Bill Callahan
Live @ Bronson - Ravenna

It was really exhausting to get to this concert. The Bronson is not a location that falls within my geographical expertise: it's the fourth time I've gotten lost trying to get there. But this time the struggle was also mental. Bill Callahan is the concert I've been waiting for 6 years, since I heard the first song, since I immediately decided that Smog was my favorite artist, since I started reading his lyrics and believing in phrases like "we are constantly on trial, it's a way to be free". Well, the moment has arrived. And I am alone. No one who wants to accompany me, no one who wants to share this moment. Is that possible? BILL CALLAHAN!

Alone, nothing to do. I fought against all my shyness, and traveled all 70 km from Bologna to Ravenna (yes, a few more because... I got lost).

Alasdair Roberts, forgive me, I skipped it quickly; I've never been particularly interested in Scottish folk.

Here he comes. Eyes down and in silence. Barefoot. The smile of happiness covers my whole face. And at the same time the tears don't stop. I'm filled with joy but it's also true that I'm there alone.
"Thank you" and the first piece begins. How grateful I am to him: "Teenage Spacesheep" seems like it has never been so beautiful, and so fitting. He continues slowly, with another slow and painful piece, "Our Anniversary". I don't even realize that there's another electric guitar, bass, and drums on stage. Oh, the bass, yes, the sound is terrible, the reverb unbearable, and only halfway through the concert did they manage to calibrate it, only to lose it again at the end. Which is a real shame, Bill Callahan's voice suffered a bit from it. There's always a short pause between songs, it seems there's no fixed setlist. But the mood isn't lost while waiting. He positions himself now at the center of the stage, rock pose... "Diamond Dancer" starts. Now I hear all the instruments, and I'm having so much fun. Bill Callahan gives himself without shame, he dances, he jumps, and his movements remind me of Shannon Wright, she also has a non-phallicentric way of using the guitar, which I appreciate very much. In short, he dances and jumps, making some grimaces too. I've run out of tears, but now my smile reaches my ears. I'm alone and enjoying a wonderful concert.

A grimace too many... a string broke. He politely apologizes and the concert pauses for 5 minutes. They return and continue with a series of songs that really surprise me: more from "Knock Knock", from "A River Ain't Too Much to Love", and then the laconic announcement: "one more". Damn, it was really short.

3 songs for the encore, "Let Me See The Colts" drawn-out and hypnotic, Alasdair Roberts comes on stage playing the acoustic guitar with a beer bottle in hand, and then... And then that's it. The end.
A little over an hour of Bill Callahan and his band (which he introduced but I couldn't catch the names).

A short but beautiful concert. My first Bill Callahan concert.

In a hurry, I return to the car, always ashamed of being alone. I put on "Dongs of Sevotion". I take the wrong road back home as usual. But I smile. "Hold on"