Arcade Fire live in Lucca - Italy

 

What more could I have asked for than to watch one of my favourite bands perform live in Italy? I was so ecstatic when I read on Arcade Fire's bandpage that they were going to gig in Italy that I immediately started making plans to cross the Mediterranean again. Clementine and I crossed with the same night ferry from Bastia to Livorno and spent a full day in Italy before the gig at night.

The beers outside the venue were cheap, the Panini probably the best I’ve had since being in Europe, the weather was perfect and the setting for their performance in the town of Lucca was magnificent. One of the main squares in Lucca was used as a beautiful setting for this event with old buildings looking into the square, a big statue in the centre with surrounding trees and cobble stones.

I was excited to see them, but had a huge piss prior to the show. Can you believe it; I found only two toilets and had to stand in a queue for more than 15 minutes? Being a guy, it especially sucks to wait, but I had to and complained with the girls around me. Clementine waited amongst the eager fans and by the time I returned the crowd had grown extensively, which resulted in me looking for her for some time.

The sun set behind the old buildings and Arcade Fire started with a bang - ‘Ready to Start’ followed by ‘Suburban War’ with mad lights and energetic Italians. I was in heaven! I raised and clapped my hands like the people in the church do. I was in ecstasy by the time they played ‘No Cars Go’. All my Arcade Fire favourites like; ‘Rebellion Lies’, ‘We Used To Wait’, ‘Tunnels’, ‘Month of May’, the list continues, were played. Band members continued to switch duties as they added to the growing sound.

Arcade Fire played an hour and a half set filled with emotion and energy. They left the stage for a few seconds and returned to end off with ‘Wake Up’. Jesus, I can’t express myself, I think I jizzed my pants right then and there.
I made the mission across from Corsica, walked the towns of Cinque Terre the afternoon before, swam in the Mediterranean and here I was singing along to every song.

What an epic performance by one of the hottest bands live. I’ve been lucky the past week having had the opportunity to watch Foals in Corsica and Arcade Fire in Italy. It was most probably one of the best days to date.

 Apologies for the shitty photos taken with my Iphone.

Weekend Trip To Italy (again)

 Arcade Fire was going to gig in Lucca, Italy on the weekend and I was amped to make the mission as soon as I read about it on the net. We booked the tickets for the show and crossed by ferry from Bastia, Corsica to Livorno, Italy (again) where we landed early Saturday morning.

The gig was only at night and we had the whole day to kill in beautiful Italy.

My roommate from Simonsberg, Matthew Sterne, recommended that I go to visit Cinque Terre, north of Livorno on the west coast. He said that this place was beautiful and well worth the visit and he was definitely right. The small town of Manarola was especially mind blowing with a whole village built on terraces on the shoreline. I am glad I followed Matt’s advice. Matt also runs a blog called Sterne Journeys, but he’s a bit of a lazy guy (always has been one) and hasn't really updated it in a while. He said we must wait for something bigger and better… He’s still travelling. Sterne, if you are reading this, start up your blog or create something better. We are waiting.

I’ll upload some photos with a write up of the Arcade Fire gig sometime this week. It was insane!

Previous Italy photos here.

Relaxing

ROME!

I hopped over by ferry from Corsica to Italy for a few days to walk the streets of Rome and pay a brief visit to Pisa and Florence.

We had Clementine’s car which gave us more independence and the opportunity to pack all the basic camping goods.

Walking the streets and narrow alleys of Rome felt like walking through a big museum. There were monuments, ancient building, ruins and squares around every corner. There was always something new to discover as we wondered around - lots and lots of walking. 

There were so many awesome sights during our quick three day visit of Rome. I lived on a pizza only diet for four days and filled my water bottle up at all the fountains scattered in the city as I continued to complain about European beer prices. Street artists entertained and sold work all over and one was amused by some of their skills.

I thought that there were many tourists at the Forbidden City in China, but nothing beats a hot summer day in Rome. Tourists as far as the eye can see. We squeezed between the people to view the fabulous Sistine Chapel which also gave me the opportunity to take my time and take some shots of the colourful roof. So much ancient history between the walls of these buildings with art and statues all over dedicated to God and Roman leaders who all had six-packs and small penises.

Walking between the walls of the colosseum, eating ice cream on one of the several squares, giving way to one of many Vespa’s, having blisters on my feet, still using a two year expired Student Card, seeing one too many pictures of Jesus, munching pizza’s, being stuck in traffic and having perfect weather throughout added to a great experience. 

Early Morning Pisa