travelogue

Let's Go Get Lost

2007-06-11T14:11:00.008-07:00

Top to Bottom:
Statue, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
Culebra Island, Puerto Rico
Callejon de la Capilla, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
Wall Art, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

I Miss You Already. I Miss You Always.

2007-06-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

"And far away will be my home,
And to grasp this, I don't know
And I don't need
Further back and forth, a wave will break on me today.
And love,... Wish the world could go again with love
One cant seem to have enough
And war,.... Break the sky and tell me what it's for
I'll travel there on my own
And love,.... What a different life
Had I not found this love with you"

Why Go

2006-10-05T11:03:00.000-07:00

Leaving Berlin last week I was reminded that sometimes, the best thing about traveling is coming home. As eager as I was to get back to New York, however, I couldn't help but lament the end of an amazing two weeks traveling abroad, meeting new people and having the time of my life. Oh, and seeing Pearl Jam overseas, documenting fans and their experiences following the band. That was why I went, wasn't it? As I stepped on the plane, the voices of some people back home began resonating in my head. These were the voices of the 'others', as some fans like to call them - those who didn't understand the logic, (or lack there of?!), in following a band all over the world. All they could ask was 'Why?' What they had failed to realize and may never quite fully grasp, is that inevitably, journeys like this never end up being about the band. Seeing Pearl Jam in a 2,000 year old structure, or a town square or in the middle of a forest is only an added bonus.

The real deal is stepping off your porch and running away. And seeing it all. And seeing the world. It's meeting individuals from every corner of the globe, some who seem as if you've known them your whole life, others whose only link to you is an affinity for an album, or a song or one lyric. It's about dancing until dawn in a Prague bar with a New York City neighbor you traveled thousands of miles to meet for the first time. It's about standing in front of the remains of a wall where so many people, who only wanted a taste of freedom, drew their last breath. It's about riding a bus from a small town in Italy to a gorgeous Eastern European country and meeting genuine souls that may or may never cross your path again, thinking it's ok because you had those two nights with them. It's about coming to terms with the fact that your life wasn't meant to be spent at a desk doing meaningless work that leaves you empty and unfulfilled. It's the bluest eyes on the sweetest, most loving boys. It's finally, and at all costs, pursuing your passion.

It's all about that kid who left Mexico City to travel Europe and see his band for several weeks with 140 Euros in his pocket. It's learning that he was left with 40 for the next few weeks and uncertain future plans. Still, he insisted on sharing his food and his snacks. It's his friend - the one you didn't get to know but wanted to, because it's obvious his eyes have a story to tell. It's someone you just met, sitting at the edge of your bed telling you all about his shattered heart as if he had known you forever, trusting that you're the type of person who will understand where he's coming from. It's seeing a girl you connected with right away, falling in love with some one so far away. It's uncontrollable, yet muffled laughter after seeing your hostess' downstairs neighbor strolling around his apartment wearing next to nothing - not wanting to look, but not being able to keep your eyes off of him, either. And it wasn't even pretty. It's really good wine, a crisp evening and cigarette smoke billowing off a dimly-lit balcony.

It's being really lost in translation, especially when you're told to stay on a street always, always, always. It's believing that nothing is "impossible!!!". It's hearing a friend butcher the Italian language and getting lost going to the corner ATM, wondering how he would have survived if he was alone. It's about seeing so many flags from all over the world at shows and thinking of yours. It's craving it when a song protesting a 'leader' gets played and you want to drape it across your back in support --- of the song, not the 'leader.' It's an intense yet intriguing gaze that made you look away. And then back again.

It's seeing that you're not the only one who found strength in words penned by someone who doesn't even know you exist. It's believing 'the You' exists because he penned those same words. It's watching a new, scared friend go off to a foreign city alone, knowing that the only way she will really understand herself is if she goes with herself.

I can go on and on about the experiences that shape a trip, but I have to save some for the next one, whenever and wherever that may be.

So......why go? Because sometimes you just can't stay, baby ;)

yours truly, deeply, madly,
wanda

".....I'd like to stay"

2006-09-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

LOCATION: The Circus, Berlin
Tonight's Show: Berlin (Wuhlheide)

Set List: Go, Save You, Animal, Do The Evolution, Rearviewmirror, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Severed Hand, World Wide Suicide, Marker In The Sand, Even Flow, Present Tense, Big Wave, Grievance, Daughter(W.M.A.), Green Disease, Black, Porch
1st Encore: Given To Fly, Come Back, I Believe In Miracles, Crazy Mary, Alive
2nd Encore: Last Kiss, Footsteps, Lukin, Comatose, Why Go, Baba O'Riley, Yellow Ledbetter

Tonight's the last show of my tour, and even though I'm painfully exhausted and desperately looking forward to a real shower and sleeping in my own bed, I'm really sad its coming to an end. Monica added Berlin to her itinerary so she could see the city and I wouldn't have to be alone. She was supposed to just see the Verona show but ended up seeing four of the Italy shows, Prague and now Berlin - that's what these crazy kids do ;)

We checked in at The Circus, which is quite possibly the coolest hostel I have ever seen in my life. If you're ever in Berlin, I highly recommend it - even if you can afford a real hotel! It's run by a bunch of young people and the atmosphere, the setting and the whole vibe is just insanely fun. I took a nap before the show, since we were up all night and I really wanted to enjoy tonight's performance. When it was time to leave, Monica and I received clear directions on how to get to the venue, Wuhlheide. We had no idea that getting there would require three separate subways and almost an hour of travel. Like most venues on my tour, this one was way outside the city center, and although I was looking forward to an outside performance, getting there was as big a hassle as the others were. When we got off the train, we followed everyone and walked another 10 minutes to the venue. Wuhlheide is in the forest. There are no buildings, no pavement, no roads - no nothing. We walked through a long trail until we got to the back of the line for the entrance - it was all very Hansel and Gretel. Thank God Monica was with me, because walking that trail after the show alone would not have been good.

The amphitheatre itself was striking. Because it was in the middle of the forest, the scenery was gorgeous - the long haul was well worth it. We found a nice spot on Mike's side again, but because the stage was so big, we weren't as close as before. It was fine, though, as our view was perfect. I tried so hard to look for Jess because this was her 100th show, but I couldn't find her. I was certain she was on the rail since she wanted this one to be extra special, but there were too many people to make her out.

Although I wouldn't rank tonight's show as the highlight of my tour, it still holds a special place because it was the last one. They opened with Go.....again! So that makes 4 out of 8 - I can't say I wasn't disappointed, but I also can't help but wonder if Go has been a deliberate choice for a lot of the shows in Europe. The crowd tonight was great and they responded beautifully to the entire setlist. I loved the WMA tag with Daughter; I heard it the first time in Buenos Aires, and since then, it has been one of my favorite tags. Even though this had nothing to do with me, the highlight of the show was Present Tense. It just so happens that this is Jess' favorite song, and to hear it played at her 100th show was so great. It made me so happy knowing that she got this tonight - almost as if they knew. It's such an awesome song, and lyrically, its among my top three. After Present Tense came Big Wave; I hadn't heard this until Europe and I love it live. I like how the audience sings out the 'whoah-ohhhhh'....'yeah-ahhhh'....you know what I'm talking about, right?!? RIGHT. Black was awesome, as always. In Europe, a lot of people still take out lighters instead of their cellphones, and it's such a sight - especially outdoors. There were a few people who had these sparkle-lighters in the audience, and Monica and I were blown away with how beautiful it was to look out into a sea of fans with these sparkles illuminating them. Audience-wise, the coolest part came during Crazy Mary in the first encore. While Boom was doing his thing, Ed jumped down to the area that separates the stage from the crowd, and was running around with his wine bottle. I think he left it with someone on the rail, because when he was coming back up, he stopped in front of these guys that were in the front row and took a sip of their beer. The look on these guys' faces was priceless. I only wish I had a shot of that.

I remember thinking during this show that this just doesn't get old. Every time I've seen a performance, it feels like the first time all over again. Maybe it could get tired - there are people whose show numbers are in the 3-digits. I'm sure it doesn't feel like the first time for them every time, but they keep coming back, so it can't get that old. I easily could have kept going all the way through to Athens. Logic, a responsibility to my job and yeah, a lack of funds dissuaded me.

During Yellow Ledbetter, I finally put away my camera for good. Silly and ridiculous as it may sound to those who just don't understand, it was a really emotional moment. Two weeks in Europe following a band you love, meeting amazing people and seeing the world was quickly coming to a halt, and I guess it was appropriate to acknowledge this during YL. In the middle of a German forest, as the house lights lit up the sky and a cool breeze had its way against our skin, there it was....the end of the end.

Man, What a Night

2006-09-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

LOCATION: Train en route to Berlin
Last Night's Show: Prague (Sazka Arena)

Set List: MFC, Last Exit, Animal, Life Wasted, Small Town, World Wide Suicide, Insignificance, Marker In The Sand, Unemployable, You Are, Sad, Whipping, Even Flow, Daughter, Alone, Jeremy, Do The Evolution

1st encore: Dead Man, Man Of The Hour, Nothingman, Leatherman, Better Man/Save It For Later, Alive
2nd encore: Bu$hleaguer, Comatose, Given To Fly, Rocking in the Free World, Yellow Ledbetter

I was dead asleep when our bus pulled into Sazka Arena at about 2am. A few hours later, daylight broke and I was woken up by the alarm clock that Gitte had set for me the night before. I wanted to make sure I’d be up in time to see the sights, since I would be in Prague less than 24 hours. Jason, Monica and the Swedes (Johan and Petter) said they wanted to go into town with me, so I was in charge of waking everyone up and getting us out.

We took the subway into the center of town and headed toward my hostel, Dhoula Pension. I was the only with a reservation, but they all needed a place to spend the night so we took our chances and ventured over in hopes that they’d have room for them as well. When we found Dhoula, I was blown away - and not in a good way. This place was straight out of Quentin Tarantino’s Hostel, and even though I was advised not to see the film before my trip, I was sure it could double for the one in the movie. It was adjacent to the Roxy nightclub, which became the focal point of most of our jokes that morning. The entrance to THE DHOULA was a concrete walkway that had just been mopped yet looked anything but clean. I checked with reception, and thankfully they had a room available for everyone else. The staff was the complete opposite of the hostel’s physical appearance: they were warm, friendly and incredibly welcoming. Monica, Jason and I stayed to check in and sight see while the Swedes headed back to Sazka to secure a spot on the rail.

The three of us spent the day taking in the major sights in Prague. The city is absolutely stunning and on every corner there are architectural jewels. Even if what’s housed inside isn’t of great significance, each building’s structure and facade is breathtaking. It was my first time in Eastern Europe, and the entire place had that old Russian, Anna Karenina vibe - it was amazing. We saw the astronomical clock and then took a walk onto Charles Bridge, which I was really looking forward to. I was a bit disappointed because of the hordes of tourists that crowded it. I couldn’t get one decent shot of the bridge without throngs of tour groups blocking it. I read that years ago, Prague was the ultimate place to see because it was seldom visited. I would have loved to see it at the time, but no such luck. We headed up to the famous castle and into a gorgeous cathedral, and wandered around the palatial grounds. I’d heard that Franz Kafka’s house was on a street called Golden Lane and really wanted to check it out. It cost us 2 Euros just to be able to walk onto the 'lane' and into the houses (yeah, we’re suckers just like the rest of ‘em!). The house was another disappointment. Instead of being a museum dedicated to the writer, it is a gift shop. A gift shop that costs 2 Euros to get into, so basically, you’re paying for the opportunity to buy. See? Capitalism does benefit everyone.

