alright let me please finally give you the word.
ponce is BAD RUM + BAD COFFEE with added sugar and a piece of lemon. once Livorno was an important commercial port in the Mediterranean, a city built by whores and pirates, born as the port of Pisa. the poor people had no money for expensive liquor so the tradition wants that they used the worst coffee imported from South America and the cheapest rum to have a strong drink.

this is actually very strong. if you try the fruity version of it (not exactly from Livorno though) it will put you on the floor. mix fruit, sugar and rum at boiling temperature and drink it hot. the smokes are about 90 degrees and the alcohol % over 90.

get 3 of those and you an drive naked your bike in he cold winter without feeling anything!

Lorenzo "Surfer Joe" Valdambrini
(www.surfmusic.net)

surferjoemusic wrote:

alright let me please finally give you the word.
ponce is BAD RUM + BAD COFFEE with added sugar and a piece of lemon. once Livorno was an important commercial port in the Mediterranean, a city built by whores and pirates, born as the port of Pisa. the poor people had no money for expensive liquor so the tradition wants that they used the worst coffee imported from South America and the cheapest rum to have a strong drink.

sounds pretty cool!

this is actually very strong. if you try the fruity version of it (not exactly from Livorno though) it will put you on the floor. mix fruit, sugar and rum at boiling temperature and drink it hot. the smokes are about 90 degrees and the alcohol % over 90.

get 3 of those and you an drive naked your bike in he cold winter without feeling anything!

When you have to shoot ... shoot! Don't talk.

"Los Grainders" > https://losgrainders.bandcamp.com
"The Strings Aflame" > https://thestringsaflame.bandcamp.com
"Planeta Reverb" > www.instagram.com/planetareverb

The festival was fantastic this year!! Many of my favorite band played, perfect weather, perfectly organized - an unforgettable weekend. I got so many new friends

Thanks Lorenzo for inviting me to be a part of the Reverb Seminar! I really enjoyed discussing reverbs/technology with all of you. Thanks Chris and Kilian, its been great to work with you! The seminar and all the new friends I got encourage me to continue building stuff that interests surf musicians. This is a hobby for me, I will keep this little project 'open-source' and small scale. The close contact with our surf community is important to me.

/Björn

A laid back Sunday at Surfet Joe.

Rev

Canadian Surf

http://www.urbansurfkings.com/

Last edited: Jun 28, 2015 04:15:01

Thanks Darren and Rev.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Hey Jeff,
I´m really excited to read your reviews for saturday and sunday!
Hope they´ll come soon!
cheers
LoeD

here comes the WEST SAMOA SURFER LEAGUE

Here are some more photos from the festival, including a shot of The Blair Pongracic Band's set list for those intrigued by their amazing performance (and the key changes)...

The Blair Pongracic Band

Daikaiju

West Samoa Surfer League

Messur Chups

Tremelo Beergut

And The Wheel...

Mattia, it was nice to meet you!
I hope we can get Watang over to USA sometime!

Jeff(bigtikidude)

