Gino Vannelli; Scottish Rite Cathedral Reading, PA 2/15/08
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:50 amAhhh, Gino Vannelli was touring again! I've liked him since my cousin John used to play his tapes for me in the car on our way out to college back in da day.
I saw Gino in Atlantic City nine years ago and was hoping he'd come this way again since he's not one who tours regularly, like other Classic artists.
This tour looks like it's only four shows. Glad two were in my area. I chose Reading, PA over A.C. since Reading's a little closer and doesn't involve all the bridge, road and parking tolls. Much more hassle free, right? WRONG!
I had no trouble getting to Reading. But getting on the right road for the venue proved elusive. I didn't know there were two exits for Business Route 422 and got off at the wrong one at the wrong end. The map I had did not have all the streets listed. I was confused. The venue was on 7th Ave and I arrived at 7th STREET to see a large concert hall. Unfortunately it was not where Gino was playing. ARGHH!!!!! A friendly waitress in a diner and others in a mini mart tried to guide me right. Finally a young guy in his early 20s said he and his buddies would LEAD me there. They drove ahead of me and led me directly there even though they gave me a blank look when I mentioned Gino's name. THANKS GUYS! Extra blessings for you and your family! If I knew your address I'd send you all gracious tips! Without them I might've missed half the show. As it was I missed the first three songs(where's the opening act when you need one?). But I'd heard Gino do most of them live before and the new arrangement of Wheels of Life is on youtube.com for me to check out since I also missed that.
He was finishing Wheels and starting Wild Horses when I walked in around 8:25. Glad he's gone back to the original arrangement on Living Inside Myself. When I saw him in 1999 he played a jazzier, much different arrangement. "I wrote this on Christmas Day back in 1980," Gino said. Like many Classic artists, Gino has dropped the key on most his songs about a half or whole step. But they still sounded great to these ears!
He was rather quiet and unassuming as he would talk softly between the songs. He said most people want to know what he's been up to for...thirty five years or so..or recently" One person wanted to know what it was like to be him in the 70s. "Well", said Gino. "I commanded a certain amount of acclaim, just like today. I called a radio station recently who'd requested an interview from me. I told them that it was me, Gino Vannelli. The person who picked up the phone went, NO WAY! SHUT UP..."! Gino laughed. "Yep, I still get that wonderful acclaim"!
He talked of growing up with music in the house all the time at his home in Montreal. His dad loved Classical, Opera and Big Band Jazz especially. Gino was overjoyed to be able to do a Classical Opera album, Canto, five years ago. He proceeded to then slay us with the title tune which was sung in Italian.
He spoke of living in LA for 15 or so years. One of his close friends is into plastic surgery. "Some people go out and do it regularly, like they're getting their car washed", Gino explained. He wrote his song Venus Envy about these plastic surgery addicts.
On I Just Wanna Stop we were all invited to sing along.
On Brother to Brother the five piece band(I believe they're all from Portland, Oregon, near where Gino lives) really scorched, just like on the album. Allen Hinds gave Carlos Rios(who'd played the fiery guitar break on the Brother to Brother album) a run for his money. Reinhardt Melz was rockin' out on the drums, if not quite as polished as the late great Mark Craney on the record. Randy Porter was just fine in Brother Joe's original place on keys and loved the addition of Patrick Lamb on sax in the band! But no bass/drums break duel! DRAT! Ahh well...Sandin Wilson aquitted himself very admirably on bass.
Then, after an encore of his first very funky hit from 1974, People Gotta Move, the show was over. Fairly brief show, about 85 minutes or so. But I hear most the venues he plays now have only wanted a show 90 minutes or under. This is the way it's been for years, or so I hear.
I was able to get a setlist from the stage from a cool roadie and see that I'd only missed Crazy Life(slow ballad, an odd one to start with...). Black Cars(from 1985) and Wheels.....
He was out to the lobby pretty quickly to sign autographs and pose for pics.
The Scottish Rite Cathedral is a more modern type of auditorium with a huge lounge lobby. Very nice! The hall was only about half filled. But I hear he's sold out in Vegas.
I had Gino sign my setlist and asked him what his brothers Joe & Ross were up to. He smiled and softly said that Ross was doing his sound now back at the board.
setlist:
Crazy Life
Black Cars
Wheels of Life
Wild Horses
Living Inside Myself
It's Only Love
Canto
Nightwalker intro/
Appaloosa
Hurts To Be In Love
Venus Envy
I Just Wanna Stop
Brother to Brother
People Gotta Move
I saw Gino in Atlantic City nine years ago and was hoping he'd come this way again since he's not one who tours regularly, like other Classic artists.