After having burgers and Czech beer at a restaurant in the Old Town, we headed over to Sazka. Monica and Jason got a hold of tickets and then went off to find their friends, Cali Joe and Katie, while I made my way to my seats. I actually had a seated ticket for this one, so I was able to relax a bit since I wouldn’t have to scheme my way in. During the opening act, which, by the way, no one could make sense of, I saw a number of empty seats down towards the rail. I was already on Mike’s side of the stage, so I thought it’d be great to try and get as far down as I could (yup, still scheming!). After the opening band was done, I headed down as far as I could go without being stopped. By pure luck, I was able to get down to the front row, which gave me the best seat of the tour so far. A few minutes later, who should appear but Jason, Monica and Cali Joe! They ended up sneaking their way in, too, and we were all able to sit together. This luck is so over after Europe!

I’ve been asked what's been my favorite show so far, and although I’ve said Milan has my #1 spot, Prague has managed to tie it. Although the crowd could not be compared to the one in Milan, the show itself was unbelievable. They opened with MFC (not Go, thank goodness!) and from that first song, we all knew it was going to be a hell of a show. It’s funny because in Italy, there were so many Americans that had gone to see all five shows, but there weren’t as many here. It was in Prague that this type of sentiment hit us; all we could say was, ‘We’re in PRAGUE. Seeing Pearl Jam!!’ It was so surreal - much more so than in Italy. Another thing that really hit was that we were in the Czech Republic, so far from our home, yet there was a piece of it right there on stage. We were on foreign land, but it felt like we were hanging out with old friends from the neighborhood and we were sharing them with the Czechs! It sounds bizarre, but somehow we made some kind of sense of it.

The entire main set was a non-stop party; the band gave as much as they did in Italy, but something was different. The whole atmosphere was far different than it had been in the previous shows, and I swear the lack of DVD cameras had something to do with it. Whenever you bring that type of medium into an environment, it automatically changes the nature of the scene (yeah, I say that as I upload pictures into my computer). But its different when you have a video camera on stage in the guys’ faces - it just felt as they were completely letting go and taking their audience with them.

When Ed came out alone at the beginning of the first encore, we all looked at each other and wondered what he was going to do. He then sat down and began Dead Man - I thought Cali Joe was going to fall off the rail he was so ecstatic. It was my first time hearing it live, and it was awesome. He then went into Man of the Hour and at that point we knew that something really cool was going to happen. When Nothingman began, it was confirmed. Nothingman always gets me - it is such a deeply sentimental song, and when it's live its even more special. We couldn't help but put our arms around each other and sing along - much to our neighbor's amusement (or was that a look of pity?!?) After Betterman, we were so psyched about what we had heard, we couldn’t really come up with a name for it....was it a man ‘quintet’, ‘fiveology!??!?’ We were coming up with the most ridiculous names, having the best time ever. I thought of Warren because Ed tagged Betterman with Save it for Later, which is his favorite. He swore I wasn’t going to get anything great after Milan (because he wouldn’t be there) and I could only imagine what he was thinking as he read this on the message board from his desk at work, all the way in New York City. (Awww, Warren.).

The rest of the show was as great as the beginning. One of the best things about tonight, in addition to the setlist and the show itself, was that we got so much love from the band. Now, I know you’re reading this thinking, ‘yeah, yeah, everyone gets love from the band.’ But, we REALLY did. We were so close to Mike and throughout the entire show, he kept pointing at me and giving me the peace sign - just me! The girls next to me kept squealing every time he did it thinking it was for them, but c’mon, we know what the deal was! It was so obvious, Cali Joe kept saying Mike was flirting with me. Ok, ok, he wasn't flirting....but a girl can dream ;) During Evenflow, Monica, Jason and Cali Joe have an inside joke involving ‘pushing butterflies away,’ and at one point Ed looked over to them and laughed with them. I of course missed that because I was doing what? Taking pictures.

After the show, we all met up in the parking lot, said our goodbyes to our friends on the European Touring Bus and headed into town. I learned that Katie lived 12 blocks away from me and was amazed that I had come all the way to Prague to meet a crazy cool (crazy AND cool) girl who lives in my neighborhood. We all jumped on a tram that was beyond packed with the drunk traveling Scotsmen, singing PJ fans and very confused locals. When we got to my hostel, we decided to go and get ‘one’ drink, until I realized it was 1 am. I had to be up at 6am for the train to Berlin, so Cali Joe insisted that I could not go to sleep at all.

We found a bar nearby and drank there until they closed up and kicked us out. I still had a good three hours to go, so we ended up at a place called Bombay Bar. There, we spent the entire morning drinking from a vat of Long Island Ice Tea, among other things. Again I say, I come all the way to Prague for a Long Island Ice Tea? See? I can leave New York but New York will never leave me. After finishing this seemingly endless pit of alcohol, I was eager to see if PJ fans really knew how to shake their asses. At first the boys were hesitant, but we somehow managed to sway them onto the dance floor. I will never ever forget the sight of Cali Joe, with his PJ Patriot cap on, tearin’ it up to Kanye West’s Golddigger, which I had requested to the delight of the locals. Damn, those Czechs dig Kanye!. Who ever would have imagined? Tonight tied Verona as the highlight of my trip. I had the best time dancing and hanging out with these cats! Although I had just met them, it really felt as if I had known them for years.

At 5:45am, we headed out to THE DHOULA, where I had apparently booked a room just to hold my luggage. I was off to catch a train to Berlin where I'd see my last show of the tour.

Bombay Bar logo before the bottomless pit of Long Island Ice: (Photo Credit: Katie Zraly)

Bombay Bar logo after the bottomless pit of Long Island Ice Tea:

Good times.

On Board the ETB

2006-09-21T18:41:00.000-07:00

LOCATION: Your Guess is as Good as Ours (Somewhere in Austria), on board the European Touring Bus

Travelers:
Grethe, Norway
Stian, Norway
Gitte, Germany
Carlos, Mexico City
Omar, Mexico City
Johann, Sweden
Petter, Sweden
Monica, USA (Sacramento)
Jason ‘Touring Van’, Canada (Vancouver)
Barbara, London via Italy
Me, USA (NYC)
The Bus Driver

All I can say is this wasn’t what I signed up for. It was nothing like I had imagined. It failed my expectations. It was, in fact, one of THE coolest, most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had traveling.

Our journey began in Pistoia, right after the show in Duomo Square. Barbara and I met with Gitte at the Square and walked over to the bus. Once there, I saw Jason, of Touring Van fame. I was excited he’d be on the bus because I’d wanted to meet him for some time and wanted to chat with him about all his experiences. He wasn’t listed on the original block of travelers for this leg, so it was a nice surprise. When I got on the bus, we were told we had to stow away our backpacks in the storage part on the bottom of the bus, so I just got out what I needed for the night and happily said goodbye to my backpack for a bit. It was immediately apparent that those on board were some of the nicest, most genuine fans around. They were all concerned about the newbies’ well-being and comfort, and went out of their way to show us around. I had no idea if I’d get a bed or not, but Grethe insisted that everyone got a bed. Gitte showed us where the free beds were and told us we could change the sheets, since they had fresh linen waiting for us (this type of service was better than many I’d had at actual hotels!)

There wasn’t much to settle in; I’d be sleeping in the same clothes I’d worn all day (yes, correct) and only had to change my sheets and pillowcase. I threw down my darling sleeping blanket, which ended up amusing nearly everyone on board, and then went to the downstairs lounge area to meet everyone else.

There was Monica from Sacramento, who was in heaven because she caught Ed’s tambourine after many failed attempts back home. Unbeknownst to us, we would end up becoming quite close throughout the upcoming days. There was Jason, who seemed to be friends with just about everyone; there were the Swedes, two beautiful boys (both on the inside and outside) fresh out of school that were traveling Europe following the band and like a few of us, would only be on board for two nights. Carlos and Omar were also there all the way from Mexico City. They had been on board for a few nights and would continue on. Then there were the regulars....Stian,Gitte and Grethe. Grethe and Stian were the ones who had coordinated everything and Gitte had been on board from the very beginning and would continue on to the very end. And then there was me: sitting amidst a group of individuals from all over the world having a hard time believing I was actually on route to the Czech Republic on a huge bus filled with Pearl Jam fans.

We all chatted for a while, and the guys were trying to convince Omar that the only cure for a hoarse throat would be their friend Johnny Walker. Whether he believed it or not, Omar downed the damn thing. I don’t know if it was a hardcore faith in the bottle or if its proven that the stuff really works, but his voice steadily began improving. Johann was partaking in the Johnny Walker cleansing and although he is 20, he looks like he’s 16, so it was really weird to see him smoking and drinking with the others. Ahhh, Sweden. Stian brought out his camera and requested that Barbara sing a song only for me. We thought it’d be ideal for her to give me a little piece of home and sing New York, New York. No one knew the lyrics, so I had to write some of them down for her. Of course, by this time I was so tired I was seeing things so I could barely remember them myself. Nonetheless, we have great footage of Barbara belting out New York, New York much to everyone’s amusement. That girl is electric! Its non-stop for her; the entire time I was with her, I didn’t see her in a bad mood and didn’t get any type of negativity from her - everything is possible in Barbara’s eyes! Poor Petter was having a difficult time adjusting to the motion of the bus (as was I) and I don’t suppose the Johnny he, too, was drinking, helped his condition. He passed out cold right there on the couch. We popped in a bootleg video of Benaroya Hall, and one by one, we began to fade. I had been up for 24 hours, so I had to say goodnight and go up to my bunk bed. By the way, I never slept in bunk beds before this trip, and Bern was my first time at the hostel. Yes, I am 30 and have said ‘bunk beds’ and ‘hostel’ in the same sentence. I snuggled into my bed, got in my sleeping blanket, turned off my light and pulled the drapes. I was out in no time, and to be honest, it was the first time all trip that I got a really, REALLY good night’s sleep. Who would have thought?

I slept for a good eight hours, and at around noon, our bus stopped and pulled into an area for truckers and travelers. Because of regulations, our driver was required to pull over and sleep for a number of hours before getting on the road again. A lot of us got out of bed, and went over to the bathrooms and showers so we could freshen up. Stian, Grethe and Gitte had this thing down. There wasn’t one day that they didn’t shower or freshen up. Every time they’d pull in somewhere, they’d know exactly where to go to shower and eat - they were the best guides! Jason and I headed out together, and when we first got to the station, we swore we were in Germany. It wasn’t until he, Monica and I were having breakfast that we learned we were somewhere in Austria. See? I can check that off my list, too.

We were to wait there until 8pm, and the rest of the day was filled with a lot of eating, getting to know each other and a small, yet innocent act of vandalism (more on that later).Jason had his video camera and I told him about my plans to create a publication on Pearl Jam fans. He was excited because he’s been wanting to do a documentary on touring fans and thought it’d be great if we kept in touch to do something jointly. We headed outside in the afternoon to interview Monica. He asked her some questions and then I had some time to talk to her alone. We had such an awesome conversation as we sat on two rocks far removed from everyone else, and she told me why she loved this band. I’ll save her words for another entry or for something bigger, but if you can imagine two grown women crying over lyrics as they sit in the middle of nowhere in Austria, you pretty much have the whole picture.

Later in the day, we all sat on a lawn and ate and listened to some live shows. We spotted a Yield sign in the parking lot and we ALL had the same idea in mind. Barbara happened to have black tape on her, and we headed over to the sign to liven it up a little. She managed to perfectly inscribe ‘Yield’ on the sign as I took pictures and Jason recorded it. Afterwards, we all took turns posing beneath it and it was hilarious! We really had every intention of taking it off, but we thought it’d be cool to leave it on. It was just tape, after all.

It was time to head off and we were shocked that the day went by as quickly as it did. Most of us headed to the upstairs lounge and popped Lisbon Night 2 into the stereo. Johann took out his video camera and we all took turns telling our story and what we were thinking about the tour. Carlos played a little ‘parting ways’ on the guitar and then we just chatted and continued bonding all night. I guess you had to have been there to really feel it, but tonight solidified the idea that this trip has become less about following a band around Europe and more about meeting extraordinary people with amazing stories. When you have near-strangers opening up and telling you some very personal things hours after having first met, you realize that seeing Pearl Jam in Europe is only an added bonus. The real experience is meeting and interacting with deeply beautiful, soulful individuals from all over the world who only want to bond with others whose lives, too, have somehow been changed by these artists.

