Firenze.

Sorry about the lack of posting--there doesn't seem to be much of an internet hub in Firenze (one of the many problems with that city), so right now in Milan is the first time I've been online in a couple days.

Anyway, last night's show was better than Rome's, and was almost great, minus the vocal problems Isabel seemed to be having. The highlight was certainly "Doughnut Song" with "Daisy Dead Petals" being the runner up. Because I'm here so late in the game, I'll save you the verbage and get right to posting youtube videos--in a little while. I got all of Isabel (minus "Almost Rosey") as well as "Sneeze" and "Parasol."

I am bringing my camera to the Milan show tonight, but I have a crap ticket, so I may or may not use it. We'll see.

Oh...

...and "Secret Spell" live was incredible. Started out with a long weird guitar noise. Very passionate throughout in terms of piano and singing, so much so that I couldn't tape because I teared up. Don't listen to whateverhernameis because she doesn't know shit.

Proper review....

...which will be quite short due to my being on a time limit due to my crap lodging's internet constraints, but the gist is that it was an excellent Santa show and a fairly good Tori show that combined for a very, very good first show whose only surprise was that Tori gave no real surprises.

The important things to note are that Santa did not talk, and Tori was playing the Hammond wired into the keyboard, that is, the Hammond made different sounds, for instance in "Jupiter" the last verses were sung over synth string sounds. I think the Hammond allowed the songs so sound more organic instead of...um...fake.

Anyway, it appears there is a bootleg out there so everyone can hear for themselves just what this show was about, but if you need any clarification, feel free to ask.

xx

Soda and Hoochie!

Now I am going to BED!

More videos!

General Joy


and

Dragon


Sorry about them being flipped sideways! Thanks for all your kind comments as common sense dictates that if you happen to link or use these, give credit where credit is due.

Detailed review tomorrow, and I might still post "Programmable Soda" "Precious Things" and "Hoochie Woman" tonight. I dunno.

Rome Multimedia...

...will trickle in throughout the night.

First up, is a video of "Body and Soul." If you post this elsewhere, please give credit where credit is due.



Then, some pictures. The first is Tori at the Meet and Greet I showed up for the tail end of (and only took photos) and the second is Santa. The third is Tori looking strangely like a redheaded version of Kate Bush on the Tour of Life. (click on images for larger versions)





I will upload more files later tonight and write a proper review tomorrow. Too. tired. to. write.

Now with pictures:

Figure One: Me in front of the Collosseum looking like the cracker that I am

In my last post, I forgot to mention an essential aspect of the calamity of my not speaking Italian. You see, almost everyone with whom I've successfully spoken here has informed me that they assumed I was a native prior to opening my mouth. As the picture above illustrates, however, I am the most Aryan (and lame, probably) thing this side of the Italian alps. I was thinking it might have been my fashion sense, but as I mentioned before, the only thing Roman about my fashion sense is the fact that it doesn't even remotely match that of any one person here, whose does not match his or her neighbor, and so on. Initially, this hodge podge bothered me since Italy is supposed to be such a fasionable country (perhaps that's only true in Milan?), but I'm beginning to see it as positive rather than negative. It's completely and totally enough that there are millions of tools in the United States (ZOMG!!1111 AberKromBy ShoutOUt!!!111) who look exaclty like one another, right down to the accessory level. That said, there does seem to be a sect of "straight" men who believe that wearing a pair of nondescript jeans, a pair of nondescript shoes, and wearing a nondescript button-up shirt qualifies as well-dressed, which sounds slightly like the "straight" Italian men in New York.


Figure Two: Pleasuring the collective Italian phallus

If you don't know me, you're probably questioning why I've placed the word "straight" inside quotations, and if you do know me, you're probably asking "for what reason this time, Robert?" Well, the answer is that the only remotely straight behavior in which I've seen any man in this country partake is kissing a woman, and even that seems to be done half-assed around here. Before I left, I actually began to have an epiphany RE: sexuality (it's essentially a societal trap), and I'm still very into that, but on a very societal level, the men here couldn't look gayer, and that's saying something, considering I said the same thing about the men in other countries in Europe last time, all decked-out in their man capris. I'm happy/sad to report that the man capri is back and gay/straighter than ever, but Italian men beat this in spades, wearing tighter clothing than I do in all sorts of feminine shapes and textures and sitting on each other's laps on the subway. "Gayday" here compared to its American counterpart must be like comparing the respective pizzas, or something.


Figure 3: He's got the whole world (ed: well, at one time, Rome was the center of the world!) in his hands (ed: er, extending from my fingertips?)

I'm having such an amazing time here I've forgotten several times that a Tori Amos tour is beginning in 48 hours.