OK, I better get back to my Reviews of the weekend before I forget some of the details.
Sat. June 20th
So we woke up around 10 am I think, still tired from the late night before.But not as bad as the morning before with the Jetlag and late night together. We got ready, Dorthy went to Florence for the day with her friends to see some amazing art and sculptures, while I went to Surfer Joe and be a super surf geek at the SG101 meet up, and reverb seminar.;-) I think I got there a little before Noon, and Niels had the name badges on the table for people to fill out their SG101 user name. Niels had me pick some people from the group gathered to get on the air on NSSR to ask about what they thought of the festival, and the surf scenes around the world also. I'd say there was around 25 to 30 SG101 members there.(Sorry Brian, we didn't get a group show,damn it).
There was probably more there for the whole weekend, but some slept in later I assume. around 2:30 or 3 the reverb seminar started.
I saw about 1/2 of it, then I needed to run back downstairs and get on the air with Niels on NSSR. We interviewed Ferenc from Frankie and the pool boys,TomorrowMen,Pollo Del Mar, etc... He had been to Surfer Joe fest a few times before with all of those bands.
Around 5 pm, the bands started playing.
Starting the day off was, TERRORIST BENGALA PARTY (Italy), then THE SINE WAVES (UK),and then PIRATO KETCHUP (Belgium). I was worried that going to such a huge surf music festival, that there would be some music overload, and I wouldn't be ably to watch, or only hear bits of bands from afar.
I caught a little bit of each of those bands, but I was busy running around, and talking to people I had met for the 1st time, eating, etc.
Everybody was good. But in retrospect I wish I could have given them a better listen. At least I was there on the property, and heard all of the bands that played that weekend, and not away at my hotel or eating elsewhere.
Up after them was
A-PHONICS (Spain), I have the CD and thought they were a good band, and was looking forward to seeing them at surfer joe, and having them at the SG101 convention, but WOW!! they were way better Live, and blew me away.
Great playing,stage energy,a real highlight for me.
Then URBAN SURF KINGS (Canada)on the big stage, I kinda thought that they should have played the smaller tiki stage, a three piece kinda gets lost
on the big stage. Not that their playing is bad or anything, I like USK a lot, and am planning on having them at SG101 next year probably. But that being said, they put on a great show, and sadly I missed half of it.
up next,THE KILAUEAS (Germany) Love this band so much, they can do no wrong in my book, Great song writing, great stage energy, good mix of song styles,great new drummer(congrats guys). A highlight of the fest.
Now next was a band I was really looking forward to seeing.
THE BAMBI MOLESTERS (Croatia). I have all of their recordings, and have been a big fan since the first album. They did not disappoint. They brought the horn players and keyboard player. So it was the whole full stage show like on the recent Night in Zagreb cd. I love so many of the songs they did, I wish they could have played an hour or more longer.
A for sure highlight of the Fest for sure.Many moments of goosebumps and
tears durring their set. Just a pure joy to finally get to see them.
Up next, another fave of mine, and band I had at SG101 last year.
BOSS MARTIANS (USA) What can be said about this band, that isn't already known, or witnessed in the videos of that night. Just a pure 100% rocking
good time, fun band. They do some vocals, but they are so damn good, and
sung well with harmonies for days( I can't not like them).
Evan said he's having so much fun, coming back to that surf/drag/frat stuff. That makes me so happy to hear. I hope that they keep rocking for a long time. Up next was a big crowd favorite, and a cool show because
SATAN'S PILGRIMS (USA) had not been in Italy/Europe for 12 years I think its been. The Pilgrims are another one of those bands that has an energy
that can't be captured on recording. I love all of their albums, but it is a pure joy to see them Live. I have seen them many times, but its always killer. But for some this was their first time, and they had many goose bump moments I think. I know they don't play all the time, because of location of Ted their drummer being in the South, but I hope they keep going for a long time too.
This was the First full night of a bunch of bands, and thew biggest turn out of the Fest so Far. I'd say around 2000 or so at the height of the night. So amazing to see so many people at a surf fest, and digging it
and having a great time. I really like how its a big open area, and not a amphitheater with seats, that would lose the cool vibe of the whole event. I think we stayed there till about 3 am, and then finally had to get to the hotel to crash again.
but what an amazing day/night!

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Last edited: Jun 30, 2015 23:44:45

last day of the fest,
Sun. June 21st.