As the night wore off, we each headed to get some rest as we were well on our way to Prague. As I lay in bed ready to doze off, my only thought was the Yield sign we had left behind. Hopefully, some individuals will come across it and know exactly who was there before them.

Run away my son. See it all. Oh see the world.

2006-09-20T18:07:00.000-07:00

LOCATION: Waiting to embark on the European Touring Bus, Pistoia
Tonight’s Show: Pistoia (Duomo Square)
Setlist: Interstellar Overdrive/Corduroy, Rearviewmirror, Life Wasted, World Wide Suicide, Severed Hand, Unemployable, Small Town, Dissident, 1/2 Full, I Got Shit, Even Flow, Come Back, Not For You/(Modern Girl by Sleater Kinney), Breath, Given To Fly, Why Go, Comatose, Porch
1st Encore: Last Kiss, Hail Hail, State of Love and Trust, Black, Crazy Mary, Alive
2nd Encore: Last Exit, Do The Evolution, Wasted Reprise, Better Man, Spin The Black Circle, Rocking in the Free World, Yellow Ledbetter

After hanging around town all day long, I finally went over to the 10c line because although I didn’t have 10c tickets, I wanted to hang out with Jess and everyone else before they went in. I also wanted to take pictures because this entry was so different from the other venues. Ten Club ticket holders were lined up on a quiet and narrow, cobblestone alley that led them directly into the Square. It was such a sight; right outside the alley were the enormous equipment and stage trucks parked along the very narrow Pistoia streets. I kept wondering what the locals thought. From what I’ve heard, not many bands had performed there before, maybe Phish and REM years ago.

When I found Jess, she said Karen didn’t want to go in with the 10c holders, so she and I traded tickets. While we were waiting to get in, an Italian television crew came by and asked us a bunch of questions. I told them they should interview Jess and so they did. They asked her a bunch of Pearl Jam questions, but then asked her what her favorite Nirvana song was, if she should sing it and what she thought of Kurt Cobain’s death. Whaaaaaat???? Strange. They talked to Dawn, Bowman’s girlfriend, as well but I don’t know if they asked her about Soundgarden or STP.

Once we were let in, Jess, Dolan, Dawn, Bowman and Dawn’s friend, Beth, secured a really nice spot that was the only elevated area. While we all thought the Square would hold 6,000 people, rumors were going around that the exact number that would be there tonight would be about 10,000. Thankfully they all had the same idea as me: no floor. They held a spot for me with them - I was so happy they adopted me! Everyone was up on the railing, and as soon as I got there, they started letting the rest of the audience in. Before I knew it, there were a ton of people surrounding us and pushing their way onto our spot. After that, my view was completely obstructed. We all were completely awestruck with the scenery and we kept saying that we could not believe that Pearl Jam was about to play here. There were cameras set up on windows high above the Square and locals were hanging out their windows getting ready to watch this show.

I was so excited to see Ed come out and do his preset. He played Throw Your Arms Around Me and it was another first for me. I thought it was the perfect choice for a preset, as by this time the sun had just gone down and the skies were super clear with a cool breeze blowing a number flags that had made their appearance again.
MMJ came and went, and by this time, I was really flustered. The view was not great at all, and Dolan and Jess tried their best to get me on the rail, but no luck - there were just too many of us. I saw a girl sitting on a garbage can on the floor and saw that there was just enough space for me to sit with her. The view was just ok - it was enough for me to see Ed and the band but not the entire stage. It was really uncomfortable, but once they came on, I tried to enjoy it as much as I could.
I have to say....like Verona, this show was not what it was thought to be in our minds and in our hearts, but it had absolutely nothing to do with the band and their performance. THEY were awesome and their setlist was great. They opened with Interstellar Overdrive and then went directly into Corduroy. I LOVE Corduroy right at the beginning because of the ‘waiting drove me mad’ line. I thought the band, like nights before, were on fire and were giving us everything they could.

The crowd, however, is a different story. I hate to say this and my apologies if it offends any Pistoians (!!!!) but this audience didn’t deserve the show they got. Many of us felt that most people were there because it was the big thing to do around town, and they only reacted to Ten songs. With other audiences, even if they weren’t as familiar with the later music, they still would really get into it. On top of that, the people around me kept laughing, talking, calling people on their cellphones, pushing each other and horsing around - it really killed the mood. They showed zero respect for the band and for the fans who were drooling over the chance to see our favorite band in such a magical little place. Of course, this does not pertain to everyone in attendance. I could see all our 10c friends up front having a blast, and there were people around enjoying the show. Overall, however, they were flat as can be.

They picked up with the better known songs; Black, yet again, was extraordinary. Because it was outdoors and all the buildings were illuminated in soft lights, it was really cool to see everyone taking out their lighters and singing along against this background. At the end of the song, Ed told the audience that they fixed his broken heart. I had heard they were a little disappointed with some of the audiences at some of the shows (you know how rumors are) and I wondered if when he said this, it was exactly what he had in mind. It took them till the end of Black to fix his heart.
During the middle of the show, I couldn’t take the people around me anymore and the position I was in was extremely uncomfortable. Thankfully I had been up already when MY highlight came. I knew they had sound checked Tremor Christ and Breath a few days ago, and since they played Tremor Christ last night, I was really, really hoping for a little bit of Breath. I think he said it was a request (I have to re-listen) and when the opening notes began I was beyond elated! I love Breath so much mainly because of its lyrics. My favorites are ‘If I knew where it was, I would take you there, but there’s much more than this,’ ‘Run away my son, see it all, see the world’ and ‘......life ain’t what it’s worth.’ Ed always encourages Pearl Jam fans to decipher lyrics using their own interpretations, and I see Breath as a wake-up call to everything that’s outside your doorstep. The idea that the life we’re living isn’t what it could potentially be - that its worth so much more; that you have to see the world and experience everything that’s out there, because its more than this mundane life we sometimes live. If the song is amazing on the studio version, it is extraordinary live. We were all very happy to hear it and Jess gave me a ‘first times the best time’ look after it was done.

The rest of the show was great, with the crowd’s excitement ebbing and flowing. At one point (I think it was during Alive), Ed walked over to the left side of the stage and began climbing up. And up. And up. It was awesome seeing him sing up there like that, and the guys behind me thought he was going to jump. Silly boys, Ed’s a grownup now ;)
So that was Pistoia. Great show, not so great crowd. Thankfully, everyone I know really enjoyed it because as Jess said, you just have to tune out the audience at shows like this and focus on the music. We said our goodbyes after Yellow Ledbetter, as I was on my way to The Bus. I told Jess I’d see her in Prague and now I’m about to go on a day and half journey that will take me to the Czech Republic via God knows where.

Small Town

2006-09-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

LOCATION:Duomo Square, Pistoia
When my alarm clock went off this morning at 4.45 am, I immediately thought two things. The first was, ‘Where am I?’ and the second was ‘Why am I here?!?!?!’ I spent the night in Torino after the show, and between all the excitement and packing for my very early departure, I didn’t get to bed until 1.30 am. This routine has become the norm on this trip, so if anyone thinks following a band around Europe is nothing but fun, think again. (ok, ok, it IS).

I had heard the trip to Pistoia would not be as easy as the others. Apparently, there would be two different trains that would get you to the town well into the afternoon. I could have done that with a few others who were heading down, or I could have taken a train to Florence and a bus from there, putting me in Pistoia around the same time. Because I was catching the European Touring Bus after the show, I needed to get there with enough anticipation so I could leave my bags on the bus beforehand. My only other option was to go with Decides and her traveling crew on the van they rented and have been driving all over Italy. I was a little hesitant at first because although I knew Decides I really didn’t know who was driving and we’d be leaving at 5.45 am. After thinking it through, I figured the best thing would be to go with them, since it would get me into Pistoia early in the day.

Once I met everyone in their hotel, I was relieved because everyone seemed very reliable and responsible. The kid who was driving was a 22 year old Long Islander who had just learned to drive stick and was visiting Europe for the first time. Hey, wait a minute....

The drive to Pistoia took only a few hours and was problem-free. On it were two girls from Canada, Susie and Kristin, a guy from Rhode Island, Ryan and Barbara, an Italian woman living in London. I was actually really impressed with Kev, the driver, because it can’t be easy driving a bunch fans who are a lot older than him through foreign cities. Apparently they’ve had a slew of problems before, and this was the first time they didn’t get lost!

Once in Pistoia, we parked the car and headed over to the Square thinking the ETB would be there, as it has been near the venues for every city. Barbara would also be joining me on the bus that night so we went off in search of it. At the Square, stagehands were just beginning to set everything up. I was able to get behind the stage and take pictures there since it wasn’t yet cut off. No one could actually believe we’d be seeing Pearl Jam here. It was the same feeling we all got with Verona. Pistoia is a small town, the kind of place where it seems everyone knows everyone else. One church, one doctor, one school, etc. And here we were, thousands of Pearl Jam fans overtaking their Square! It’s a big open space, with gorgeous buildings surrounding it and residences lining it. I could tell just by seeing it that tonight’s performance was going to be amazing, if for no other reason than for the place it would be taking place in.

Barbara and I managed to find out where the bus was located and we went off to pick up our bags and drop them off. The hike from where we parked our van to where the bus was parked took us at leas 45 minutes. Walking with backpacks for 45 minutes+extreme heat=NOT FUN! We finally found the bus and went in to drop our stuff off.

When I saw this bus, I couldn’t believe I would actually be staying there. I had heard all sorts of fun things, like there was no water and the bathroom was rancid. I went upstairs where the bunk beds and the lounge were, and it looked like my old fraternity friends’ lofts at NYU. There were beer cans everywhere, cigarette butts and ashes, paper strewn all over the place - it was a mess. But it didn’t smell, so it was cool.

We headed back to the Square and I had a ton of time to kill since I did not have a 10c ticket for this one. I walked around Pistoia’s streets, had some lunch and soaked up a few hours worth of life in a small town, waiting for tonight’s show to take us out of Italy and into new surroundings.

Triumphant are the Angels

2006-09-19T13:08:00.000-07:00

LOCATION: Hotel Versilia Torino, Torino
Tonight's show: Torino (Palaisozaki)

Setlist: Go, Corduroy, Animal, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Life Wasted, World Wide Suicide, Comatose, Severed Hand, Marker In The Sand, Parachutes, Unemployable, Big Wave, Gone, Wasted Reprise, Army Reserve, Come Back, Inside Job, Do The Evolution, Rearviewmirror

1st Encore: Jeremy, Lukin, Better Man, Black, Tremor Christ, Alive
2nd Encore: Blood, Even Flow, Baba O' Riley, Indifference

Finally! Torino lacked the drama and problems that have plagued the start of the first three Italian shows for me. Can I get an Amen?!!

I met up with Ignasi and we took the tram to Palaisozaki. Once there, we picked up his 10c tickets and made our way to the 10c line. I had contemplated going up in the front today, but I saw there were a lot of people on the line and knew that I would have a difficult time getting on the rail. I would never make it in the middle of the crowd, so I thought I'd stay out. I ended up running into Jess and met the rest of her travel crew, Steve and Karen. I was psyched to hear that she had finalized the rest of her tour plans and would definitely be going to Prague and Berlin. She and I have really hit it off and I'm looking forward to our friendship.

When they let us in, everyone on the line made their way onto the floor, but Jess and I had already decided that we would try to sneak into two seats on the side of the stage because the view would be better for us. The arena was gorgeous. It's been the second most beautiful venue after Verona. It must have been built for the Olympics because everything was new, clean and modern with plastic seats lining the entire venue. Security was extremely tight and trying to get down the aisle into the seated area was not as easy as it had been before. We thought it would be best if we found two people who wanted to trade their seats for two floor tickets. After asking around for a while, we finally found a couple who were willing to trade. I know it sounds odd--why would anyone want to trade their fan club ticket for a seated one? Jess and I are under 5'4 and we have absolutely no view on the floor unless we are on the rail. Tour exhaustion has been really setting in and we were relieved that we would be on the side with an awesome view rather than on a tight, packed floor with no view.