Figure 3.b: Teatro Sistina, where T-money is playing

The negative things I can say about Rome dissolve every time I get out of a negative situation, i.e. the confusing layout that retards my normally Pointer-like sense of direction and the mediocre night bus system. The food, so far, is excellent, the vegetarian pizza (ed: who'da thunk that "peperoni" meant "peppers" in Italian?) I snagged for five euros hands down better than any pizza I've eaten before in my life, and this was at some nondescript kebab shop on a random corner I couldn't find again if my life depended on it. The scenery is, of course, incredible. I rode by the (lit-up) Collosseum last night on one of those uber-hip scooter things and it's just...um...wow. There's such an electricity here. I won't say that Rome is my favorite city and it's few (but very fundamental) flaws might prevent me from ever saying that, but I will say that Rome is a place I would happily go out of my way to visit again.


Figure 4: The view off my hotel balcony--yes I said balcony

And I will certainly stay at "One Step from St. Peter" again. It's an incredible little hole in the wall that's better than any hotel I stayed in last time, and comparably priced. At about 45 euros per night, I get breakfast, a full-sized bed, internet use, and a location only three metro stops from the geographical center of town. I'm also within walking distance of an incredible fruit market that's only incredible in reputation because my lazy ass just got around to sleeping off jet lag and the 25 plus miles I've walked so far. One last gush about Rome before I call it a (cyber) night and go find something to do with myself before I lay me down for good tonight: I think I'm going to break down and shop here. They actually make dress clothing for skinny people here! I can get a hot pair of pin-stripe pants, a fitted button up, and a real Italian silk tie for less than 40 euros (about $55) here, out the door, at almost every shop I've been to. And some are cheaper! I'm tempted to wait until Milan, but my thought is that while the selection there will be greater, the cost will be too high. Any thoughts, please leave them. Otherwise, check out myspace for more pictures in the meantime. I'll post more tomorrow, provided I don't get hit by a motor vehicle walking across the street, which, for the record, is one of the most exciting feelings in the world. I can't really expand upon why I think almost dying every time one crosses a Roman road is exciting; all I can tell you is the second you step foot (and I do mean foot; your other foot will be in mid stride when you hear the engine humming) onto, say, Via de Cavour, you will know. Get thee to Rome!

First day in Rome...

...or should I say "premio dia a Roma"? I'm sure you're telepathically scolding me right now for confusing my languages and my countries, but hang on, I'm about to tell you something! You see, before I came to Rome, I thought the semester of Spanish I took in college and the three years I lived in Florida and resisted bilingual immerision were both worthless. Well, Ms. Conchita Rodriguez would be very proud of me today, because I actually feel like I know a shit ton of Spanish. See, strangely not a lot of people speak English here. It's strange to me because like, say, Dutch, Italian is only spoken in a very (relatively) small part of the world, I think here and Tunisia and maybe parts of Ethiopia. It would make sense that they would learn English, though I don't think they "owe" it to me per se.

Neither do they!

They do, however, speak Spanish, and necessity is the mother of invention, and let's just say that despite the 2398490384 words I've invented over the past twenty-four hours, I've held several conversations almost entirely in real Spanish and I couldn't be prouder of myself. That said, I can't wait until I'm in France and I can actually speak like a human being. Language barriers have a way of making even the most articulate people (yes, I did just give myself props) feel verbally retarded.

In other news, I love Rome. Love it. Love it. Love it, particularly the neighborhood in which my hotel is located. It's a strange confluence of tourism and working-class, clergy and laypeople also know as Ottaviani, which is only a few blocks from the Vatican. There is an energy here evocative of the trendier parts of Berlin though there's not really anything remotely trendy about this area. Or any of Rome thus far, actually, which is strange.

I walked by Teatro Sistina (where Tori is playing) yesterday and I'm pleased to report that it's tiny as hell and located in a very good area, just a short walk from the Spanish steps, or as they refer to them around here, Piazza di Spagna.

See, I am picking up some Italian!

I took a shit-ton of pictures yesterday and I hope to upload them soon, but the computer here at the hotel doesn't have a card reader and there's not any wireless connectivity here so far as I can tell. If anybody knows of any wireless hotspots near Ottiviani station (as I'd prefer not to bring my laptop on the Metro), let me know. Ditto on vegan grub. I'm actually about to head out the door in search of some Pizza senzo formaggio.

Ciao!

Tomorrow's the day...

...that I depart for Rome, pending lenience on the part of the TSA. I fear I might have exceeded my liquid allowance (my one quart bag is ripping at its polymer seams), which means that I must be trying to carry a bomb on board. Hopefully I can fool them!

In other news, well, there is no other news, but there will be Friday! I'll have some things to say about the flight (or Guantanamo if my ripped baggie violates national security) and about Rome and also have some pictures posted. As my trip progresses, I hope to utilise youtube to post some videos of the concerts, meet and greets, and myself and friends commentating on the general state of the American Doll Posse tour.

So maybe that is other news? I dunno. You decide.

I need to....um...well, I need to create a time machine and have it be tomorrow because I'm not doing a damn thing right now.