mozzarella), and more coffee (!), we finished up a few more songs and then headed down to the shore for some fresh  air and so Bernard could take a dip. 

It was unbelievable how crystal clear the water was and how many locals were sunbathing on the mossy rocks.

At this point, the subject of having some pizza came up and it was agreed that it was finally time! Ha! It only took 2 days! After a quick request for advice from Anne, we left on foot to find the recommended local pizzeria. A few twists and turns and sore feet from new shoes later (black Converse, of course), we arrived at our intended destination, Da Cecco. Upon Anne's recommendation, we ordered one of Livorno's well-known local specialties, 5 & 5, a garbanzo bean paste on foccacia. A little house wine, some Pellegrino and Birra Moretti, and the pizzas started flowing. I must say, it was a glorious thing! Individual pizzas straight out of the ancient brick oven! 

Those things were devoured in a matter or moments and hit the spot in a profound way! However, the food coma set in immediately, as we really hadn't eaten anything that heavy yet on the trip. Good thing it was a short walk to our hotel. Everyone went their separate ways and it was straight to bed!!! And man, did we crash hard! We set an alarm to get up and be able to hang late into the night, but there was no way we were getting up! Ha! The ling travel day finally caught up to us! Until next post...

Oh, and on a side technical

note...this whole thing is being done in a kind of stream of consciousness way, with a single draft and no editing, direct from my iPhone. So, apologies for any type-os, grammatical errors or other obvious mistakes. It's meant more for the feel and vibe than anything. Ciao!

Day 1: Travel and Pisa/Livorno

Whew! What an incredible couple of days! The actual travel portion of the whole thing sometimes morphs into a strange world void of time or space, where one loses all track of day or night and muscles, joints and bones ache from sitting in such cramped quarters for so long! Sheesh, long gone are the days of throwing on that insanely heavy backpack and hittin' the road with wild abandon! We got old! It's a whole new ballgame now, one that carries with it an entirely new set of priorities and practicalities! 

Relaxing with the cool Mediterranean breeze coming through the open window at the Gran Duca in Livorno, I finally have a chance to catch my breath and recap the day. After a sleepless night of last-minute preparation and ridiculously early LAX arrival, a 5 hour flight to JFK and a 7 hour flight on to Pisa, the weary travelers arrived safe and sound to the heat and humidity of Tuscany. Overall, the flights were quite smooth and enjoyable, especially with the use of the individual screens on the backs of eat seat. They really do make the time pass quicker, and I was able to finally watch Sound City and catch up on some episodes of Regular Show that I hadn't seen. Special thanks to the powers that be upstairs for one of the most glorious displays of light an atmospheric conditions during the sunrise over France! 

After a nice and smooth customs entry and baggage pickup, it was time to get down to some serious business--Espresso! After a glorious little cup of strong Italian sunshine (which Bernard and I had been craving for weeks), the Surf music gods delivered upon us their esteemed and illustrious international representatives, none other than Surfer Joe Lorenzo himself and his wonderful girlfriend Anne! It was so nice to see and catch up with them after a year since their visit to SoCal last Summer!

After piling into the Valdambrini express, it turned out that Lorenzo needed to rake care of some brief business in Pisa proper, so Anne graciously offered to show us around and we would take the train to our ultimate destination for the day, Livorno, the seaside base for the international Surfer Joe headquarters. 

I had been to Tuscany once before, during my post-college graduation throw-all-caution-to-the-wind bohemian find-yourself backpacking adventure, but had never made it to Pisa. 

After crossing the Arno and winding through the ancient, narrow streets, one couldn't help but become obsessed with the incredible personality radiating from the antique doors and their imposing figural knockers.

Then, around a particular turn, it rose up out of the ground like some deformed stone missile, completely wowing all gazing upon it. Yep, that famous tower really does lean, but what throws one off guard is how off-kilter the perspective becomes the longer it's stared at. The thing is not just leaning, it's bending, and then at the top sort of straightens out again. It's much larger than I had imagined and the most impressive thing was it's position across the grass from the Baptismal and the main cathedral.

The only natural next goal soon became finding some refreshment, and it was time for the first glorious taste of fresh Gelato, in my case, Lemon. This was quickly followed by a nice outdoor cafe snack of another Espresso and the most delectably simple sandwich of marinated eggplant, prosciutto, tomato, lettuce and mozzarella! So simple, yet so satisfying!

A lot more walking and old-town exploration finally led us to the train station, where we would hop on a quick ride to Livorno.

After getting situated at the lovely Gran Duca Hotel, right across the street from the waterfront, it was time to succumb to the time-space vortex and crash out for a brief nap. Well, this turned into one of the deepest sleeps I can remember in a long time, and before we knew it, it was getting late! Time to freshen up and head down to the Aquarium to behold the Surfer Joe complex in all it's glory for the first time! I cannot even describe the excitement of finally seeing it all in person! What an absolute triumph and proof that dreams can become a reality! Who would've ever thought that a diner, live music club, Tiki bar, exhibition hall, patio and outdoor festival space based entirely around the passion for Surf Music right on the banks of the Mediterranean Sea in Italy would ever exist!?! It is truly something to behold and just catapulted my already gigantic admiration and respect for Lorenzo to a whole new level!

After sampling many of the delicious dishes the diner has to offer (including the most amazing deep fried Gruyere cheese bites!), we got a full tour of the whole complex, were re-united with many old friends from Surfer Joe tours past including Lorenzo's brother Luca and drummer Francesco, checked out some of the equipment we'd be using, organized some merchandise and before ya know it, it was time to head back to the hotel. 

Time to get some sleep--tomorrow's a big day, bright and early, with our first full band rehearsals! Can't wait!

On a side note...I already can't say enough kind words about my travel companions! Everyone has been a pure joy to be around, the energy is positive and upbeat, and getting along splendidly in the face of anything that comes our way seems completely par for the course! I'm truly lucky! Special respect, love and admiration must go out to my beautiful Marie, who powers through with grace and strength, even though the physical side of things got a bit overwhelming the first couple of days.

Buona Noche! Let the adventures continue....

The Eagle Has Landed...Well, Sort Of

...the first leg of the voyage is now a memory and we're safe and sound at JFK in NY. It was amazing flying in over da burbs and realizing how different things are outside of LALA land! That also tells me it's been waaaaay too long since I've traveled! Thinking of my Long Island brutha Jim Bacchi. Not much time now, gotta get to the next plane and onto Italia!!! Oh, and what the heck did we do before those interactive screens on the backseats of modern planes?? Oh yeah, read actual books! 

Photo Tests

OK, let's see just how these photos will look...

...is it possible to include several in one post?...

OK, I think I'm getting the hang of it! 

Food test...

Yeah, I know...boring!!! I said I was on a diet! Just wait till the food pics in Italy, Switzerland, France, Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands! I might even have to splurge and do the fries with Mayonnaise thing!!!

Special thanks to Ferenc Dobronyi for the Frankie/Meshugga/TomorrowMen blog last year and for the helpful hints!