After trading we met up with Bowman and Dolan, the poster guys! Jess is good friends with both of them and I was really happy to meet them since I've heard so many great things. Bowman is such a character and Dolan is the nicest guy. Dolan said he'd talked to Mike before the show and said they'd be playing the new album in its entirety tonight. He didn't know if it would be all in a row or if it would be split, since Ed was still working on the setlist. As anyone can imagine, Jess and I were really excited to get a little inside scoop on tonight's setlist!

Ed performed The Who's A Quick One with MMJ during their set, and once they were done, we made our way over to our seats. Once there, we noticed there were a few empty seats further down and so we ended up in the third row (Mike's side).

Tonight they opened with Go again! Other than Verona, I haven't gotten a slow opener and I'm really hoping for one. The crowd was into the first few songs, and even after Milan's overwhelming reaction, which will be difficult to top, I was enjoying watching them get into it. The floor seemed a lot safer than it was at both Bologna and Milan, and that was great to see as well. Once Life Wasted came on, Jess looked at me and said, 'here we go!' We weren't sure if we were going to get 6 and then 7 afterwards, but we did know what was happening. Once they finished Parachutes, we knew they would be doing the album straight through. We both thought it was great to witness, even if we knew exactly what was coming next. I asked Jess if she knew if this had ever happened before and she said that it probably happened only during the Ten years. I was disappointed that the crowd didn't have our same reaction. I think they felt it wasn't as exciting to know what they would hear next, but I was loving it. Although it wasn't the end of the main set, the lights came on when they finished Inside Job and they got a really nice reaction from the audience in appreciation.

The 1st encore was just as great, hearing both Lukin and Black, which never disappoints no matter what the city. During this set came the highlight of the show for me. I had seen this guy wearing a flag that read Tremor Christ in Milan, and thought how great it would be to hear it during this tour since I've never heard it live. After Black, I saw Ed and Mike pointing at something out in the crowd and told Jess that they were pointing to the same guy from Milan, who brought his flag to Torino as well. Ed addressed the audience and talked about the amount of flags that were in attendance. People have come from all over the world to see these shows and they are bringing little pieces of home with them. He called out the countries....Mexico, Portugal, Australia -- at one point Stone said something to him and he laughed and then said even the Rainbow flag was here! He then said the next song was for 'that one out there' and then they went into it. Jess and I started jumping around like two giddy little girls because she's as much a fan of the song as I am. The people around us must've thought we were lunatics because no one else in our section was reacting the same way. I was so happy that guy got his request - it must've made his tour. On the last lyric, as Ed sang 'Puts his faith in love and tremor christ...' he brought his hands up and opened them out towards the guy with the flag.

The rest of the show was equally as exciting. It's funny, no one mentioned Torino as a potential highlight of the Italian shows and it was certainly supposed to be the underdog. I actually enjoyed it slightly more than Verona and Bologna. During Alive in the 1st encore and Baba in the 2nd, Ed took out his camcorder and recorded the audience. I don't know if they'll use that in the DVD footage, but if they do, look for me and Jess on Mike's side jumping around like the giddy little girls this band turns us into.

Go it Alone

2006-09-18T12:11:00.000-07:00

LOCATION: Hotel Versilia Torino, Torino

I'm sitting on my room's balconette at the Hotel Versilia Torino, enjoying an ultra-lite European cigarette and looking out onto a deserted street. My windows overlook a beautiful church whose style I can't really describe (because I don't know it!). The doors and windows of my pseudo-balcony are large French ones and their structure is somewhat falling apart, with chipped paint in the corners and panels. Back home something like this is considered old and run down, yet here, it's 'charming.'

I got into Torino today but have yet to venture out. I've somehow managed to book myself a hotel in the red-light district, as there is a sex-shop on my corner and questionable interactions between scantily-dressed women and men in cars. Before arriving, I spent the afternoon sight-seeing in Milan with Patrick and Warren. I have now left them behind (or did they leave me?!!?!?) and will finish the rest of the tour with whomever else I meet and Jess, who has spontaneously added Prague and Berlin to her trip. The girl's going to reach show '100' in Europe and I'll be there to experience it with her.

Although it's great to be alone with my thoughts for an evening, I miss the guys. I left Warren (who'd still be in Bern had we not traveled together) in great hands, as Patrick is almost as good a map reader as I am (ahhh, trick ;) I've already met Ignasi, who has my 10c ticket and is staying at the same hotel. He is from Barcelona but lives in Buenos Aires and has been following the band since Lisbon two weeks ago. I've made every precaution to make sure the Milan episode does not happen again and I'll be at tomorrow night's venue with time to spare. So....let's see what this town's got to give!

In Somebody Else's Sky

2006-09-17T05:30:00.000-07:00

LOCATION: Hotel Kennedy, Milan
Tonight's Show: Milan (Forum)

Setlist: Go, Last Exit, Save You, World Wide Suicide, Corduroy, Severed Hand, Unemployable, Even Flow, I am Mine, Man of the Hour, MFC, Daughter/Another Brick in the Wall, pt.2, Faithful, Comatose, State of Love and Trust, Why Go
1st Encore: Picture in a Frame (Tom Waits), Parachutes, Black, Crazy Mary, Given to Fly, Alive
2nd Encore: Do the Evolution, Big Wave, Leash, Rockin' In the Free World, Yellow Ledbetter

There have been a handful of times during the planning stages of this trip and during the trip itself that I have second-guessed my decision and have asked myself, 'What am I doing? Am I really following a band around Europe? One or two shows, ok, but 8?' It didn't help that although some people thought it was really fun and cool, others thought I was psychotic.

Then I see a show like tonight and nothing else matters, and I realize that I will never again question my logic in taking on this journey.

Like the first two shows in Italy, tonight began anything but ideal. I had made plans with Joao from Portugal to meet on the 10c line so he could give me my ticket. Because of the weather in Verona, it took us a lot longer to get into Milan this afternoon. Warren and Patrick headed over to their hotel, while I went to mine and we made plans to meet at the venue. I wanted to get there with enough anticipation so as not to miss Joao.

By the time I got to my hotel, ate and settled in, it was well into the afternoon and I began to get ready to take the train to the venue. When the front desk told me I had to get on two different subway lines and a bus to get to the Forum, I began to get nervous about timing. I had tried reaching Joao on his cellphone but couldn't get through and had no idea what time 10c holders were going in. I knew I risked missing him if I tried taking the subway without really knowing where I was going, so I decided to go with Warren and Patrick in a cab because it'd be cheaper than taking it alone. After repeated attempts to contact the guys, who were nowhere to be found, I ran to their hotel in hopes of catching them before they left. Between trying to contact Joao and the guys and running across Milan with dripping wet hair, I was frantic that not only would I miss the show, but I'd also leave Joao stranded with an extra ticket.

After no luck finding the guys, I jumped in a cab and pleaded with the driver to get me there as quickly as he could. By the time I reached the venue, I saw everyone heading in the doors and I knew that Joao had long gone in. I was ticket-less. I frantically searched for Warren and Patrick in hopes that they had gotten there before me, found Joao and got me my ticket ( I had told Warren he'd have a Portuguese flag with him). When I finally found them, they told me they had just gotten there. At this point, I had no option but to buy from one of the scalpers and ended up paying more than I had to. At least I had a ticket in.

By the time I got inside, I was really upset that I had stranded Joao and I started losing it! I hadn't slept in days, I was exhausted, I nearly missed the show and I screwed this poor guy from Portugal! The guys were really comforting. Patrick gave me a hug so perfect and warm, it almost fixed everything ;) I knew, though, that the only way I'd feel better was if I found Joao.

I walked up to the front, assuming he'd be there, took out the picture he had sent me and began looking for him. I glanced around and there he was-sitting down on the floor in the front row with his beloved flag resting on his lap. I apologized profusely and explained what happened. I was relieved to hear that he was able to sell his ticket. He was so cute, he gave me his extra wristband (...thank you). I then met lovely Monica, also from Lisbon, who was in the front as well. We had chatted via email, and I was really happy to meet her. Now it was time to enjoy the show.

We found a perfect spot on the barrier behind the camera (the Italy shows are being filmed for a dvd, rumor has it) and I was able to get on the rail. It may sound crazy, but before they came on, there was a distinctive buzz going around. I don't know if it was me just hoping for an amazing show because it was a near-miss or if it was the fact that the show we thought would be IT really wasn't, but we really felt we were in for something special.

The Milan crowd was unlike any I've ever heard in person or on a bootleg and Warren and Patrick agreed. I didn't think I'd witness an audience that extraordinarily passionate after Buenos Aires, but Milan managed to prove me wrong.

The show opened with Go and from the start, the audience drowned Ed out. During the end of Daughter, the audience started in on the 'eh-oh-eh' even before Ed did and they loved the tag, in which Ed replaced one of the lyrics with, 'President Bush leaves those kids alone'....they REALLY loved that!

When Man of the Hour came on, it confirmed that everything was aligned tonight for a special evening. It was well-known that Decides2Dream really wanted to hear this song in Milan. September 17th is her father's birthday, who was born in Italy and has passed away. She had started a thread on the message boards, asking everyone to hope it gets played that night. Although we hoped for her, too, we also knew the chances wouldn't be that great. When the first notes began, Warren and I looked at each other in awe. We were nowhere near her, but our thoughts were with her the entire time. It was a really emotional and moving moment, even if we couldn't relate to what she was feeling.

My favorite part of the show was the first encore. Ed came out alone, and as he sat on his chair, a spotlight shone down on him and he took out his Italian sheet. He told the audience that he dedicated the next song to the love of his life, the mother of his daughter whom he met in Milan. He then sang Tom Waits' Picture in a Frame ("I love you baby, and I always will....ever since I put your picture in a frame.") Because he has always been so private about his personal life, it was so cool to see him open up like that on a stage in front of thousands. Fittingly, Parachutes followed and then came Black.

If this set was my favorite part of the show, Black was THE highlight. This song is always amazing- everyone loves Black. It won't really matter what I write about it in Milan, because you just had to be there. I had no desire to take pictures or get a clip of it, not only because I knew a recorded version would never truly do the moment justice, but also because I just needed to stand there and really see it. The crowd completely drowned out Ed, and like other audiences, they sang the guitar part at the end. But unlike the others, they kept going and going even after the band had stopped playing their instruments, so all you could hear was a rhythmic clapping and thousands of people singing 'do-roo-roo-roo-do-roo-roo' (how do you even write that !?!??) The guys just stood on stage and watched in amazement; almost everyone around us was crying, both from the sight and the overwhelming sensation of hearing these voices in unison, without musical instruments to back them up. I looked over at Warren and he was just blown away - I thought I'd never see him not complain! At the end of the We Belong Together tag, Ed sang/mumbled something that was completely inaudible, so I'll have to wait for the bootleg to hear it again.

Crazy Mary followed Black, and it's been one of the best versions I've ever heard, with the crowd again reacting in ways I can't really articulate. He passed his wine around the front and I hope Joao and Monica got a sip! After that, he addressed the audience again and made a reference to Italy winning the 2006 World Cup. He said the next song was for them, and on came Given to Fly.

I won't lie...I wanted the 2nd encore to just keep going, but when Rockin' in the Free World came on, I knew that was it. It didn't really matter because I couldn't ask for more than what they gave, and I couldn't want more than what the audience gave back. I keep hearing Lisbon 2 was as amazing as this one, but I wasn't there, so this one will take my #1 spot so far.

