Please utilise this space to search this blog

Showing posts with label Casalecchio di Reno. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Casalecchio di Reno. Show all posts

Monday, February 12, 2018

Bologna (Italy) - Two turntables and a microphone

BOLOGNA (Italy)
12 February - 13 February 2018

Flying in from opposite sides of Europe, Inga from Riga and me from Belgrade, we converged on our coordinated arrival destination of Milan, and it was the definition of impeccable timing. If you knew both Inga and myself however you’d know that we are both sticklers for time. Assuming no crazy cosmic interruption we will be at a destination to the minute of asking. Now, this introduces my major bugbear, the cause of constant irritation for me, but somehow, the cause of mild amusement to others – how it is, that if people organise a time to meet and it was consensual, then how can it ever be a choice to be late? A choice to be late automatically is a sign of disrespect, and to be late constantly just shows a complete disregard for the other person, and yet, I have great friends that do this constantly. Not you Janelle, not now, you’re much better these days, so this isn’t directed at you JJ!


Milan Malpensa airport - Italy
This is Inga letting me know that she had arrived, and also, letting me know that I'd been 'busted' too. The Air Serbia flight gave it away... No escaping that woman! :)


My wife is never late, I’m never late. That’s an understanding we have and will always maintain. That’s the end of that rant.

Arriving with Winter jackets, luggage aplenty, our lives, our nomadic lives, were confined to a few pieces of luggage 76cms * 48 cms.  Not that I was concerned about that other than the troubles I anticipated for it to cause us on the domestic flights through the US. A discussion we’ll get to later.


Milan Malpensa airport - Italy


It was a 3hr drive from Milan to Bologna where we were booked into the Hotel Maggiore, a reasonable hotel located a little bit outside of the centre. Probably a small fault on my side as we didn’t get to see the centre at all and by all reports Bologna is regarded as one of Italy’s best looking cities, a medieval design, filled with a jumble of red brick, tiled roofs and balconies that radiate out from its central square. With that said, had we have had the internal fortitude we could have gone for a little walk to the centre but both of us had been so beaten by our respective early morning starts that sleep was our primary need that afternoon..

Still, the Hotel Maggiore had a trick up its sleeve and that was found at their bar. The barman, come receptionist, come security guard, come everything else was not however an expert in Negroni making. He was very nice, and trustworthy, allowing us to talk him through how to make them, meaning, that his liberal pours were breathtaking in terms of the final result. He was a Negroni making LEGEND in every manner of speaking from our perspective. His novice hands were just what we needed to support our desired afternoon buzz before heading out to Unipol Arena.


Metallica - Worldwired tour - Unipol Arena - Casalecchio di Reno - Bologna - Italy

Metallica - Worldwired tour - Unipol Arena - Casalecchio di Reno - Bologna - Italy

Metallica - Worldwired tour - Unipol Arena - Casalecchio di Reno - Bologna - Italy


This Metallica Tour, Worldwired, was the same tour that we had seen before in Mexico City, almost a year early, and in fact, will be the same tour that they’ll be bringing to Australia in October 2019, where of course Inga and I will be seeing them again. Tour the World with Metallica, it’s a blast.


Metallica - Worldwired tour - Unipol Arena - Casalecchio di Reno - Bologna - Italy

Metallica - Worldwired tour - Unipol Arena - Casalecchio di Reno - Bologna - Italy

Metallica - Worldwired tour - Unipol Arena - Casalecchio di Reno - Bologna - Italy


Metallica - Worldwired tour - Unipol Arena - Casalecchio di Reno - Bologna - Italy

Metallica - Worldwired tour - Unipol Arena - Casalecchio di Reno - Bologna - Italy

Metallica - Worldwired tour - Unipol Arena - Casalecchio di Reno - Bologna - Italy

Metallica - Worldwired tour - Unipol Arena - Casalecchio di Reno - Bologna - Italy


The Unipol Arena in Casalecchio di Reno, just outside of Bologna, is just an average venue, in the vicinity of 10,000-12,000, nothing like the 60,000 monster in Mexico City. Not that it really makes that much of a difference, other than defining the atmosphere, but once Metallica started we managed to push right up against the stage. This is something I need to thank Inga for, its really her thing to get as close as possible to the band playing, and whilst I enjoy it myself usually I require a bit of impetus to get in amongst it.

A decent night in all and a brilliant way to start the journey back home.

As per previous concerts that I’ve outlined, here’s the set-list for that night.

Performer: Metallica
Tour: Worldwired