Jack Savoretti – Acoustic Nights Live

Two years ago today the incredibly talented singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti was in Melbourne on his whirlwind mini tour of Australia. It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of this British-Italian legend, so I was extremely looking forward to his concert on May 4th, 2016. Unfortunately, that night, the force was not with me and I was hospitalised with appendicitis, thus missing the show. I was devastated. I cried so much because all I wanted was to be at his concert, singing out loud, cheering on the man that I discovered by accident in 2008 and who knows, maybe even having the chance to meet him after the show.

Fast-forward to April 16, 2018 – Location: Milan, Italy

I planned my annual leave this year around Jack’s brand new Italian tour – Acoustic Nights Live. I knew that if I wanted to see him, I had to make the long journey from Australia to Italy because he wasn’t announcing any dates Down Under any time soon. So I organised my flights, hotels, everything and got myself a VIP pack to his concert at Teatro dal Verme, in the centre of fashionable Milano.

When it came time for the actual VIP experience, I was a mess! I was so nervous! Jack’s tour manager Jon Ayarza came and took us down to the area where we would listen in on Jack’s soundcheck before the meet and greets. As we entered the theatre I couldn’t believe that I was moments from seeing the man whose music means the world to me. There he was. On the stage with his guitar, greeting everyone and being the warmest, most beautiful human-being. He entertained us along with a few members of his amazing band and then came down to meet us all.

I was terrified and excited all at the same time. He was there, I was there, and after almost 10 years of following his musical journey I was going to finally meet my idol. He said something to me in Italian at first but when I spoke English to him, he instantly switched! He was so down-to-earth, so kind, so sincere and even remembered, as I was telling him my life story, how two years ago while he was in Melbourne, two girls (my sisters) came up to him after the show and told the story of how their sister was hospitalised that night. He amazed me and my parents with his ability to recall this, he really did!

We took a few photos together, embraced a few times and then I presented him with some chocolates from his hometown of Genoa and my illustrated cartoon-version of himself on a card I had designed. I was on cloud 9 and I don’t think I’ve fully come down yet!

Jack usually plays his music with his wonderful band but for these Italian shows he stripped it back and just had the piano-guitar combo along with a violinist and cellist. They were all sensational! We were entertained for almost 2.5 hours with music from all his past albums, the majority from the earlier ones. Jack gave his all with each performance, his voice shining with the passion and conviction that we’ve all grown to love. He was incredible and the entire night was a dream come true. I was in tears for so much of it because I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be there, in his company again, especially after the last failed attempt. Each song was arranged acoustically, making it fresh, raw and unpredictable. He left his heart and soul on that stage and received a warm standing ovation from a very vocal Milanese crowd.

Jack’s Acoustic Nights Live continue in Rome from May 21st and all his other tour dates can be found here. If you have the chance to go, please do! You won’t be disappointed because this man is the hardest working musician out there and his talent is undeniable. That night in Italy was so very special in so many ways.

Hopefully a DVD will be released after this tour and we can all re-live these shows over and over again.

Best Moments of 2017

This year was quite memorable and eventful for me. From holidays to concerts, leisurely bike rides to reading and writing long hand-written letters to friends, I’ve truly enjoyed most of what came my way this year. It’s almost time to welcome in the New Year, but before that let’s take a look at my favourite memories from 2017!

In January/February, I returned to my favourite city of Barcelona for a month-long visit! During this time Montserrat and Cadaques were also covered on day trips and overall this holiday was everything I could have ever wished for!

In March the superstar that is Adele came to town for an unforgettable summer’s night of raw emotion and a powerhouse vocal.

In July, I was fortunate enough to attend the concert of one of my favourite singers – Gavin DeGraw. Meeting him after the show was such an honour and his show was truly something special.

That same month one of my favourite musicals “My Fair Lady” was also playing in town at the Princess Theatre. I absolutely loved it!

Taking a bike ride along Port Melbourne’s foreshore never ceases to impress me.

I’ve absolutely loved making new friends through the art of handwritten letters and re-connecting with old friends.

This year I launched our “Cute Parcels” concept and recently was a market vendor at Carols by Kingston! Thank you to everyone that has supported us over the years!

This year I also took the time to engage with nature more, practise my photography and spend more time with the ones I love.

Just this month I was in the company of two more “One Tree Hill” alumni when Tyler Hilton and Kate Voegele came to Thornbury. They brought the house down!

So thanks 2017! You’ve been a pretty great year.

Bring on 2018!

Adele’s Melbourne Show

Imagine you’re one of a record 77,300 Adele fans waiting to enter Etihad Stadium on a balmy Sunday night. There’s barely a breeze but plenty of insects in the air. The gates open exactly on time and you’re finally within a couple of hours of seeing your idol on stage for the first time in your life. Upon entering you see her beautiful closed eyes and that’s when you realise that the night is finally here and tonight your dreams will come true.

After a few mexican waves go around, the crowd begins to cheer and roar with excitement. The circular curtain starts to lift and standing on the stage is the superstar that is Adele. She’s real. She’s actually here and is within reach. The atmosphere is electric. The visuals on the screen have now changed to her beautiful open eyes and then she starts to sing – “Hello, it’s me…”

Wearing a dark pink sequined gown, she sparkles like a diamond as she makes her way around the stage. Delivering note-for-note perfection with each song, she entertains the crowd with a mix of music from all her chart-topping albums. She simply is unstoppable and 100% believable.