If you're a Pearl Jam fan, get this bootleg and you'll know exactly what I mean when I say Milan was indescribable. If you're not a fan, go out and get this anyway and you will become one. I dare you not to.

M-m-m-myyyy Verona

2006-09-17T04:11:00.000-07:00

LOCATION: Train en route to Milan
Last night's show: Verona (Arena di Verona)

Setlist: Release, Given to Fly, Corduroy, World Wide Suicide, Do the Evolution, Severed Hand, Love Boat Captain, Even Flow, 1/2 Full, Gone, Not for You, Grievance, Marker in the Sand, Jeremy, Wasted Reprise, Betterman, Blood
1st Encore: Inside Job, Come Back, I Believe in Miracles, Porch, Life Wasted
2nd Encore: Elderly Woman, My Sharona(My Verona), Once, Alive, Rockin In the Free World, Yellow Ledbetter

I have to be completely honest. The show we all thought would be THE show, really wasn't. Every show is amazing - the band always gives 100%, the audience gives their best and every time I see them, I want to see them more. We had all hyped this show up so much, and while it did not, in any way, disappoint, it wasn't what we had imagined. And what else didn't we imagine? The rain that would be pouring down at showtime.

At 5pm, I was getting ready for the show when it started pouring sideways. Although this was a downpour with thunder and high winds, I thought it would be ok because it was early in the evening. It couldn't rain like this all night, could it? We waited for it to slow down a bit and then ventured out to the arena. As we walked over, Warren started freaking out that they would cancel the show. I knew they wouldn't cancel, but feared it would get really delayed.

Once there, I found a covered spot while the guys went to get their 10c tickets. As it turns out, Warren's 10c number is God-like here, and he and Patrick would be sitting in the 2nd row. Now, I ain't gonna lie..... I was dying with envy!! I would be way up there and the guys would be in the 2nd row - come on! At this point, the rain started letting up a bit and we could hear MMJ peforming. We parted ways and they headed through the floor, while I went looking for the nose bleed entrance.

I found my gate and made my way up. And up. And up. When I got to my entrance, my heart sank. There were people crowded all over the rail and I couldn't see a thing. I pushed my way through and realized they were just standing there looking over. I found a spot on a railing and thought I'd stay there. The view really was outstanding. This venue is indescribable.Gladiators played here and it's almost 2,000 years old. The structure is older than America. It was surreal to just be standing in it, let alone looking out onto a stage where Pearl Jam would perform. Towards my left were these gorgeous arcs where you could see the audience's silhouette.

The rain had stopped and I looked out over some empty seats below me. Just then, a security guard approached me and said I couldn't stand there because it was a fire hazzard (I think that's what he said). I just looked at him and shrugged, smiled and pointed to the seats below (God, I wished this worked back home). Next thing I know, he's opening the chain for me and told me to walk down. I kept walking down the aisle expecting to run into a gated area, but nothing at all was sectioned off. I couldn't believe it but I had made my way onto the floor and was now looking for Warren and Patrick. I had memorized their seats and after searching for them for a few minutes, I found them. I couldn't believe how amazing their seats were and I was really hoping I could just stay there with them, hiding from security. I was there through the end of MMJ's set, but when the lights came on, I was found out! I had to leave the guys and began looking for a good spot. I walked over to the right side of the arena, and on the first step right next to the floor was a perfect spot on the rail. It was about 12 rows from the stage, slightly elevated so my view was not obstructed. PERFECTION! Who got the last laugh, boys!?!?!?

We thought they'd open with Wash, but I was so excited to hear Release, as it was the perfect opener for the venue. The rain had started up again, and it began to pour. I know nothing can stop a Pearl Jam show and their fans could care less about rain or shine, but I really think this affected the first hour. The audience wasn't as loud and crazy as the other shows, and I just couldn't feel IT from them. Thankfully, the rain stopped during Not for You, and it was then that the show really started picking up.

The audience was loudest when the most popular songs came on and every time Ed would speak in Italian, they'd get really loud. Before Come Back in the 1st encore, he told the crowd about Johnny Ramone and said the song was about him. It was very moving, and appropriately, they went into I Believe in Miracles right after. During the 2nd encore, they started on My Sharona, and THAT was really cool. Much to the audience's delight, Ed replaced Sharona with Verona (clever, no?!?). The crowd joined him and I thought it was one of the highlights of the night. During Alive, he really stole the show. When the guitar solo came on, he ran all the way up the arena's stairs on the left - I was really concerned he'd slip on the marble, since everything was so wet. The fans were ecstatic and he got really close to all of them. He then ran down, over the stage and up to the right side. I was too far from where he was and everyone crowded around, so I couldn't see him.

Rockin'in the Free World and Yellow Ledbetter were the best songs that night. All the lights went on and the crowd responded like they hadn't all evening, standing on rails and seats and clapping along. Having the lights on was, obviously, different at this venue than at the others. Everything was lit up and the sight of thousands of people dancing and cheering in the arena was something I won't soon forget.

A friend of Warren's somehow managed to see a copy of the schedule for the show. She said they were supposed to perform for three hours, but I guess nature had other plans. That's ok, though, because seeing a show at this arena made up for lost time.

After the show, we went to have dinner and quickly stopped by to say hi to a bunch of fans that had gathered in front of the arena for a post-show meet up. We then headed back to the apartment, but not before buying a bottle of wine to drink on the kitchen's balcony. There, we accidentally witnessed Ivana's neighbor strolling around his apartment in nothing but a tight, black thong speedo, the details of which I will save for another entry.

Like the night before, we had a great time. In Verona, it was all about the setting: the wine, the balconies and now, the voyeurism.

"In fair Verona, where we lay our scene" (Romeo & Juliet, Act I. Prologue)

2006-09-16T03:02:00.000-07:00

LOCATION: Casa Fasoli, Verona

I have absolutely fallen in love with Verona. The first two days were really rough, and between the exhaustion and the experience in Bologna, I was fearing this wouldn't be the trip I had hoped for. Fortunately, everything was about to change.

Verona is a gorgeous, picturesque town that served as the inspiration and setting for Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. We arrived early Friday afternoon and headed to our Bed & Breakfast where we met Warren's friend, Patrick, who would join us for the next few days. The B&B is nothing like I had expected. It's an apartment with three bedrooms and the woman who runs it, Ivana Fasoli, lives upstairs. Staying with Ivana has really enabled us to soak in the local culture. She doesn't speak English, and before we got there, Patrick had to mime his way through the introduction! I've been able to converse with Ivana in Spitalian - a language all my own. I found myself engaged in a full conversation with her at her kitchen table, where she explained to me that she had accidentally overbooked my room, and that tomorrow, a couple from Vienna would arrive to stay here as well. She asked if I didn't mind staying the second night in a spare bedroom in her apartment - now that's soaking up the culture! The only thing I hated was giving up the balcony in my current room that overlooked the cobblestone street below. Warren and Patrick stayed in one room down the hall, and between us was another couple, also from Vienna.

Ivana and I talked about Saturday night's concert. She indicated that it was THE biggest thing in town and that it was very, very important. It so happens that the couple who was already there and the one that would be arriving the next day, were also going to be in town just for the show.

Warren and Patrick took off in the afternoon, while I caught up on some writing. Later in the evening, we had dinner at an outdoor cafe across from the arena. When I saw this venue, I could not believe that we'd be seeing Pearl Jam here. It was absolutely breathtaking, and with the soft lights illuminating its facade, it didn't look real - we felt as if we were on a Hollywood set.

Our meal was delicious and afterwards we headed to the bars at Plaza Erbe, which was so crowded, we could barely walk around. We got some wine and found a table, but after sitting there for a while, we thought it'd be a great idea to go to my balcony and finish our wine there.

Weather and company-wise, it was perfect. The three of us sat on my balcony, chatted and finished our wine as locals started coming out of the corner bar and vespas sped away. We sat there until we could barely keep our eyes open; Patrick had been up for more than 36 hours and we all agreed we had to get at least a few hours of sleep before the next day's sightseeing and the show.

Today, we woke up and Ivana had a full-breakfast waiting for us. It really felt as if we were staying with family. The new couple arrived and I found myself translating what Ivana was saying, telling them they would have my room and I'd move upstairs. In the afternoon, we went sightseeing and the first thing on my list was, of course, Juliet's 'house.' The guys appeased my desire to go there; had I not been with them, I really doubt they would have gone.

Truthfully, we didn't know what was the story with this house. Was this Shakespeare's inspiration? Was there a real Juliet? Who lived here?!?! What we did know was that it made a lot of money drawing tourists in! There was a statue of Juliet in the garden, where people take turns resting their hands on her right breast as they pose for pictures (I don't know why, but yeah, I did it too). We went into the house, which was huge, and walked onto the famous 'Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo' balcony. And yes, I had my picture there, too. Warren and Patrick had the best time teasing me about enjoying this so much and ooohing and awwwwing over anything having to do with true love. But secretly, I think they enjoyed it as much as I did ;)

The walkway in and out of the house's garden is full of graffiti and people's names, their loves and their stories. Awwwww.

We spent the rest of the day wandering the streets of Verona, visiting the enormous Castelo Vecchio and the museum that is housed inside. Everywhere we'd go, there'd be people walking around with Pearl Jam shirts from all over the world - it was pretty cool. After grabbing lunch, we headed over to Casa Fasoli, where I would meet Karsten from Germany, who had my ticket for tonight's show.

I didn't know where I'd be sitting tonight, and the joke all day was that I'd be way up at the top of the arena. When we met Karsten, the joke wasn't a joke anymore - it was true! Karsten had a friend who'd be sitting with him in the 6th row. I, on the other hand, had a ticket for the Gradinata non numerati, which means waaaayyyy up at the top. The guys teased and said the acoustics would sound better up there, and just when I thought Karsten would defend me, he chimed in and started making fun of me, too!! I am in dire need of some estrogen on this trip!!!! xoxo

Tutto Bene

2006-09-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

LOCATION: Bologna, waiting to board train to Verona
Last night's show: Bologna (Palamalaguti)

Setlist:Elderly Woman, Do the Evolution, Animal, Severed Hand, Given to Fly, World Wide Suicide, Save You, Even Flow, I am Mine, Marker in the Sand, Green Disease, Daughter/Italian It's Ok, Alone, Whipping, Present Tense, Comatose, Porch
1st Encore: Black, Betterman, Life Wasted, Alive
2nd Encore: Bu$hleaguer, Why Go, Baba O'Riley, Indifference

The circumstances that begun and ended last night's show were a nightmare! The venue in Bologna was way out of the city center--it's location reminded me of Continental Arena in East Rutherford. People say it's still considered NYC but it's not....and Palamalaguti was not in Bologna! There was a shuttle bus that had special services to and from the show. We got our tickets and started to wait on line to board it around 5 pm and thought it would give us plenty of time to arrive for 10c entry. Well, we didn't take into account that there would be a mob of people with our same plans in mind. There was one bus every 20 minutes and we couldn't get on the first one because it was jammed - worse than the 6 train at rush hour. After waiting for 20 Italian minutes, which roughly translates to about 35 real minutes, we were finally able to get on one. Between the traffic, the distance and the rain, we didn't make it to the venue until 7pm. When we got our wristbands and went to the 10c gate, we were told it was closed and had to go in with the non 10c ticket holders (psssh, don't they know who we are!?!?;) The line to get into the gate was ridiculous. There was one door open per gate, a massive amount of people and it was beginning to pour. It took us at least 45 minutes to get in and by the time we did, MMJ was almost done with their set.

Palamalaguti is enormous. It feels like a stadium when you walk in and I thought there was no way it would get filled to the end. I had decided that I wasn't going to be neither up front nor in the middle. My experience in Buenos Aires dictated that and I wasn't about to feel that crushing sensation again. I made my way up front but to the side, where I had a sliver of a stage view. When the lights went down and Master/Slave came on, the place erupted. The audience started their soccer chant, which is the same as in Switzerland (oooooooooohhhhhhhhh) and when the band appeared, Ed got to his mic and chanted with them.

