Holland

Ciao,guys,this is probably the last post,today is Groningen,after Amsterdam at the Mekkweg and Zoetemer. Those was 3 specil gigs,all of them in great and crowded clubs,700 people each,and every place with super sound system with line Array and clear sound. Very very professional crew,it makes it easy,you speak the same language in this job. I' personally 'll split tomorrow,going back home,but the band it goes to Athens,Greace, for the last two gigs in Athina club.
So that's it,and i'll came back next spring, in winter i'm not followig the tour.
C u soon, Paolo

Last week of the tour, Bob look happy!

Dear friends,also Milano BlueNote is done,and i hope all the people who was in the club in these day they'll remember the gigs whit happyness! The audience it was really friendly,they love the band and Dennis is a big star in town. We also had the chance to have a real good dinner in a restaurant , you may be don't think about it,but we work every night and usually we have a very short time for dinner,and during the day we travel to next destination,so when we have time for a real meal we go for it!And more,we are going for 3 days in Holland,that is not really famous for the food!(just to be gently,i've never had a meal to remember in Holland) As the titol said we are in the last week,monday the band play at Reigen Live,in Wien, a good club,we all feel like home and we like it, except for fhe stairs (the backline it's very heavy!!) and the position of the mixing board,wich is not in the front but on a side, so Kevin every change he make he have to walk in the center to listen!! So,that's it, next two days i'll be busy on the road, the next post may be in 3 days.
Peace Paolo

4 days in blue note Milano

Dear friends,thanx 4 all you that visit this blog and leave a comment,it's the only way 4 me to know that i'm doing this not only 4 myself!! thanx again so much. Here we are in Milano,Blue note,as you know this is a very good club,made in partnership with BN in New York,the quality of the organization is excellent,great sound,crew really professional, and this mean work with pleasure. Evans provide a new set of drumshead 4 Dennis,we have 10 gigs to do,and he play stongly,so,it's important 4 him. Also the bass amp that Antony use is very special,as i told you he have Bel canto amp and a hi fi pre amp,so the sound is amazing sometimes he play solos very soft and u can listen every detail of his touch!! Yesterday Patrizio was with us,he's the agent of Mike since almost 15 years,so he's the guy who let us possible have so great musician tour in Europe,here is in the picture with Mike last nite in the dressing room. In this club they plays two show at night,9.00 pm the first and 11.30 the second,with change of audience,you know,Milano is a big town,and BN it's well known worldwide. Tonite i'll be the 3th day,and after tomorrow we'llbe back in the north,Wien then Netherland. At the next Paolo

A day off,finally

Dear friends,today finally is my first and only day off, the band had a couple more,but 4 me it was long travel day,so....today i've crashed my bed in the hotel in Munster, also if it's raining i don't care, no rain in my hotel room!!! We've just been in a couple of music shop to buy drum's heads, and now me and Kevin are in a bar having a coffee in total relax. The last two concert it was in clubs, in Friedrichshafen and Munster,tomorrow also a club in Russelsheim and after this we'll be in Milano at the Blu note for 4 days. I'm very happy of course because the food in Italy,you know......i'm italian,and,i'm sorry 4 all the other people,but when i'm on the road sometimes i thanx God 4 make me italian,of course i'm ONLY talking about food,as you know we have other problems,we have no work 4 all,we have the mafia,we have Berlusconi....that's whi we have the pasta,so 4 few minute we can forget all the bad things!! Jokes apart the band as usually is doing great,Mike sell a lot of CD and today we are on half way to the end of the tour.
All the best,peace4 all
Paolo

New look 4 Bob and D. !!

Hey guys,i just want show ya this picture,Bob's new haircut! I've took this picture this morning leaving from Shaffhausen, Switzerland, on the way to Friedrichshafen in Germany. I've not time because the set up 4 sound check, but just to put this fhoto. Paolo

From Paris to Schaffausen

Dear friends,beleive it or not i'm writing this IN to the bus WHILE we'r travelling!!! We have wi fi connection in the bus,and it work!! We 've just leave Paris,travelling overnight to Switzerland.The last two gig was in Monaco and Courbevoie (Paris). What can i say about Montecarlo,you know that is different from any other place,sun was shining,hotel 5 stars(1 bier it was 8 euro!!) and they played in the club of the Casino,for 200 rich and lucky people, but music lovers. Thanks 4 the organization,it was perfect! John mc laughin was there,to see his great friend Dennis,and we met him,a very gentelmen and friendly guy.All my maximum respect 4 him,4 the music of course but also about his attitude. Last nite,at Espace Carpeaux,everything it was very professional,that make them all very cool,and 500 people enjoy a very good gig. Dennis had his computer back,that it was lost in Bruxell airport,and for this many thanks to Dominique,promoter in Lille, that really help us to get it back. That's it, now we'r on the road to next gig and i hope to have the time to tell ya about it. Peace 4 all Paolo

it was cold!!

