Carbini
The place to be
The Carbini venue was part of last year’s Giru (2008) also. I had already shown my friends the location on Google Earth before my holidays. They were amazed to find that I Muvrine would also perform in such a tiny town which, going by Google Earth, consists of not much more than a handful of houses, a church and a cemetery. I wanted to go and see that!
In 2008 I was a bit unlucky that I Muvrini performed in the coastal town of Tiuccia the day before the Carbini concert. This involved a long drive that resulted in me not being able to get to bed before 5.00 AM. With the sun and heat already becoming to much for me to sleep at 8.00 AM is was feeling a bit tired. Carbini was a 2,5 hour drive which would imply that I would not be hitting the sack before 4.00 AM that night either. Although it was not that sensible I really wanted to attend the Carbini concert and therefore pushed on to and set off at in the afternoon.
From Solenzara onwards I took the D258 for an hour of curves and bends. What a wonderful scenery. I really needed all eyes on the road but could not help to admire the Aiguilles de Bavella, the peaks of the Bavella. Absolutely beautiful, as if they were luring met to Carbini, the place to be!
- Aiguilles de Bavella
However, once I arrived in town everything seemed very quiet. The only signs of life came from one single café with a few people sitting on the terrace. Besides this it was like a ghost town.
Before I could blink, I had already passed through the town and had to u-turn. When I drove past I had seen a little boy sitting on a bench looking rather bored. I decided to ask him in my best French where the I Muvrini concert would be. He firmly replied: “Annulé!” and so I realised that I had come for nothing. The only positive thought that kept me going was realising that I would be able to retire earlier that night. I decide to get going immediately to profit as much as possible of the remaining daylight.
The next day in Campuloru I found out why the Carbini concert had been cancelled. Jean-François told me it had been cancelled because of a bereavement in town. When I told him I had not been aware and had made the trip to Carbini, Jean-François apologised. As I understood and respected the reason for the cancellation I had no issues with this at all. It was the only appropriate decision they could have made. Anyway, I would not have wanted to miss the drive in the beautiful scenery anyway.
In 2008 this was already an unexpected bonus to my holidays but when I found that the Carbini venue was on the list for 2009 again I was happy to be able to re-visit and had another opportunity to experience I Muvrini performing a small town in the Southern hills of Corsica.
Carbini anno 2009
This year’s schedule with Carbini the day after the concert in Bastia was actually much better. This year I set off to Carbini knowing that I could rely on being properly slept up.
Once I had passed the town sign I could already see the stage lighting towers perching above a hedge and behind I could see the typical church spire behind the stage. Opposite a field had been turned into a car park. I was surprised about the sheer size of car park for such a small town.
Already when I arrived nothing reminded me of the ghost town I encountered last year. Once I get out of the car I can already hear Thomas working his drums, Achim the keyboards, Mickey the guitar and César the bass. Jean-François is working with the audio guy in a tent protected from the sun. They keep on sound checking until Jean-François and the audio technician are happy. As ever Jean-François insists on checking the sound from all possible angles. Then takes a seat behind the piano and does the sound check for the piano, his guitars and vocals.
You can tell by his behaviour that he is not a happy man today. Seemingly he is not happy about something. The others are oblivious to this. They are relaxed and are joking around. To me there also seem to be sufficient reason for happiness. The Giru is well on its way now and everything within the 40 people team is running smoothly. Every concert has worked and also today the sound check seemed fine.
But there is definitely something ‘’out of tune’’ with Jean-François, if I only I knew what. When he moves from behind the piano and says something which I cannot understand, the atmosphere changes.
Jean-François walks up the steps to back of the stage and has a long conversation with Achim. All expect Alain and Stéphane leave the stage. Alain and Stéphane quickly test the microphones for the polyphonic sections and disappear from the stage to join the others at the dining table.
Technician Gilles joins Jean-François and Achim in the discussion and starts to fix something which is seemingly hard to repair. Now Achim is also working on ‘’boxes full of technology’’ and seems to be at a loose end. Things are not helped by Jean-François looking over him with a distinct irritated facial expression.
I guess perfectionism leads to impressive results and one should therefore not be satisfied to easily. Mickey also joins silently but looking rather uncomfortable. Now I am also getting somewhat nervous about whether things will run this evening. On the other hand, going by the rest of the group sitting at the dining table, there are no signs of unrest.
We, the people who are allowed to attend the sound check, are asked to leave the arena and to return later at 20.00 including our tickets. This is a standard way of working and is encouraging. I would like to see the conclusion of the sound check and possible issues. Luckily I manage to get a view through a screen which is actually intended to avoid people peeping, using my camera zoom lens. There still some discussion with Jean-François taking the lead. Mickey and Gilles leave after a while. There is no fiddling anymore with knobs and technology. It seems as if the problem has miraculously been solved and Achim and Jean-François seem to be much happier now.
I am relieved: I have not travelled to Carbini in vain this time!
Everyone want to go to Carbini!
At 20.00 PM I enter the grounds, I still feel that the number of chairs reflect a somewhat exaggerated positive expectation with regards the number of visitors this evening. During the sound check I had left my sweater on a chair in row two: ‘’reserved.’’ This seems to work but I doubt whether it was necessary and whether the rows behind will fill up. I take ‘’my’’ seat, take my book and indulge in the fact that I chose to sit on the right as the lighting for the entrance also provides enough light to read.
The audience arrives and I am looking forward to an intimate concert which I have dreamt of for ages. But, as one would expect, around 21.30, half an hour before the concert commences, the grounds quickly fill up. It must forgot about my ‘’dream” and can only conclude that the people of Southern Corsica would like to see I Muvrini perform.
Imperfections
This performance is actually the only one that was not perfect. In “Un Ti Ne Scurdà” Jean-François and Alain forget to follow up on time. I have never experienced this kind of thing before. In fact, it enhances the experience as it shows that the performance is not on automatic pilot.
Also the reading of “Dicocorse” at the start of the encore by Jean-François is not flawless. It seems that the paper marker is missing and he mumbles ‘’I will do that on later’’ and continues with “Tù mi manchi”. The audience is less enthusiastic with joining in with “Canzona di u Rizzanese“. Jean-François tries to stimulate by chanting ‘’merci merci’’ at the audience but their volume is more like whisper mode compared to the Bastian audience.
This is no measure for the appreciation of the performance. The audience ‘’rewards’’ I Muvrini with a loud applause and full attention throughout the entire concert. At “A Voce Rivolta” the audience erupts again.This surely will become their next hit. I join in, as this helps me also to warm up again. I had not really realised the altitude at which Carbini is situated. My t-shirt and sweater are absolutely not sufficient to keep me warm.
After the concert I quickly find my way to my car to turn the heating up. There is no evidence whatsoever that I am in the Mediterranean in midsummer. I hardly recognise the parking which is now completely filled up with cars and it therefore takes a while before I get onto the D258 towards the coast.
I have a car in front of me all along the D258. Last year I was completely on my own and stopped to enjoy the stars and feel on top of the world. Driven by a faint perception of safety I continue to follow the car in front of me. How silly to think that a car in front of me would stop to help at 2.00 at night? I try to put that thought to rest.
Anyway, I arrive at my apartment safely. Before I go to sleep I decide to give Purtichju a miss tomorrow as it is a three hour drive. You should rest when you are on your holidays and I trust that I Muvrini will continue.
Moriani – Carbini= 121 km, 2 hours 25 minutes
Carbini Stade
Themocracy