• Home
• Tour Dates
• Webstore
• News
• Interviews
• Reviews
• Discography
• Gallery
• Video
• Guitars & Equipment
• Hackett Live
• Biography
• Links
• Blogs
• Contact

Carefree and car free - August 11

A break from the grey porridge canopy of England! Welcomed once again by Vania Santi's warm embrace, I felt a surge of joy beneath the deep blue skies of Vittoria, Sicily.

Surprises are always in store on Italian tours and this was no exception. Ben, Brian, Rob, Roger, Jo and I were taken to a castle-restaurant for a special Sicilian meal, before the Trio performance to an enthusiastic crowd in the open air beside a palm-lined harbour. I was thrilled to hear that people had travelled from all over Sicily to see us. As we flew away, the gigantic snoozing giant Mount Etna, breathing steam through its nostrils, appeared to acompany us for at least ten minutes.

And on to Mantova... a jewel of a Renaissance city beyond a lake. Carefree and car free in the centre, you get lost in a reverie through the labyrinth of cobbled streets and ancient squares. It was great to be back with the electric band again and the gig within the palace walls felt tremendously exciting. Nick Begg's transformation into a werewolf brought a riot of applause! We did however miss Amanda, who'll be back with us next time, and we wish her many congratulations for her marriage this week.

Alpine Spilimbergo is our last stop before home. What an extraordinary place! The whole town bursts into musical life after dark, with bands from many different countries playing in every square and a fiesta in all the streets. It promises to be a knock-out show tonight...

It was wonderful to see all our special Italian friends and once again, my deepest thanks to Vania, Sergio, Alberto and all at Blue Sky for another incredible Italian experience.