This tour looks like it's only four shows. Glad two were in my area. I chose Reading, PA over A.C. since Reading's a little closer and doesn't involve all the bridge, road and parking tolls. Much more hassle free, right? WRONG!
I had no trouble getting to Reading. But getting on the right road for the venue proved elusive. I didn't know there were two exits for Business Route 422 and got off at the wrong one at the wrong end. The map I had did not have all the streets listed. I was confused. The venue was on 7th Ave and I arrived at 7th STREET to see a large concert hall. Unfortunately it was not where Gino was playing. ARGHH!!!!! A friendly waitress in a diner and others in a mini mart tried to guide me right. Finally a young guy in his early 20s said he and his buddies would LEAD me there. They drove ahead of me and led me directly there even though they gave me a blank look when I mentioned Gino's name. THANKS GUYS! Extra blessings for you and your family! If I knew your address I'd send you all gracious tips! Without them I might've missed half the show. As it was I missed the first three songs(where's the opening act when you need one?). But I'd heard Gino do most of them live before and the new arrangement of Wheels of Life is on youtube.com for me to check out since I also missed that.
He was finishing Wheels and starting Wild Horses when I walked in around 8:25. Glad he's gone back to the original arrangement on Living Inside Myself. When I saw him in 1999 he played a jazzier, much different arrangement. "I wrote this on Christmas Day back in 1980," Gino said. Like many Classic artists, Gino has dropped the key on most his songs about a half or whole step. But they still sounded great to these ears!
He was rather quiet and unassuming as he would talk softly between the songs. He said most people want to know what he's been up to for...thirty five years or so..or recently" One person wanted to know what it was like to be him in the 70s. "Well", said Gino. "I commanded a certain amount of acclaim, just like today. I called a radio station recently who'd requested an interview from me. I told them that it was me, Gino Vannelli. The person who picked up the phone went, NO WAY! SHUT UP..."! Gino laughed. "Yep, I still get that wonderful acclaim"!
He talked of growing up with music in the house all the time at his home in Montreal. His dad loved Classical, Opera and Big Band Jazz especially. Gino was overjoyed to be able to do a Classical Opera album, Canto, five years ago. He proceeded to then slay us with the title tune which was sung in Italian.
He spoke of living in LA for 15 or so years. One of his close friends is into plastic surgery. "Some people go out and do it regularly, like they're getting their car washed", Gino explained. He wrote his song Venus Envy about these plastic surgery addicts.
On I Just Wanna Stop we were all invited to sing along.
On Brother to Brother the five piece band(I believe they're all from Portland, Oregon, near where Gino lives) really scorched, just like on the album. Allen Hinds gave Carlos Rios(who'd played the fiery guitar break on the Brother to Brother album) a run for his money. Reinhardt Melz was rockin' out on the drums, if not quite as polished as the late great Mark Craney on the record. Randy Porter was just fine in Brother Joe's original place on keys and loved the addition of Patrick Lamb on sax in the band! But no bass/drums break duel! DRAT! Ahh well...Sandin Wilson aquitted himself very admirably on bass.
Then, after an encore of his first very funky hit from 1974, People Gotta Move, the show was over. Fairly brief show, about 85 minutes or so. But I hear most the venues he plays now have only wanted a show 90 minutes or under. This is the way it's been for years, or so I hear.
I was able to get a setlist from the stage from a cool roadie and see that I'd only missed Crazy Life(slow ballad, an odd one to start with...). Black Cars(from 1985) and Wheels.....
He was out to the lobby pretty quickly to sign autographs and pose for pics.
The Scottish Rite Cathedral is a more modern type of auditorium with a huge lounge lobby. Very nice! The hall was only about half filled. But I hear he's sold out in Vegas.
I had Gino sign my setlist and asked him what his brothers Joe & Ross were up to. He smiled and softly said that Ross was doing his sound now back at the board.
setlist:
Crazy Life
Black Cars
Wheels of Life
Wild Horses
Living Inside Myself
It's Only Love
Canto
Nightwalker intro/
Appaloosa
Hurts To Be In Love
Venus Envy
I Just Wanna Stop
Brother to Brother
People Gotta Move