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Rating: I waited in vain for about twenty days for a response from Omar to a series of questions I sent to his email address after attending the beautiful acoustic concert last April in the evocative and intimate setting of the Cappella Mellerio in my Domodossola. It's a shame because I was sincerely convinced that it could happen, bearing in mind that Omar had given his sure availability for the online interview.
Maybe he’ll reply to me soon, maybe in some time; there's also the possibility that he may have discarded my five questions.
In the meantime, here's the account of the concert and the meeting I had with him before and after his performance.
He set up the concert in an original way: a journey through his entire musical career up to now, with his heartfelt stories, between one song and another, of the significant events that have happened to him over the years. The acoustic dimension of the performance was made even more gratifying by the splendid location of the Cappella Mellerio. A concert for a few intimates, not more than a hundred people, at least half of whom passed by purely by chance, but it truly gave me so many emotions given my familiarity with a good part of the career of the Brescia singer-songwriter, first with Timoria and subsequently in a much less known, to the public, solo career.
The theme of the journey was often mentioned during the evening: in Timoria's most famous albums, the departure, escaping far away are themes that consistently emerge. It’s logical to start with that "Viaggio Senza Vento", a concept album that tells the story of Joe's escape and redemption from his daily life. Moving through tracks like "Sudamerica" "Via Padana Superiore" in the subsequent discographical step; continuing with the 2013 journey to England and the meeting with Noel Gallagher who appreciated him so much. Not forgetting 2004 and the dramatic ambulance transfer that led Omar from Brescia to Bologna with that crazy highway race. A journey to save his life, just a step away from death.
Returning to the concert, I was impressed by his way of engaging, at the end of the performance, with the little audience left in the room. He didn’t hold back but satisfied everyone with autographs, photos, simple words, and particularly smiles. As for me, it was delightful to meet Omar before the concert and show him that pick he had given me back in 1994 at a Timoria concert in Verbania; a pick that I keep with the care of a personal Sacred Shroud!! And I will never forget that final hug, so spontaneous, so sincere as two old friends; after all, we are two boys from '67, a year, as he reminded me, quite important for our Rock (Beatles, Love, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Velvet Underground, Cream, Captain Beefheart, etc., etc.). A Gentleman in the true sense of the word, but I already knew that for a long time.
We also recalled the common musical love for Helmet by a certain Page Hamilton: always thought very highly of the Brescians, damn.
He saved for the finale the two songs I like the most out of all the ones he wrote: the wonderful "Senza Vento" and especially "Sangue Impazzito". The minimal sound of the acoustic guitar made his heartfelt vocal participation even more thrilling; and I didn’t hold back, getting as close as possible to Omar and singing both songs with him.
Before saying goodbye, he hinted at something about a project he has in mind concerning the twenty-fifth anniversary of "Viaggio Senza Vento"; I believe I can imagine, dear comrade, the gift you have in store for your long-time fans.
A simple and splendid evening; and to think that I was undecided until the last moment about whether to be there or not.
Ad Maiora.
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