Dears friends,finally i've found few minute 4 write something! We've spent the last 3 days on the bus. Slovakia, was good,Bratislava was a big festival whit tv and radio recording,a lot of people and excellent sound and lite system. Next day it was a very small village,Nove Zamsky, where the crew and organization was made by people very exited to have Mike's band, so the emotion was real and full of goodwhishing,thing that is different compared whit professional people,much more....human!! Only the hotel was bad and cold,but probably was the only and the best in town. After that the band take the plane,and me and Per, the german bus driver, get trough 1450 KM to arrive in Lille, north France, 4 the nex gig on 22 night. I'm arrived a little beat tired and stinking(!) but once in the theatre it was very well organized. Mike's band played before Billy Cobham at Theatre Sebastapol,wonderful old place. The only problem was that the day before one Fender Twin was broken,so we had to buy a new one 4 the rest of the tour. And ,by the way, i've forgot to put back Dennis's stickbag at his place,i usually thake it of after sound check, so all the theatre listen Dennis yelling Paoloooooo! Things happened!!! At the next Paolo

Presov,Slovakia

This are Mike and Bob Franceschini during a break on the road

Tonight the gig was in a old theatre,tipical style of east Europe,big chandelier on the ceiling,red curtains,a kind of sad architectural style (personal opinion.....), but full of happy people,in contrast with the place (again...) and,the good thing is that in the audience it was a large number of girls, wich is much better than have 498 guitarist or drummers and 2 girlfriend of them!!! Anyway, the Anthony bass amp is a brand call Bel canto,look like italo-american,and sound very clean. Tomorrow we go to Bratislava,i hope to have the chance to report about it. It will be 7 hours driving,and a late concert at 11 pm,after 3 local band.
Always sorry about my errors in english,is not my mother tongue.

Budapest

Ok, yesterday the first gig,at club A38, a beautiful boat on the Danub! The place was sold out,800 people,and as you can immagine...great show! Dennis plays his small kit,5 toms and 4 cymbals,and Anthony is using Epifani cabinet with preamp and power amp. Everything in Budapest was perfect,thanks to Miklos,Matias and all the guys that help us! Now we are in Presov,Slovakia, after 6 hours travelling by bus,ready to play in the festival at 8.30 pm. at the theatre. Tomorrow we 'r going to bratislava, i hope to have more time for a new post. For the moment it's all, and i let you know how is going in Slovakia.
Peace,Paolo

Almost ready to start

Dear friends,with this blog i'll try to give you some info,comment,photo ecc.,from a different point ow view than the usual. I'm Paolo,tour manager,and the next band i'll be on tour with is Mike Stern band,with Dennis Chambers,Antony Jackson and Bob Franceschini. The first gig it will be in Budapest,at the club A38,at 9.30 pm. After this we'll be in Slovakia for 3 days,18 Presov,19 Bratislava, 20 Nove Zamki. The tour it will be on until 11 november in Greece. I'll make,trough this blog, a kind of diary,almost every day,if i'll have the time. We will travel with a Bus,16 meter long,made for this job,with bed(couchette),little kitchen for coffee,tea etc, small office, a very confortable bus,coming from Lay Reisen,a german company very good and professional. For make this blog working good I NEED YOU, whit your comment and suggestion i can write what is really interesting 4 you, if you send us your comment i could write the new post with answer,info etc which it will coming directly from the public. So,...send me your comment,if you like the concert etc. I'm waiting for you.
Peace,Paolo

Mike Stern band tour in Europe!

Ciao a tutti,
questo è il primo post di questo blog con il quale seguiremo la tourneè giorno per giorno,o quasi, per avere un contatto più diretto tra voi e la band. Io sono Paolo,tour manager della band,e cercherò col vostro aiuto, di dare info,ricevere commenti, e farvi avere notizie e altro direttamente da un punto di vista interno.
Prima data sarà il 17 a Budapest

il calendario completo del tour lo trovate su www.emmeci.biz