Saturday, July 7, 2012

Italians are just like everybody else, just more beautiful.

July 6, 2012

It took a long time to get motivated and leave the hotel, we didn't get rolling until 2. It's about 50 miles to the next town, so we had to kill a few hours. Unfamiliar as we are with Pescara, we drive back down to the beach area and the Ippocampo. The lunch prices were reasonable and those who wanted to go swimming could dive into the Adriatic. Well, you wouldn't want to dive, it's shallow; it seems like you could walk to Bosnia. Also, because it's so shallow, it's warm, and the only refreshment comes from the evaporation when you get out. Except it's really humid so that doesn't work either. Anyway you slice this watermelon, it's wet.

San Salvo is just a bit south from Pescara, and we drive directly to the Beat Club. The club is across from the Adriatic, separated from the beach only by a road and a wide pedestrian strada. We load in and get situated on the stage, one side has open windows that face the beach. Meshugga has been hammering out a new song called "Torah! Torah! Torah!", they give it a workout during sound check.

Our hotel, the Miraverde, is only a couple miles away, in an industrial section of town. I guess the "green view" is of the recycling plant out our back window. It's a new construction, businessman's hotel, which means it has zero charm, but does have modern rooms, lots of hot water, and AC. It's nap time.

We have high hopes for another great night, as the club seems to be in a perfect location. After dinner, we walk down the beach strada, everybody is out tonight. All ages– old folks walking slow, little kids on scooters, teenagers holding hands, parents pushing strollers. There are some small amusement rides lit up with red bulbs. The huge gibbous moon is smokey and orange as it rises. Karen and I share a gelato though it hardly cools us, in fact it seems to be getting hotter. Even at the seashore, there is abolutely no breeze. I've got my white Levi's on, and they are already soaked.

 

Frankie starts at 11, aside from the usual collection of hardcore surf fans, the place is empty. It's unbelievably hot on the stage, I'd say in the high 90s. For what it's worth, we are sounding really tight now, hitting all the cues and stops, a huge maturation from our loose performance at the Surfer Joe Festival nearly two weeks ago. Once again, the TomorrowMen don't bother with costumes, lest we need to be teleported to a hospital for exposure. About four songs from the end of the set, the club owner turns on the air conditioning, and the climate change is remarkable. Revived, I attempt some desperate measures to bring people into the club, standing on the window sill to play. It's all for naught, despite the rockin' best efforts of the TMen, the huge crowd prefers to stand outside the club and listen for free.

While Meshugga starts playing, I get a chance to talk to the artist who designed the poster for tonight's show, Ratigher. It seems like he is well known in Italy as a graphic novelist, and his works have been translated into English. He also plays in a hardcore punk band. When I ask him to sign the posters, he draws his scary little monsters at the bottom.

 

Suddenly, Meshugga stops playing. The club owner has decided that surf music is the reason the dance floor is empty. It must be the music, not the heat, so he puts on some light Euro-disco, and the few fans enjoying the band leave. Lorenzo has a some late customers at the merch table, but the night is over and as soon as we find the misplaced Peugot key (thankfully some one has turned it into a bartender.) We head back the Miraverde for sleep, but mostly the AC.

 

2 comments:

  1. Ferenc wrote: "those who wanted to go swimming could dive into the Adriatic. Well, you wouldn't want to dive, it's shallow; it seems like you could walk to Bosnia."

    Ferenc, good luck with finding Bosnia, as its coast on the other side of the Adriatic is about 5 miles long. The great majority of the coastline on the other side belongs to the incredibly beautiful Croatia. Just thought I'd point that out. :)

    Otherwise, an AMAZING blog! Have been enjoying it immensely! It's like I could feel the heat there! (Oh wait, it's been 100F+ here as well, so I guess I *could* feel the heat!) Anyway, thank you so very much for putting in all the effort it took to do this.

    Good luck with your travel home and see you in a month!

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  2. I guess we have to wait to see if you catch lightning twice.

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