Elderly Woman opened the show and the audience pretty much took over the beginning of the song. It felt as if every single person in the now fully packed arena was singing along. I made my way further up until I reached a side gate and stayed there through DTE, but because I had absolutely no view, I decided I'd try and sneak upstairs to the side seating area. I passed the gate and was making my way in when I was stopped by a guard. Now, because I speak Spanish I can toy around with Italian and have been doing so up until now. But with this guy, I thought I'd play a doesn't-have-a-clue tourist. After a brief interaction, I managed to convince him to let me in (nothing a smile can't get you in Italy!). When I got in, everyone was on their feet in the aisle and on the rail, and again, I could not see anything. When I looked to my left, I saw none other than Mirella, who helps run Bugs. I had never met her but I had seen her picture. I slowly made my way over to her and asked her if she was who I thought she was and she said yes. I told her I was Wanda from New York and she gave me the biggest hug and invited me to join her and Dennis. I wedged myself between them, and finally, I had a GREAT view.

Everyone thought the show was incredible. For some reason, I had preferred Bern's first set to this one, but the crowd was overwhelmingly louder tonight. Looking out into the sea of people on the floor was incredible and scary at the same time - whenever a really hard one would come on, the swaying was almost too much to bare.

Before Even Flow, Ed took a moment to speak to the audience, grabbing his Italian 'cheat sheet'! Judging from their reaction, they loved whatever it was he said. They went right into the song after that, and like with most well-known songs, the audience exploded. When Daughter came on, I was really hoping for an 'It's Ok' tag, and when we heard the opening notes, Mirella and I looked at each other with a child-like grin. When I saw Ed grab his sheet, I knew we were going to get it in Italian as he did in Spanish in Mexico City last year. When it started, he looked at his sheet and sang, 'Tutto bene,'. He then pointed to the audience and repeated, 'Tutto beneeeeee'. It didn't last too long and I wasn't sure the audience was really familiar with it! The 2nd encore opened with Bu$hleaguer and Ed came out with his mask, his glitzy jacket and his cigarette - the fans LOVED it. Other than the costume, the best part of the song was when everyone sang together, 'the haves have not a fucking clue.'

The highlight for me was, of course, Indifference. I wasn't thinking about it at all, when after Baba O'Riley (just like at East Rutherford) Jeff took his seat and strung the opening bass. I got the same feeling as last time, and I leaned down and told Mirella that this was my favorite song. After the crowd sang the last verse, she glanced up at me and all she could say was, 'I'm so happy for you...'

The ride back was as much of a nightmare as getting in. By the time we found the shuttle stop it was about 11:30 and it was cold and raining. For whatever reason, the bus company decided to send one bus at a time despite the throngs of people waiting to get on one. Everytime one would pull up, everyone would rush and push their way on. What I feared would happen at the show, ended up happening in the parking lot! We must have missed at least three more buses and were waiting until 1:00 am. By that time, I was soaking wet and freezing, refusing to get in a cab because I knew it would be insanely expensive (and there is no farina here). A handful of us waited while a bus rep sat in his car, warm and dry, barely giving us details.

I finally got back to my hotel at 1:30, and it's safe to say that I have no desire whatsover to ever return to Palamalaguti.

Bern

2006-09-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

LOCATION: Train en route from Bern, Switzerland to Bologna, Italy
Last night's show: Bern (Bern Arena)

Setlist:
Go
Animal
World Wide Suicide
Severed Hand
Hail Hail
Dissident
Breakerfall
Evenflow
Glorified G
Elderly Woman....
Sleight of Hand
Jeremy
Marker in the Sand
Betterman
Army Reserve
Satan's Bed
You Are

Encore 1
Garden
Low Light
Do the Evolution
Alive

Encore 2
Last Exit
Why Go
Rockin'in the Free World
Yellow Ledbetter
Little Wing (Sung)

We're passing through the Swiss Alps right now, and the scene is unreal. It's a sobering reminder of how small we really are compared to nature. We're surrounded by snow-capped mountain peaks and rolling hills on both sides, and the wooden houses that are scattered around seem miniscule, too, when set against the backdrop of the alps. I swear at any moment Julie Andrews is going to appear singing!!!

It feels like we're on Amazing Race: Pearl Jam Edition. Because of the show schedules, its obvious we will be running from city to city without having much free time to venture out. I was in Bern less than 24 hours and will spend the same amount of time in Bologna. This, of course, means a lot of sightseeing has to be made up during our off days, which there aren't many of.

Last night was our first show, and it was an awesome start. I met Warren in Bern, and after settling in, we headed over to the arena around 5pm. On the 10c line, we ran into a friend of his who didn't know he'd be here. Jess is the female equivalent of Warren. She is a walking, talking database of facts and set lists - last night marked her 92nd show.

I was happy to learn that the entire venue would be general admission, not just the floor. We all agreed that the best thing to do would be to grab seats on the side of the stage so we'd be close and have a good view. When we walked in, though, we saw that the stage was set up differently. Instead of being at the tale end of the arena, it was right in the middle, up against the seats on the side. Because of this, the floor was a lot smaller than normal. Seats to the left or right of the stage would be too far, so we opted to sit directly behind the floor. This was a perfect choice, because our view was amazing.

Once seated, we met this couple from Washington, who had traveled to Switzerland and were continuing throughout Italy. We were all exhausted from traveling and our energy was seriously dwindling even through My Morning Jacket's set, so we had to resort to Red Bull to pick us up. After MMJ's performance, we were wired - but we knew it wasn't just the Red Bull kicking in.

Although we weren't expecting it to be, this show was amazing. We all thought the first set was unreal and the audience really surprised us. They were trickling in up to 15 minutes before PJ took the stage, so we were concerned they wouldn't be as into it or as loud as they turned out to be. Jess and I were hoping for a slow opener, but once Go came on we forgot all about it - the audience and the band's energy was non-stop after that. This was their first time in Bern, and it was great to see that they didn't only play their better-known songs. I think we all agreed that Alive was the highlight of the show. The audience's reaction and their participation was unlike any I've seen or heard, and Warren and Jess (who collectively have 152 shows between them!!) agreed. During the show, we ended up sitting on the wall that separated the seats from the floor, and during Alive, we could feel everything shaking.

We were kind of hoping for a longer 2nd encore, but didn't get it. At the end of Yellow Ledbetter, Mike started in on Little Wing. Towards the middle of it, he looked over to Ed and Ed gave him a 'sure, why not' shrug. He then began the lyrics and sang for several verses. Once he was done, he walked over to the side of the stage, bummed a cigarette off of someone, and watched Mike's solo fade.

Next stop: Bologna

"Up here so high I start to shake"

2006-09-12T13:33:00.000-07:00

September 12, 2006
LOCATION: "The Sky I Scrape", En route from New York to Zurich, Switzerland on board Swiss Air

I picked the wrong time to start on this entry, as they've just asked us to fasten our seat belts because we'll be hitting 'a little bit' of turbulence and it could get bumpy. Since I'm scared of flying, people are often surprised I love to travel and do it so much. It never fails-every time I book a trip I start to dread the flight the second I hit 'accept' on my order. Each time I step foot on a plane, its as if I'm doing it for the first time. But, I always figure its worth enduring a couple of anxiety-ridden hours for the chance to explore other countries (and see Pearl Jam overseas). My seat tonight is awful. I really hate having other passengers on either side of me, not only because I can't lay out or get comfortable, but also because before I take-off, I engage in a number of rituals that involve meditation, stretching, prayer and a systematic arranging and re-arranging of my carry-on. I sound like the ideal travel partner, don't I?!? Additionally, these seats are packed tight and I'm convinced the guy next to me is reading this as I type it. DUDE, if you're reading this, PLEASE STOP!!

Today was quite eventful, even before leaving the States. In the morning while on my way to work, I saw my bus and thought it was about to leave. I started running in my flip flops so I wouldn't miss it. Next thing I know, my foot steps in a hole in the ground and I began stumbling for what felt like eternity. While my body was desperately trying to regain its balance, my mind was racing, "Oh my God, Europe. PLEASE don't break anything, please don't break anything." I'm thinking this as I'm coming face-to-face with the concrete and sure enough, SPLAT! I fell onto my hands, stomach and knees and was sprawled out in the middle of E. 72nd St. I lay face down for a few seconds because I could barely move, when this man came over and asked if he could help. Not wanting to get hit by an oncoming car (THAT would have really ruined my trip), I forced myself up and over to the corner. I realized there were at least a dozen people around me when I fell and more when I got up. I never wanted to admit this about my beloved NYC, but the people can be pretty cold and heartless, man. Only one person came over to help me and even after he did, he wanted to tell me about the time he fell. Once I got to the bus, which wasn't, in fact, leaving for another 5 minutes, I told the driver what happened and he told me to clean myself up while he waited for me. When I got on, he didn't charge me for the ride. He must've been from another borough.

In addition to that, my iPod died right in time for a 7 hour flight and countless more hours on trains and buses. I was really looking forward to getting pysched for the shows by listening to a few boots, but I guess I'll have to settle for the real deal come the evenings ;) So, I'm bruised, battered and swollen, I have no iPod and my backpack weighs more than I do. Not the ideal start to a journey, but we'll see where the day takes me.

".....I'll see you on the other side"

2006-09-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

Dare I say it? The waiting has been driving us mad and the moment we've been desperately looking forward to all summer is upon us. Although I'll be the one documenting this journey, I keep saying 'us' because I'll be meeting up with a bunch of fans and will get to share this adventure with them. I'll mainly be hanging out with my buddy Warren and Decides2Dream (from the message pit), both of whom I met while on line for Irving Plaza. Warren can spit out setlist facts like there's no tomorrow. He's like Rainman for the Pearl Jam aficionado - fascinating, yet scary. And Dream? She has single-handedly coordinated pre and post meetups for all five Italian gigs. So that leaves me - bookmarked between a fine Pearl Jam educator and a bolt of lightning from Long Island, New York - my fingers are crossed for MOTH at Milan just for her. I've made final plans to meet-up with several European fans (many of whom have my tickets!) and I can't wait to share with you what they tell me about seeing Pearl Jam through their eyes. So ..... here we go!

September 13, Bern Bern Arena
September 14, Bologna PalaMalaguti
September 15, Travel to Verona
September 16, Verona Arena di Verona
September 17, Milan Forum
September 18, Travel to Torino
September 19, Torino Palaisozaki
September 20, Pistoia Duomo Square
September 21, On the European Touring Bus to Prague
September 22, Prague Sazka Arena
September 23, Berlin Wulheide

Untitled

2006-09-07T13:46:00.000-07:00

When lyrics take on a new meaning...... thank you, e.f.

"It's been two years
it feels like home
things can be the same wherever you go
i'll miss you when i'm gone
oh, you can phone me at home
if i go i don't want to feel alone
let's get away
have some drinks
light my smoke
it's all about the simple things
the lucky ones
oh they are all in love
if i go i don't want to go alone
with you i could never feel alone"

Ten Band @ BB King's: 9/2/06

2006-09-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

As if I wasn’t going to get my fill of Pearl Jam in less than two weeks, I decided to catch a Ten Band performance on Saturday night at BB Kings in Times Square. Despite the stormy weather, the guys had a great turnout and put on an incredible show. If anyone in the audience had any reservations about a Pearl Jam tribute band, they were silenced that night. The crowd was rockin’ out to every one of the 19 songs played, and some guys up front even brought a bottle of red to offer the band’s frontman, Nick Rhodes, in between songs.

