Maccagno with Pino and Veddasca - Great music in Maccagno with Dana Gillespie and Lorenzo Bertocchini - - Varese News
An evening of great international appeal on Monday, August 11th in Piazza Unità d'Italia, on the lakeside in Maccagno: at 9:00 pm, British singer-songwriter and actress Dana Gillespie and singer-songwriter Lorenzo Bertocchini from Varese will be on stage (free admission).
Originally from Surrey, Gillespie began her musical career in the mid-1960s and has collaborated with, among others, John Carter, Ken Lewis and her long-time boyfriend David Bowie (on “The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars”).
The English artist is one of the people who knew “the White Duke” best in the crucial years between 1964 and 1975 and a few years ago she appeared in Francis Whately’s documentary “Finding Fame”, dedicated to Bowie’s apprenticeship years, which was broadcast on the BBC.
In 1973 she played the role of Mary Magdalene in the very famous “Jesus Christ Superstar” by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice and at the cinema she is also remembered in the films “Smoke Over London” by Alberto Sordi (1966), “La Perdizione” (1974), “Il Cagnaccio Dei Baskerville” (1978) and “Il shroud viola” (1980).
On May 27, 1966, Dana was on the side of the stage at the Royal Albert Hall when Bob Dylan (with whom she had been having a fling for a few weeks) performed the historic concert later released in 1988 as “Bootleg Series – Live 1966: The “Royal Albert Hall” Concert”. On that tour, the minstrel from Duluth, accompanied by The Hawks (later renamed The Band), presented his songs in electric versions for the first time…
Such shocking news for traditional folk purists that many fans rebelled and one of them in Manchester, exactly 10 days earlier, shouted “Judas!” to Dylan, to which he famously replied: “I don't believe you!”.
75 years old, 74 albums released, her songs span rock, rhythm'n'blues, folk, and blues, although the latter genre is her true love: it allows her to unleash all the emotion she has in her voice, which is both raspy and melodic.
Lorenzo Bertocchini (vocals, acoustic guitar, ukulele and harmonica) has been performing live since 1990 and has always written songs , drawing inspiration from all the roots of great American music: folk, country, blues, rockabilly .
A historic figure in the Italian independent scene, the singer-songwriter currently residing in Besozzo has played everywhere in Italy, Europe and the USA, and has released seven CDs : six with original songs and one with songs by Bruce Springsteen , an artist with whom he met on stage a few years ago, in New Jersey.
His songs are original (listen to “You Like, I Like,” “I Left My Pants In Buguggiate,” and “More Messy Than Me” to believe it) and he’ll welcome any excuse to write one. His most recent album, “Happy Island,” features Dan Bern, Elliott Murphy, Lach, Cliff Eberhardt, and Scarlet Rivera .
Among the artists Bertocchini loves to revisit live are, among others, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry. As in previous concerts, Gillespie and Bertocchini will alternate at the microphone or duet on classic songs and their respective original songs.
Accompanying them are two expert musicians with great artistic sensitivity: Giorgio Caserini, who plays both guitar and cajon (a long-time collaborator of Bertocchini), and Adriano Nolli , a pianist and organist who has been active in the area for many years. The event is organized by the Municipality of Maccagno con Pino e Veddasca in collaboration with the Proloco of Maccagno.
In case of bad weather, the concert will be held at the “Bruno Compagnoni” Auditorium, via Valsecchi 23, Maccagno.
Varese News
