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Rating: How exciting is it to go undercover?
Yes, I admit it, to meet Bernie Marsden I went undercover, and in good company if you consider that the green manalishi joined me.
It all happened by pure luck, a friend lent the amplifier head to Bernie and we quickly tagged along and slipped into the backstage with him. And what a fantastic person we found: there he was, Bernie Marsden, ex-guitarist of Whitesnake, sitting with his quite notable frame, welcoming us with a warm smile. Bernie's approachability is fantastic, he gladly signs my copy of "Ready And Willing" (previously already signed by Piace) and he likes my silver pen so much that I can't help but give it to him. Then, amidst laughter and jokes, it's photo time and Bernie, the charming rogue, enthusiastically embraces me. Needless to say, I'm at the peak of excitement and so is manalishi: though he hasn't lost his senses and still has enough presence of mind to talk to Bernie (who has taken a liking to us) and ask if he will play Outlaw tonight. No, he won't, but he likes the question and almost as if he'd forgotten that great piece, he sings the riff with enthusiasm. In short, now even manalishi starts to lose his grip on reality, and we decide to leave Bernie alone before the show. But quickly he follows us and recommends buying his latest album. How could we not oblige? Of course, and he arranges to meet us after the show to sign that one as well. After all, he has been so accommodating...
Half an hour later we find him again, this time on stage: tonight he's playing in a former Swiss mountain convent, with the Florentine cover band Purple Sucker, whose name is quite telling (doesn't it vaguely remind you of deep purple?).
And then on with "Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues" and Bernie proves that the thirty years since Lovehunter's release haven't affected him at all (technically speaking). The guitarist is in great shape, playing like a god as in the past, and the solos are 100% Marsden. Even the supporting band rocks: the singer has a fantastic voice, channeling Coverdale's warm tone very well.
The audience isn't the best for Bernie, and even though he thanks them and tries to engage, there are the usual few idiots asking if he could play "Romagna Mia", I really hope the guitarist didn't understand.
And here comes the unexpected. Bernie's guitar's D string breaks. Panic among the technicians, panic among the fans. But Bernie proves once again to be fabulous and smiling as he steps off the stage to change the string himself, while the band skillfully improvises "Might Just Take Your Life" waiting for the issue to be resolved.
And here comes Bernie again, launching into "Young Blood", a great track in pure white snake style, where the artist gets into the chorus, and what a voice he brings out!
Then moving on to a fantastic Sweetalker, he hints with the guitar a sketch of the intro to Cryin' In The Rain, opting then for a heartfelt "Mistreated", with which Marsden shows he can easily perform Blackmore's pieces, and if possible give the song even more melancholy accentuated by the weeping guitar.
Slightly more applauded subsequently is the famous "Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City" or at least that's what I hope, but when the audience is invited to sing the chorus, only three people sing: the friend with the amp head, the green manalishi, and, of course, me. But the important thing is not to be discouraged, so we continue with the classic "Fool For Your Loving" once again executed perfectly by the guitarist and the band.
A fake exit and return, where Marsden flirts with the presenter who asks if he doesn't mind playing and he responds with his most English accent: "Anything you want, my darling". It marks the end of the concert with a fantastic improvised blues number, where Bernie sings with a fantastic voice. And so the concert ends. I'm almost melancholic, but luckily I meet him again at the record table to get the new album I bought signed, and he mischievously reminds me that the silver pen was once mine. What a person! When he finally decides to leave the spot and retire, he approaches manalishi and me just to greet us and, affirming his charm once again, to give me two kisses.
These are the kinds of evenings I like, intimate and in touch with the artist, and these are the artists I like, who are far less conceited than those organizing the evening or standing behind the staff, providing a great lesson in humility to everyone.
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