I had the chance to sit down with the band before their show and talk to them about their performances, their plans and their seemingly never-ending love for Pearl Jam. Here’s a glimpse of what they had to say.

wanda medina: How and when did you guys start ‘Ten Band’?

todd kaczorowski (Bass): Craig Resnick (Rhythm Guitar) and I were writing original music and looking out for band members but we were having some challenges keeping all that together. One night I was driving home and was talking to a friend that was in a tribute band and thought that might be fun. I started thinking about it and thought there was only one band I could pay tribute to. Everyone always said everything I wrote sounded so much like Pearl Jam and Jeff Ament’s, so I called Craig and told him this was what I wanted to do and he was down with it - that was in February 2003. We got together 15 songs and went out and played. We had a huge first night, put up a website and then all of a sudden people from all over started calling.

ray jones (Drums): I’ve known Todd since he was 12 in Pittsburgh. We were in a band together in high school but we went off and did our own thing. He approached me and asked if I wanted to join and I said yeah because I was a big Pearl Jam fan. At the time I was playing in other bands and gave up a lot of them to be in this one.

nick rhodes (Vocals): After ‘Riot Act’ broke up (*Nick was RA’s lead singer) I went to their [Ten Band’s] website and loved it. I found out that the singer was not part of the band anymore, and so I emailed Todd and asked if I could come down for an audition. I sent him a tape of me singing PJ karaoke and they liked what they heard. They asked me to come down, so I went over to Ray’s basement, played a bit and they offered me the position.

wm: Do you remember what songs you played?

nr: We played Once.

wm: Was that it?

nr: That was it.

wm: How do you choose which songs to cover?

tk: Well first of all, you have to play the songs that are on the radio, we’re on top of that right away. I watch the bulletin boards and all the sites, and start to get a vibe for what everyone’s favorite song is and try to give that to them.

wm: Did you guys cheat and listen to any of the leaks for the new album before it was officially released?

tk: Yeah, we had to. We had ‘World Wide Suicide’ before it was released. We were jammin’ on it and figured it out. Not only did we have it and had learned the song but we had also performed it once before it even hit the radio.

wm: Venue and market are obviously important for any band. Is there more pressure to play in a city like New York than somewhere like Mobile, Alabama? Are the fans more skeptical?

tk: Every place you go they’re skeptical. First of all, there’s a stigma with a cover band or tribute band. Most of the people that come out to see us, their first thought is “These guys are gonna suck and I can’t wait to rip them apart.” You have to go out and just bring it really hard the first few songs and let people know that we’re serious and we’re pretty good musicians. If you watch the boards, they are critical of the idea, but we’re not trying to be the band and we’re not making any money off of them. Any money we get is only to cover our expenses, so for us its truly just the chance to party with the fans.

rj: I’ve never thought of that. It’s more like we’re just entertainers for the party. We’re all fans. [Pearl Jam’s] not at our back door every time -- they haven’t even come to New York City this year, so its just a chance for everyone that likes them to get a little fix and have a little party.

wm: How did you hook up with the Wishlist Foundation and the CCFA?

tk:. The ability to give back is something we’ve always enjoyed doing. I’ve never heard of another band that had a fan group that formed a charitable foundation on behalf of the band. I thought it was a way cool idea, so I called Laura (of the Wishlist Foundation) and told her whatever she needs to let us know. We helped out in Pittsburgh during the pre-show parties. We’ve come up with this idea for merchandising and all proceeds will benefit Wishlist. There was also a Guitar World special called Guitar Legends that featured Pearl Jam and they called us. They heard all our mp3s and were so excited about Dave (Lewetag, Lead Guitar). They gave us all kinds of kudos on that and wanted us to be a part of the special [in an ad]. So what I thought was well if we’re gonna be a part of it why don’t we donate the ad space back to Wishlist?

wm: If Pearl Jam didn’t exist, is there another band you could see yourself covering?

rj: I wouldn’t mind being in a Police, Led Zeppelin or a Soundgarden cover band.

craig resnick: Definitely The Police.

tk: We talk about this every once in a while, the only one I could do well would be Soundgarden or Stone Temple Pilots. I’d love to be in a Zeppelin tribute but i can’t play that well!

"Yeah, take a train (take a train), fly by plane (fly by plane)"

2006-08-18T14:04:00.000-07:00

Only three weeks left for the start of my Pearl Jam European tour. Hard to believe, but everything is pretty much set. Truth be told, I really have no business going on this trip. I'm supposed to be saving to go to Australia to visit a friend next year. When Pearl Jam announced their European tour, all I could think of was how amazing it would be to see them overseas. I'd seen them in Buenos Aires and the energy of a foreign audience is incomparable. It's not that they are more into the band than we are here at home - far from it. But it is, inarguably, an entirely different vibe. I don't know if its because they don't get to see them as much as we do and the anticipation erupts in unprecedented ways, but you just can't listen to "Do The Evolution" the same way after you've been a first-hand witness to an Argentine audience singing the guitar parts.

I'd met a few people on the dreaded 18 hour wait on line for the Irving Plaza ticket (worth every second) and two of them had booked their trips to Italy. As the months progressed and I started seeing the venues, I began getting THAT feeling and I started toying around with the idea of going. Around the same time, I began a project about Pearl Jam fans that will one day, hopefully, make its way into print. What better justification could I have? I'd be traveling, talking to fans and doing research. This isn't some excuse to bum around Europe for two weeks and see a bunch of shows - it's work, right? RIGHT.

So after much deliberation, I closed my eyes and booked the trip. What was supposed to be just Italy turned into Bern, Italy, Prague and Berlin. Everyone who knows me well knows I just love to add notches onto my travel belt, and I had already been to Italy. I mean, while I'm there I might as well check out other places, right? RIGHT. Budget-wise it would not be easy. I tried getting a hostessing job to make extra cash but that fell through, and between working full-time and writing on the side, adding something else to my schedule would be a nightmare. I'd have to make due with what I could. So as I've done in the past when I got wanderlust at an inopportune time i.e. when I was broke, I started cutting back on luxuries like taking the bus and eating. Well, ok, I eat. You'd be surprised at how much money you can save by walking to and from work and bringing your lunch everyday and (no shit!) cooking at home. So once again, I turned to the Farina to suppress my hunger and my desire to order from Barking Dog every other night (if you're ever in NYC, they have the BEST burgers). Ramen noodles is for the college kids, so a few years ago I upgraded to Farina. Curious? Well, the box will give you explicit recipe details using water and salt. I've never, ever had it with such ingredients, so I make it the way my Mom used to make it for me when I was little. Of course, she also let me have espresso or cafe con leches before school, so this recipe ain't for everyone:

Milk - 1% or Skim, if like me, your metabolism has ceased to exist (This could be due to the Barking Dog)
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter 'Light' Vegetable Spread (Real butter is a fine substitute, but I had to quit once I hit 30. See above)
Sugar (No, it doesn't negate the purpose of the first two ingredients; a teaspoon of sugar only has 15 calories!)
Farina

Pour a good amount of milk into a saucepan, add a teaspoon of the 'butter' spread, and two teaspoons of sugar. Bring to a boil and lower the temperature. Depending on the consistency you prefer (thick or light), add the Farina by pouring it in for a few seconds, stirring the entire time. Bring to a boil again and reduce the heat and keep stirring! This is important, because if you don't stir, you'll get a bunch of clumps (they're not as bad as they sound). Stir for about a minute and it should be set! Let it cool off and enjoy. You can have it for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner and it should be paired with a fine pulp-free glass of OJ. I'm totally serious.

Anyway....how I've managed to digress from my PJ tour to my penny-pinching methods is beyond me. So everything's in place. I've managed to score an extra ticket to all the shows thanks to this awesome community. We've booked our hostels/hotels and have begun mapping our journey. This trip will be a far cry from my first backpacking experience with my best friend when we just went where the day took us. Because of the shows, time is of the essence and I'd rather be soaking up the culture than looking for an Albergo that has vacancies.......What I mean is, I'd rather be interviewing fans than soaking up the culture AND looking for a place to crash! I'll be jumping on the European Touring Bus from Pistoia, Italy to Prague. The bus was organized by the lovely Pinon and I can't wait to meet everyone on board. I'll have my laptop with me so I'll try to post frequently with updates on our whereabouts, the shows and our adventures following Pearl Jam around Europe. So check back often to see where we are and how far a tight budget and a hungry spirit takes us.

2006-08-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

DOWNTOWN
Top to Bottom:
Arch: Washington Square Park, West Village
Fanelli Cafe: Prince & Mercer, Soho
Trash & Vaudeville: St. Mark's Place, East Village

2006-08-07T18:23:00.000-07:00

Ferrocarril Oeste Stadium, November 26, 2005
Buenos Aires, Argentina

2006-08-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

Street Wall, Buenos Aires, Argentina

East Rutherford 1

2006-06-01T06:39:00.000-07:00

I had a feeling tonight’s show was going to be extra special. I had one of my best friends with me, Nic, who's been a long-time fan and took me to see my first concert. We’d gone to see the shows in Argentina together, but she had not been able to go to any on this tour. Seeing a show without her never felt right, so that alone made it a great start. I got to see a number of people I’ve been lucky to meet through this extraordinary community such as Jez and her friends, as well as the guy I met while on line at Tower, Warren and his buddy Neal. I even got in touch with a friend I hadn’t seen in two years. Although I was engrossed in a number of conversations with everyone, the only thing on my mind was “will they play it tonight?”

Those closest to me know that I have been desperate to hear ‘Indifference’ live. It is, hands down, one of my top favorites - if not THE favorite. Its lyrics, its melody and its symbolism grab me in a way very few songs ever have, possibly with the exception of Nina Simone’s ‘Four Women.’ I won’t divulge the specific reasons behind my fascination with ‘Indifference’, for they are far too personal. But I will say that it was this song that turned me from a casual fan to a I’m-flying-to-a-different-continent-to-see-them fan. It was this song that comforted me when nothing else would and gave me strength when everything else failed.

Obviously this isn’t a rare song and the chances of hearing it were not that bad. But given my late start as a fan, my chances weren’t as great as they could have been in the past. On this tour, it was not played at the shows I attended, so every time I’d see it on another city’s setlist, I’d cringe. And of course, Theo Epstein requests ‘Indifference’ and he gets ‘Indifference’. But I am no Theo Epstein.

The performance was extraordinary from start to finish. After an exhilarating first set, I was ready for them to slow things down a bit in the first encore. If they were going to play it at all tonight, I was expecting it during this set. I was so happy to hear ‘Come Back,’ because its one of Nic’s favorites off the new album and she really wanted to hear it played. I was floored by Footsteps; at the end when I saw Stone switch guitars, I thought it would be really cool to hear ‘Once’ next and then ‘Alive.’ Sure enough, that’s how it happened and I was really excited to have heard the trilogy in reverse.

When they finished ‘Alive’ and walked off after Ed’s very scary slip, I thought my hopes of hearing ‘Indifference’ tonight had ended. For whatever reason, I just figured they’d finish the last set fast and hard. Once ‘Leash’ began, my suspicions were confirmed and I thought, “Ok, here’s hoping to Saturday.” The lights came on and so did ‘Baba O’Riley’. All thoughts of indifference faded and I succumbed to this magical song and the power of seeing everyone in the arena going crazy.

When ‘Baba’ was done, I noticed that Jeff took a seat and thought it was odd that he’d sit during ‘Yellow Ledbetter’. All of a sudden, I heard one note played and it sounded exactly like the opening bass to ‘Indifference’.

“No Way,” I thought. It must be my desire playing tricks on me. But that was in fact what it was. When the song began, my heart sank. It was being played!! As bizarre as it sounds, my hands began to quiver and I got a surge of adrenaline - but a very peaceful one, if such a thing exists. I didn’t know what to do with myself! Do I clap? Do I scream? Do I sing? I was literally shaking. And then I just stood there and soaked it all in and mouthed the lyrics along with thousands of others. When Ed stood back and let the crowd sing “I will scream my lungs out ‘till it fills this room” I got the kind of chills I didn’t think I was capable of getting. Someone said they saw me crying, but that wasn’t true. Ok, it was. They played it just as I had imagined and seeing everyone while it was being sung made it all the more special.

