After our four German gigs we got in Lester and began our journey to Italy. In one day we were in four countries: we woke up in Germany, drove across Switzerland and Italy, played a gig in Milan - and then drove across Switzerland, laying down for the night in France. Four countries in less than 24 hours. As Montell Jordan once sang at those shitty 8th grade dances I went to, "this is how we do it."
We drove along the Swiss Alps and got to see the countryside. It was a lovely sight and although I was tired, I was forcing myself to stay awake.
As we came upon the Italian border, Ben rolled Lester's window down to speak to the border patrol officer. The officer asked what we had in the back of Lester, and replied, "tools of rock." The officer responded with "tools of work?" And Ben cockily said "yeah." They let us through with no hassle and it was a hilarious exchange.
Rolling into the Mediolanum Forum we met up with Kyle Gass, who informed us this was the biggest show of the tour, at 8,300. KG was smoking a rolled ciggie but he bummed a Marlboro off Skip. I guess KG ain't down with the local smoke.
We loaded into the venue and I pulled a big poster of the gig off the wall and rolled it up. Skip did the same as the promoter walked by and she sorta yelled at him -- letting him know she'd give him some if he'd stop ripping them off the walls, haha.
I was a bit nervous at how this giant crowd would receive us and when I got onstage the crowd said a ton of things to me, all of which as a good, ignorant American I could not understand. Then I started smiling and some guy said "stop smiling!" In English. And then a bottle was thrown and just missed me. Uh oh.
But then we started playing and the place went apeshit. These people just wanna party, and we delivered. There were chants of "Sights! Sights! Sights!" and people dancing around like crazy. The arena was moving the entire show and we walked off feeling like kings. After our last amp came offstage I went back onstage to do an idiot check and the entire front row yelled for me and gave me cheers. Not bad for being in Italy for a total of six hours and playing to thousands.
Ok, about to go under the English Channel right now...
All the best,
eddie
Skip’s Current State: hungover.