Adele is flawless in her performances but seeing her live, you also get to see the other side to her. The completely unedited version, raw and free to speak her mind. She isn’t trying to be anyone but herself. She swears a fair bit. She complains about the insects and the fact that the almost 30-degree heat is causing her make-up to sweat off her face. She reveals that she’s very emotional as it’s her final show in Australia and she doesn’t want to leave yet. This was her first tour Down Under after all.

Seeing Adele live at a show like this really is something. She has a great sense of humour and seems to be very honest and direct. The crowd was completely hooked on her words not only during the songs but also in between the music. She got a fan up on stage and there was a surprise proposal. She offered parenting advice to couples going through a divorce. She gave some insights into what she was going through when she wrote particular songs and how terrified she was of shooting clips in a tank of water for the on-screen visuals shown during the concert. She told us that she’s the happiest she’s ever been. She shot a few T-shirts out into the audience along with $20 notes so winners can buy themselves a drink. Her handwritten lyrics and messages launched into the air as confetti and fireworks lit up the stage. Adele was on fire and we were with her every step of the way.

Last night was magical. From the brilliant visuals on the screen to the powerhouse vocals, Adele left Melbourne wanting more. She exited the stage holding a cuddly koala toy presented to her by a fan. Last night was a night many who attended will never forget, as one of the world’s most influential performers with once-in-a-generation talent entertained us like no one ever has. Indeed there will never be another Adele.

Mesmerised by Munich

I had fallen in love with the idea of travelling after my spontaneous, first solo trip to Prague. The study semester had begun by the start of October and I was up to my elbows in architecture projects, assignments and tests at the Fachhochschule Mainz (Technical College) in Germany. I knew that in order to get the most out of my study abroad program I would have to find a balance between study commitments and travel, something that I found hard to do given the “Joey Potter” style of dedication I took to my education! I found out that one of my favourite singer-songwriters was performing in Munich in November and began looking at accommodation options and tickets to his show.

My family always jokes about me being the ambitious go-getter, the sort of person that cannot get rid of an idea once it’s planted firmly in her head and someone who follows through with anything she sets her mind to. I look at it as one of my biggest strengths. Without ambition I wouldn’t have become an international exchange student in the first place, nor would I have lived in London for 2 years or even started my own stationery label. Long story short, I found cheap hostel accommodation in the heart of Munich for two nights, bought one ticket for the concert and since I was going all the way to southern Germany, I even booked a trip to the beautiful, neighbouring city of Salzburg, Austria for a day trip!

My story continues in the Bavarian capital. I caught a morning train from Mainz to Frankfurt and from there took another high-speed train to Munich, whizzing past idyllic German villages and picture-perfect sceneries. It was a dull and rainy day unfortunately and it was quite cold in mid-November. I checked-in to my hostel and began exploring the city immediately. Munich was such a comfortable city to explore on foot, but the rain however was making it extremely difficult to enjoy what I was seeing. So at every opportunity I went inside shops, cafes and churches to stay warm and dry. The churches in Munich were incredible. From the Late Baroque style of the Asamkirche to the Italian Baroque style of the Theatinerkircher and the iconic Frauenkirche with its late Gothic interior style, Munich’s churches left me speechless. I spent the rest of the day wandering through their main square Marienplatz, home to the New City Hall, Fish Fountain, column of St. Mary and the Old Town Hall. My favourite part was how everyone’s mood instantly became uplifted upon the theatrical Glockenspiel striking midday, with music and small dancing figurines taking us back to our childhoods if only for a moment.

I stopped by a small cafe to grab a bite before returning to my hostel room and getting ready for my night out. I caught the tram to my destination and stood in the crowd waiting for the show to start. The support act was Jack Savoretti, a person whom I’d never heard of before that night and someone whom I began to admire from that night forward. He captivated me and the entire audience with his soulful innocence and charm, with melodies that took us to another universe. Readers of my blog would know that Jack and I have gone on quite a journey since that cold night in Munich, as I made sure that during my time in London I would go and see more of his shows whenever I could.

Then Gavin DeGraw took to the stage and astounded his fans by how down-to-earth he was and the incredible range of his vocals. Of course being a major One Tree Hill fan I was pleased when he performed the show’s theme song “I don’t want to be” and the majority of songs from his album Chariot. It was a brilliant gig and I’m so delighted that I attended it despite being slightly petrified that I was in a cold, wet and dark city all by myself.

The next day I visited Salzburg but we’ll leave that for the next blog post. On my third day, the weather had improved and there were blue skies all day long. I decided to enter the world-famous Hofbräuhaus, one of Munich’s oldest beer halls. Their clientèle included the likes of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, John F. Kennedy and George H. W. Bush to name a few. I tried their famous white sausage with pretzel and drunk about 1/5th of my glass of beer. Feeling adventurous, I decided to climb a narrow, dark tower of St. Peter’s Church to the viewing platform on the top floor. From there I could see the entire city clear as crystal but unfortunately the Alps were not to be seen that day. The next morning I set of for Salzburg but we’ll leave that for another blog post.

Visitors to Southern Germany should definitely try to visit Munich if at least for one day, as it’s full of hidden churches, history, Bavarian culture, beautiful architecture and interesting people with stories to tell.