When it was done, I saw Ed gathering his notebook and his wine. I saw the guys waving goodbye, but I couldn’t comprehend what was happening. Surely they were going to close with ‘Yellow Ledbetter’, weren’t they? But where were they going? And that’s when it hit me - what were the chances that this would happen?

With the lights on, my song had just closed the show. Thank you, good night.

Mothers of the Disappeared

2006-05-21T18:22:00.000-07:00

During Argentina's 'Dirty War' of the 1970's, between 10,000 and 30,000 innocent people died at the hands of a military junta. Mostly students, trade union leaders and human rights workers, the victims were kidnapped, tortured and murdered. Countless were drugged and thrown into the frigid waters of Buenos Aires' Rio Plate.

On a Thursday afternoon in April 1977, 14 mothers marched on the capital's Plaza de Mayo and demanded answers to the whereabouts of their children. Little by little, their numbers grew and they marched every week in their iconic white handkerchiefs. Till this day, dozens of mothers who lost their children three decades ago march every Thursday at 3:30 pm on the same spot in front of the capital's famed Casa Rosada.

In November 2005, I was in Buenos Aires and had the opportunity to witness these protests. The Mothers set up a table off the side of the plaza, distributing pamphlets and information. There, I had the chance to speak to one of them and learn a little bit about one of the many tragic stories that plague the city’s history.

Augustina’s daughter, Maria Isabel, disappeared 28 years ago. She was a law student who was 25 when she went ‘missing.’ Augustina has attended the protests on a weekly basis for nearly three decades. Through heart-wrenching investigations and an indomitable spirit, she has been able to find out where her daughter was kept prisoner, and has come close to finding out what happened to her.

I asked Augustina if she would ever give up her cause. Without hesitation, she told me that she will come here every Thursday until she dies. I have no doubt that she will continue to march even if she should receive the answers her heart so desperately seeks.

WEBSITE: www.madres.org
READ:
Mothers of the Disappeared by Jo Fisher
Circle of Love Over Death: The Story of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo by Matilde Mellibovsky
Imagining Argentina by Lawrence Thornton.
SEE:
Imagining Argentina, the screen adaptation of the novel by the same name. Released in 2003, starring Emma Thompson and Antonio Banderas.

Pura Vida

2006-05-20T15:28:00.000-07:00

I was desperate to get out of the city last summer. There was a lot going on, and I really needed to take an emotional and spiritual break. I had wanted to go to Costa Rica for as long as I could remember, and since it was their slow season, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to spend a few days there. None of my friends' schedules could accommodate an impromptu trip to Central America, so I decided to take the trip alone.

I flew into San Jose via Miami, and was only in Costa Rica's capital overnight. I booked a room at Grano de Oro, an old Victorian mansion that has been transformed into a hotel. The next morning, I flew out to Manuel Antonio, a little town that lies on the pacific coast of the country. I had booked a flight on Sansa Airlines, which operates TINY airplanes that fly domestically. Surprisingly, the ride was much smoother than some I've experienced on the big jets. Overlooking the runway and the 'airport' in Quepos,the town closest to Manuel Antonio, I began wondering what I had gotten myself into.

Runway

Quepos Airport

MANUEL ANTONIO
I had read about La Mariposa Hotel in the book, "A Thousand Places to See Before You Die," and decided to stay there. When the bus pulled up to the hotel, I was completely awestruck. I have almost always stayed in 1 or 2 star hotels that were far from breathtaking when traveling abroad. Budget-traveling is usually the case, and I figure hotels are just to shower and sleep. This time, though, I wanted something comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, especially since it was the first time I was in a foreign country by myself. The second I checked in, I was off to the beach.

I experienced the allure of Playa Espadilla purely by chance. I had initially set out to find Playa Manuel Antonio, noted for its calm waters. Espadilla, the neighboring beach, is well-known for its waves and strong current, and because I'd always been terrified of both, I made sure to avoid it at all costs. After a 25-minute downhill hike through unstable dirt roads that were carved into the rainforest, I finally heard the sound of the ocean and knew I was close to what I thought was Playa Manuel Antonio. When I emerged onto the sand, I was blown away by the beach's scenic beauty and kickin' ambiance. It was as if I had stepped onto a Latin-American version of an Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon film. There were countless tire tracks on the sand made by the jeeps parked under the palm trees and surfers waxing their boards. Massive rock formations were strewn around the shore, and a cool, sheer mist was making its way up from the surface. Seeing the height of the waves and noticing their constant breaks, I realized I had stumbled upon the beach I set out to avoid. I don't know if it was the sun, the long haul or the striking scenery, but as I walked along the seemingly endless shore and onto the southern tip where the locals were hanging out, I knew I was there to stay.

After watching with envy as the smallest of children dove into and under the waves, I realized that the only way I would get over my fear and truly enjoy Playa Espadilla was to take surf lessons. I made my way onto the main strip, where the scene was picture perfect. Surfers were enjoying the lazy afternoon, young artists were selling handmade jewelry and live, acoustic music was providing the soundtrack. I came upon Kobe Surf, a shop that doubled as a surfing school, and I signed up for lessons for the following day. The kid behind the counter (he was about 16) said he'd be the one giving me my lesson and I could stop by anytime in the afternoon because he'd just close the shop and his boss would never find out......lovely.

CANOPY SAFARI
I woke up early the next day, since I had signed up for the Canopy Safari Tour in the morning. Initially I thought it would be a lame tourist trap. I've never been so happy to be wrong. A van picked me up at La Mariposa and I was off into the rainforest. Driving there was an adventure in and of itself, as the roads weren't exactly roads--they were just unpaved dirt paths that seemed to go on forever. One of the things I learned in Costa Rica is that there are two types of bridges there: the "Oh My God" bridge and the "Oh Shit" bridge. I dare you not to grip whatever is around as you're passing over them - they are literally planks of wood connecting two masses.

The rest of the ride up into the rainforest was unreal. You forget what the natural world looks like when you're surrounded by enormous steel edifices on a daily basis. After arriving to our camp grounds, we had breakfast and a brief lesson on what to expect. Then, it was time to hike up and start zipping. The walk up to higher ground took about half an hour, and in order to get there we had to step on tree stumps that lined our path. Along the way, I was fortunate enough to witness what the locals referred to as a rare occurrence. Dangling off a leaf high above was a Honduran white bat. Alright.....I could barely see it. The damn thing is only a little bigger than a mouse, and without my glasses I can barely see 10 feet in front of me, let alone dozens of feet above me. From what I hear, however, it was a sight.

We finally reached our post and it was time for my first zip. It's difficult to fully express what it feels like to be flying high above a rainforest, grazing treetops as you zip across a wire hundreds of feet over the ground. The experience is unparalleled and incredibly freeing. The guides encouraged us to let go of the ropes, and I found myself zipping upside down with nothing but trees and mountains beneath me. Waiting for you at the end of the wire is a wooden platform (what they call the canopy) that has been built around the top of the tree trunk - nothing above and nothing beneath. Although you're connected to a wire the entire time, it is somewhat unnerving to stand on this man-made structure with 12 other people. In between zips, we repelled, which is zipping down instead of across.

After the canopy tour, our van picked up our group and we were back on the road. A fresh-looking river piqued our curiosity and we asked the van to pull over so we could go for a swim. A few of the girls had their swimsuits on, but I had left mine back at the hotel. It took little convincing on their part to have me strip down to my underwear and sports bra and jump right in- I knew full-coverage, 100% cotton underwear would have to come in handy one day!

SURFING
Once dropped off, it was time to learn how to surf - or at least attempt to do so. I went over to the surf shop, and as promised, Christian, my instructor, closed the shop in the middle of the day. The waves that afternoon were unlike any I had seen before, and as I made my way onto the beach, I could feel my knees buckling. After a brief sand lesson on technique, paddling and popping up, we were off. Once in the water, my anxiety level spiked and I began second-guessing my decision. My first good wave, however, was coming in and there was absolutely no way of getting out of it. As instructed, I began paddling as fast as I could and tried to get up when Christian yelled to do so. Before I knew it, I was knocked down by the wave and was being dragged and pulled underneath. Five seconds beneath the water felt like an eternity, and the panic I experienced years ago during a similar incident in Mexico began rushing back. When I finally came up for air, Christian told me to shake it off and hurry up because there were more coming in. I had no time to think about what had just happened.

For the rest of the afternoon, I was battered, flipped and submerged countless times. With each fall, I enjoyed it more and more. Finally, I was able to stand up and ride a few times. By the end of the day, I was painfully exhausted but exhilarated at the idea that I had not only conquered my fear, but had found a new sport to pursue. Next step? Surf camp!

Portrait of a Girl

2006-05-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

Atop a New York City roof on an unseasonably warm afternoon, my subject stood clad in an authoritative get-up embodying a stoic veneer that seemed tough to crack. During our ensuing dialogue, I would attempt to chisel away at the surface of a soon-to-be well-known face. She tells me that her career is what she does, not who she is. And so, it was time to get to the crux of the matter.

Susie Castillo grew up in a low-income, predominantly Latino neighborhood in Methuen, Massachusetts. Raised by a single-mother who often worked two or three jobs at a time to make ends meet, Susie and her two sisters were encouraged to be strong, independent women with successful careers. "Anything we wanted to do she supported. There were never any limits as to what I could do and what I could achieve. I literally grew up believing I could be anything I wanted." After entering and winning the Miss Massachusetts pageant, she competed for the Miss USA title and in 2003, Susie became the third Latina in history to win the coveted crown. Soon, execs at MTV took notice and in 2005, she became co-host of TRL.

As an MTV VJ, she has interviewed some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, but it was a certain Bronx-bred celebrity that proved to be the most intimidating interview she has conducted to date. "The first time I met Jennifer Lopez I was shaking. I don't really get star-struck [but] I was star-struck with her. [That's] the career that I'm looking toward for my future. She made it happen."
It is this background and mentality that fuels Susie's ambition and drive. She never tires of the limelight and tells me, "I want to be on the cover of UnChin. I'd rather be on the cover than [only] on the inside." Throughout our conversation, the word 'positive' is dropped countless times, and you get nothing less than what you would expect from a former Miss USA. Her answers are optimistic and energetic, thoughtful and intelligent. She is in person what you see on MTV: A happy, bubbly personality that can flawlessly diffuse an awkward situation or give the nastiest cloud a silver-lining. "I do my best to see the positive in things. I didn't get to where I am now by thinking negatively and adopting negative ways. I try to learn by other people's mistakes."

Being immersed in a celebrity-driven environment has led Susie to wonder about the antics of several media darlings. “You see people like Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan and they’re always in the media for these outrageous things, but usually it’s more for their personal life than their work...... this persona that everybody sees, do they do it on purpose or is that just them, the way they are?”

Although she makes her living in a business that is known for its materialistic ways and shallow endeavors, she is a long-time advocate of cancer and environmental issues, and is fiercely loyal to her family and fiancé, who proposed to her on the 'On-Air with Ryan Seacrest' show. Her career is taking off and her attempt at making a jump into acting are currently in place, having just signed on to play a reporter in the upcoming Disney production of Underdog.

Despite the picture-perfect credentials, I wonder if there is something more raw lying beneath the surface. I still want to get to the core of the woman who says the most rebellious thing she's ever done was pierce her tongue, "just to see what all the fuss was about.”

And just when I thought that what I was seeing was what I was getting, our talk turns to her father, who left the family when Susie was only 6 years old. When I ask her if it’s a relationship she would ever consider reconciling, her eyes squint slightly and I can almost catch a glimpse of the little girl with big dreams growing up in Methuen: “I’ve tried several times to have him back in my life. He’s disappointed me every time. It’s not hard - be a real person. I’m your daughter - you have other daughters. How could you not want to be part of our lives? And he’s made that choice. I certainly didn’t.”

Magazine: UnChin, Issue 06
Location: NYC Rooftop, May 2006