We woke up around 10 am, I was surprised it was so early, as it was another late night before. But it was the last day there, and we wanted to grab a bite at a nice place that Lorenzo hd recommend. We got ready and grabbed a cab, and I texted Ran to meet us on the main street in front of Surfer Joe
as there was Prosciutto place right across the street. As we were getting close in the cab, I saw Ran walking on the street, so I asked the driver to drop us off a block early. I didn't get a good look at the place that Lorenzo had pointed out, so when I saw a deli that had many kinds of meat
I mistook it for the place he said. We went into the relit for about 30 min. and tried many different meats and cheeses, and got 4 meats, 3 cheeses, and some great bread, then went across the street to the little park in front of Surfer Joe area to have a picnic. Jonpaul's fiancé Marie was riding down the street on a bike and we yelled for her to come over and join us. We all ate so much, it was amazing, and there was still left overs, that we gave to Lorenzo and surfer joe crew to finish.
Then we slowly made out stuffed way to the diner.
We had quite a bit of time before the show was going to start, as the Surf Music discussion seminar had been canceled, as Ivan,John Blair, Jonpaul were at a rehearsal, Lorenzo was busy, and there really wasn't a lot of people there at that time anyways.
Rev Hank and guys from Urban Surf Kings did do a Ukelele version set of surf standards etc. in the Ungawa tiki bar upstairs.
I caught some of that, and also sat in on some of the NSSR broadcast, if there was somebody there to talk to.
I again was there for all of the early bands,
AQUA BARONS (Greece),WEST SAMOA SURFER LEAGUE (Germany),
THE BIARRITZ BOYS (The Netherlands)and THE TAIKONAUTS (France)
But I was running around talking to people, helping with nssr, eating etc. I would catch a few songs in front of the stage, But I was really running low on energy from the weekend, and would go and sit down to rest in the shade, and listen from afar. Again, all of the bands were good,
and I wish I could have given them a more close listen. I was never more than 200 ft. away from the stage. But mentally I felt like I had been there a whole week.
up next was, JOHN BLAIR & IVAN PONGRACIC BAND (USA), I mustered the energy to go up front and witness this epic performance.
If you haven't yet, please do yourself a treat and watch the videos.
I have been a long time fan of John Blair, and the 2 bands of Ivan's
This set was absolutely mind blowing, and Dane Jonpaul were the best 2 guys to fill out the rhythm section for this show, and later tour of Spain. I heard many people saying they were one of or THEE highlight of the festival for them. And that there was many goose bump moments in their set. Up next was another band I was really looking forward to seeing, MESSER CHUPS (Russia) was a big one because its been an issue trying to get them over to the USA to play. So I thank Lorenzo for having them at Surfer Joe, so some of us from USA could see them.
They are all great players, and put on a good show. I was a little bummed that they didn't have their projections behind them. and I felt that maybe they might have been a bit of a better fit on the small stage.
as they don't reAlly move around much. Just my observations.
I heard they did a song with a lap steel, in a hawaiian style,
sadly I missed that As I had to run back inside to be on NSSR again.
up next was,THE TREMOLO BEER GUT (Denmark)
I was on the air for half of their set, but they were right outside the diner, so I could hear them rocking, and when I was finished I ran out as fast as possible. I have some of their early albums, and was really stoked they were on the bill. Very cinematic in some ways, heavy then quiet,then intense, all over the map, I really enjoyed them a lot.
I need to get their stuff that I don't have.
To Close out the night and weekend was,LOST ACAPULCO (Mexico)
They were on the big stage, and they did a good job on it, and had a fair sized crowd for the end of the weekend. I have so say that Im not a huge fan of their style, but they seem to have fans, so I can see why Lorenzo had them. after they finished, there was DJs spinning tunes till into the wee hours.
Lots of us went up into the mercy room, and said our goodbyes, and some tears were shed. Some contact info was exchanged for possible tours of USA, and many hugs and hand shakes were shared. It was a great long weekend, but it had to come to an end. We had a taxi called to pick us up and ended up sharing a ride to the hotel with 2 of the guys from West Samoa Surfer league. Thanks for picking up the tab on that.

I could go on and on about all the small details,
about the 4 patty burger that Lorenzo had made foe me, the huge bag of cds n vinyl that Dorthy and I brought home. about all the friends we made, and old friends we saw again.
but basically I want to say that it was a trip of a lifetime, and again
I am so happy,grateful,and just still in awe of all of the donations to help get me there. I again say Thank you to all who donated.
It really means so much to me. And I still get a bit choked up thinking about it. I would never ever want, or expect such a thing. So to receive it and follow thru on going was just the most amazing gift I have ever received.
Thanks also to Lorenzo, Luca, Francesco, and the amazing Surfer Joe diner crew,for all of your hard work.
And to Lorenzo for your gracious hospitality and help with the picking up, taking to the airport and hotel rides.

I have a bunch of pics, that I should post. Ill try to get to that soon.
Ciao everybody!!!!

Jeff(bigtikidude)