Post by ulla on Nov 26, 2009 12:23:57 GMT
Last Saturday saw the 13th Itullian Jethro Tull Convention in Alba.
We arrived on Friday and were invited for dinner in the wonderful agriturisme hotel "Casa Scaparone", where all the food on our plates (and that was a lot ) was home grown.
The Fairports were there and an English guitarist, Phil, who plays in a Queen tribute band (don´t ask me why he was invited) and some people from the fanclub.
Barrie Barlow could not do it, because he was in the studio with Megan Henwood to finish the recordings.
While we were sitting at the dinner table, eating several starters and main courses and drinking excellent wine, a young acoustic band started to play some old Italian folk tunes. "Nice", we thought.
But after dinner they started to play some kind of Kletzschmer music. Peggy joined in with an acoustic guitar.
Guiseppe (or Peppino), the young and lively frontman, surprised us all when he did a solo on a tambourine. It sounded like a whole drum kit plus persussion. I´ve never seen something like that before. Clive stared at him and could not believe it. I asked Clive later: "And why do you need a complete drum kit?"
So Clive invited Guiseppe to join him the next day for the drum solo and the Fairports wanted to have him for "Woodworm Swing".
On Saturday the usual Italian Convention routine started: nobody tells you what happens next, nothing is in time, endless discussions,...
Some years ago Clive, Barrie Barlow and John Evan were special guests of the Itullians and that day everything was perfectly in time. The soundcheck was easily done and everybody was happy. We sat in the dressing room, waiting for the doors to open.
Nothing happened. So after 3/4 of an hour Clive asked Aldo, the organiser: "Do you have some problems? Why don´t you open the doors?" Aldo answered: "No problems, everything´s fine. But hey, we are in Italy. We can´t start the concert in time!!!"
So this year it was the same procedure as every year. For 18:00 a meeting with the fanclub was announced, but at that time the soundcheck was not finished.
We got there at the end and had another delicious dinner.
The official show started with some videos in memory of John Glascock.
Then the Fairports came on stage. They knew that most people in the audience were not familiar with their music so they played a "Set-For-First-Timers", what was just perfect (Walk Awhile, Widdow Of Westmoreland, John Gaudie, Festival Bell, Fame & Glory, I´m Already There, Bowman´s Retreat, Woodworm Swing with the incredible tambourine man, ..., Matty Groves). The response from the audience was very good. Simon and Chris tried to speak Italian, what was very funny.
After that it was show time for the tribute band Beggar´s Farm + Friends.
I can´t remember the complete set list, just a few snippets.
Peggy and Gerry Conway joined the band for "Pussy Willow" and Peggy played one song with BF´s own drummer Sergio (can´t remember what it was, but they were not very together).
Jacqui McShee sang 2 of her beautiful songs.
A young flute player was on for "Elegy" (during that song I sat in the dressing room crying my eyes out, because 2 of my best friends died this year).
Then it was time for Mr. Clive Bunker. Wind Up, Hymn 43, My God, A New Day Yesterday with this Queen guitarist, and for the first time in 40 years Back To the Family. Then came the drum solo and the tambourine man came on stage. It was magnificent what they did together. Clive did a perfect solo. Ric Sanders saw this for the first time and he is now the biggest Clive Bunker fan on this planet ;D
After Aqualung Gerry Conway sat down at his drum kit and the 2 drummers played Loco together.
After that the Fairports came back to play their anthem Meet On The Ledge.
1748 fans asked for autographs and photos after the show.
Back at the hotel the Fairports started a jam session till 5 o´clock in the morning.
It was another fantastic convention and I have to say: The hospitality of the Itullians is amazing and I would like to thank everybody in the team for an unforgettable weekend.
We arrived on Friday and were invited for dinner in the wonderful agriturisme hotel "Casa Scaparone", where all the food on our plates (and that was a lot ) was home grown.
The Fairports were there and an English guitarist, Phil, who plays in a Queen tribute band (don´t ask me why he was invited) and some people from the fanclub.
Barrie Barlow could not do it, because he was in the studio with Megan Henwood to finish the recordings.
While we were sitting at the dinner table, eating several starters and main courses and drinking excellent wine, a young acoustic band started to play some old Italian folk tunes. "Nice", we thought.
But after dinner they started to play some kind of Kletzschmer music. Peggy joined in with an acoustic guitar.
Guiseppe (or Peppino), the young and lively frontman, surprised us all when he did a solo on a tambourine. It sounded like a whole drum kit plus persussion. I´ve never seen something like that before. Clive stared at him and could not believe it. I asked Clive later: "And why do you need a complete drum kit?"
So Clive invited Guiseppe to join him the next day for the drum solo and the Fairports wanted to have him for "Woodworm Swing".
On Saturday the usual Italian Convention routine started: nobody tells you what happens next, nothing is in time, endless discussions,...
Some years ago Clive, Barrie Barlow and John Evan were special guests of the Itullians and that day everything was perfectly in time. The soundcheck was easily done and everybody was happy. We sat in the dressing room, waiting for the doors to open.
Nothing happened. So after 3/4 of an hour Clive asked Aldo, the organiser: "Do you have some problems? Why don´t you open the doors?" Aldo answered: "No problems, everything´s fine. But hey, we are in Italy. We can´t start the concert in time!!!"
So this year it was the same procedure as every year. For 18:00 a meeting with the fanclub was announced, but at that time the soundcheck was not finished.
We got there at the end and had another delicious dinner.
The official show started with some videos in memory of John Glascock.
Then the Fairports came on stage. They knew that most people in the audience were not familiar with their music so they played a "Set-For-First-Timers", what was just perfect (Walk Awhile, Widdow Of Westmoreland, John Gaudie, Festival Bell, Fame & Glory, I´m Already There, Bowman´s Retreat, Woodworm Swing with the incredible tambourine man, ..., Matty Groves). The response from the audience was very good. Simon and Chris tried to speak Italian, what was very funny.
After that it was show time for the tribute band Beggar´s Farm + Friends.
I can´t remember the complete set list, just a few snippets.
Peggy and Gerry Conway joined the band for "Pussy Willow" and Peggy played one song with BF´s own drummer Sergio (can´t remember what it was, but they were not very together).
Jacqui McShee sang 2 of her beautiful songs.
A young flute player was on for "Elegy" (during that song I sat in the dressing room crying my eyes out, because 2 of my best friends died this year).
Then it was time for Mr. Clive Bunker. Wind Up, Hymn 43, My God, A New Day Yesterday with this Queen guitarist, and for the first time in 40 years Back To the Family. Then came the drum solo and the tambourine man came on stage. It was magnificent what they did together. Clive did a perfect solo. Ric Sanders saw this for the first time and he is now the biggest Clive Bunker fan on this planet ;D
After Aqualung Gerry Conway sat down at his drum kit and the 2 drummers played Loco together.
After that the Fairports came back to play their anthem Meet On The Ledge.
1748 fans asked for autographs and photos after the show.
Back at the hotel the Fairports started a jam session till 5 o´clock in the morning.
It was another fantastic convention and I have to say: The hospitality of the Itullians is amazing and I would like to thank everybody in the team for an unforgettable weekend.