MARK LANEGAN BAND
INDIPENDENT DAY FESTIVAL
BOLOGNA, SATURDAY 04/09/04

AFTER WE HAVE MET ED NAPPI AND BRETT NETTSON ON FRIDAY NIGHT WALKING AROUND THE "TENDA ESTRAGON" AFTER THE AFTHERHOURS + GREG DULLI'S SHOW, IT'S FINALLY THE GREAT DAY! THE TREMBLING WAITING OF THE ENTIRE SUMMER TIME IS NEAR TO FINISH.
FIRST LINE, WE ARE EXITED BY MONDO GENERATOR'S SHOW. MARK HAS BEEN ON STAGE WITH THEM TO SING "FOUR CORNERS" AND AN ACUSTIC VERSION OF "AUTOPILOT".
BUT NOW, HERE THEY ARE: MARK COMES ON STAGE AND GRASPS HIMSELF AT THE MICROPHONE ON HIS USUAL POSITION. A SHORT HAIRCUT BLACK COLOURED AND A CIGARETTE BETWEEN HIS FINGERS ( THE FIRST OF TWO DURING ALL THE SHOW ). TO SEE HIM ON STAGE IS ENOUGH TO LET US GO CRAZY! BRET NETTSON INFORM EVERYBODY:
<< WE ARE THE MARK LANEGAN BAND! >> AND THE BEGINNING OF "HIT THE CITY" SHAKES OUR SOULS. THE SONG OF THE NEW ALBUM IN LIVE VERSION IS EXTRAORDINARY AND SHELLEY BROWN DOESN'T LET US FEEL MISSED BY POLLY JEAN! THIS NEW LINE UP OF THE BAND SEEMS MORE COMPLETE WITH THE LADY'S VOICE. AND THEY ARE GREAT IN " WEDDING DRESS" TOO. ED NAPPI HAS FALLEN BUT JUST FEW OF US HAVE SEEN HIM, HE HAS JUMPED UP IMMEDIATELLY WITH NO PROBLEM, HE WANTS TO PLAY!
WE ARE DRAGGED THROUGH THE PREVIOUS ALBUMS WITH INTENSE VERSIONS OF "NO EASY ACTION" AND "PENDULUM" THAT IPNOTIZE THE PUBLIC AT THE "ARENA PARCO NORD" AND LET EVERYBODY, FANS OR NOT, CARRIED BY THE VOICE OF A GREAT MARK LANEGAN!
"SIDEWAYS IN REVERSE" GIVES A RUSH TO THE SHOW, PURE ROCK'N'ROLL, MORE SUITABLE FOR A FESTIVAL CLIME. THAN "ONE WAY STREET" AND A "RESURRECTION SONG" THAT SEEMS TO STOP THE TIME.
AGAIN TO THE PRESENT WITH "DRIVING DEATH VALLEY BLUES" AND "LIKE LITTLE WILLY JOHN" WHERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SONG MARK'S VOICE SEEMS TO BREAK THE HOT AND DUSTY AIR OF THE ARENA.
IT COMES BACK THE CALM WITH "I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU" (PERFECTLY ADAPT TO A DAVD LYNCH'S ATMOSPHERE), WE FEEL BREATHLESS.
EVERYTHING CHANGE AGAIN WITH A ROUGH "SKELETAL HISTORY" WITH ITS PARTICULAR STRUCTURE DOESN'T LET US STAND STILL.
ON A SIDE OF THE STAGE WE CAN SEE NICK OLIVIERI DANCING, MOVING THE HEAD, CLAPPING HIS HANDS, CARRIED BY THE MUSIC JUST LIKE US. HE JOINS HIS FRIEND ON THE STAGE FOR A ROW AND ENERGIC "METHANPHETAMINE BLUES".
THERE'S NO TIME FOR "FIX" DESTINATED TO THE BIS. WE WANT MORE SONGS, BUT THE ORGANIZATION HAS BROKED THE SPELL OF AN ATMOSPHERE THAT, EVEN IF NOT REALLY SUITABLE FOR A FESTIVAL, HAS ENRAPTURED EVERYBODY AND CARRIED IN A WORLD WHERE THERE'S ONLY ONE CICERONE: MARK LANEGAN.
WE CAN ONLY LOVE HIS MUSIC, HE IS LIKE A FRIEND FOR US!

P.S.: SPECIAL THANKS TO ED NAPPI, OUR KIND FRIEND FROM NEW YORK - AVELLINO! RADIO 4 ARE FUN AS YOU TOLD US!

BENJAMIN AND TANIA