morgenthaler

I was lucky enough to experience Virgil with Soul SirkUS 2 nights in a row,- one in Malmö/Sweden and one in my hometown Copenhagen/Denmark. Here are my thoughts on the experience...

Wednesday
Awake early,- knowing I am going to see Virgil tonight.
VERY excited about it, I make sure I have everything; Earplugs, discman (with SS rotating happily) trainticket, camera (yes I got a few good shots,- I'll send 'em to Chris soon), some pieces of fruit and a sandwich for my day in Malmö. Left around noon and arrived 45 minutes later in Malmö central station.

Beautiful city, lovely weather,- I don't go here enough even though it's just next to Copenhagen. Ask my way to the venue,- the swedes are very helpful that day. Get there and realise that the band has not arrived yet, so I kick back and do some sightseeing in Malmö. Return to the venue a few hours later, and yes! - a big blue bus is parked outside! I meet another dane (whom I don't know) who just saw Neal and Marco ,- and who brought 93 CD-covers for Neal to sign.... I don't really get that, but OK..

He tells me that I will NOT be able to get in until the show in the evening,- which would be 3 hours more on my own... Then he leaves for dinner....I go around the corner and meet Honey, -lovely lady in charge of merchandise (and MANY other things). I ask her to tell Virgil I am here, and 5 minutes later I am at SS soundcheck (ALL BY MYSELF! not a single soul besides me and the road crew/local crew)

I wave up to Virgil and he smiles and signals back that I should just get a seat and we'll talk after soundcheck. GREAT! F.... great. The band is sounding awesome, -phenomenal! Virgil is S-O-L-I-D as a rock and all the guys are seriously kicking ass. Jeff especially stood out to me as the perfect frontman. I mean he has the combined singing talents of..Prince, Freddie Mercury, Steve Lukather etc. But he is still 100% Jeff Scott Soto. Check him out!

Soundcheck ends... I am speachless...Virgil comes down and greets me like a true friend. Already I feel blessed, and the real show hasn't even begun yet. I get introduced to the other guys, and to Virgils drumtech Jim, who needs a round of applause for his tireless work. Did an awesome job!

After that the whole crew is eating dinner.
We retire to the backstage area (Virgil hooked me up with a pass) and Virgil sits down to do some more warming up. I grap a beer and we talk about how time flies, and we can't believe it's been THAT long since we last saw eachother. I ofcourse suck up every bit of backstage vibe, and the other guys turn out to be supercool dudes.

Showtime!
WOW...2½ hours of pure rock´n´roll... Virgils solo over the Gypsy vamp leaves the entire audience SCREAMING at him of sheer admiration, and he leaves us stunned by his Superman-like motions around the SS Donati / Airtom model 2.0.
They cover a range of great tunes besides most of World Play, and I am electrified by every phrase, every dynamic fill, and every thundering bassdrum hit. He's gotten better..... I don't know how (well duh..practicing) but he actually still improves!!! Uncanny....

It's late and I retire to the backstage area for some more hanging around, and overall feeling like the luckiest guy on the planet.
We say goodnight, and SEE YOU TOMORROW (Virgil has my number and will call in the morning when he knows their schedule), and I head down to the trainstation at 1 o'clock at night...I fall asleep pretty quick that night, even though I am buzzed about the whole thing.

Thursday

I sleep 'til 11 and has some cleaning to do at home.
Virgil calls around 2 and we agree to meet at the venue.
I take my bike and 10 minutes later he comes walking, ready to do some sightseeing in Copenhagen. It strikes me how sympathetical Virgil is, and I am more than eager to show him a bit of town. He wants to try an organic restaurant, and I make a phonecall to locate one (Thanks Lisbeth, You ARE the best!). We agree to take a cab, and the strangest thing happens... WE CAN'T GET A CAB!! Not one! We keep walking and walking for ages!...NO AVAILABLE CABS!!
I tell him that I believe we are quite close, so we might just walk there , but suddenly we spot what seems to be an available cab. Virgil in full flight follows the cab at what seems to be 30 mph... I can't keep up,- I am heavily loaded (both personally and with a couple of cameras, including Virgils video camera) Virgil keeps the pursuit for 400-500 meters and I am gasping for air trying to keep up.... Virgil finally catch the cab... only to find that it was taken...!

I realise we are just around the corner from the restaurant, and he says for the second time.. "Ofcourse now it just has to be closed, since we put in so much effort!" -And he is quite right! The restaurant doesn't open until an hour later... too late for us considering the schedule. I call a new cab and we head back to an Italian reaturant just next to the venue.

Soundcheck is a bit (a lot) more hectic today, somethings are not what they should be. Nothing the band or their crew can help, so they just wait for the local crew to get their act together. Virgil and I sit down to write a little weblog entry on the spot -during soundcheck. He kindly enough mentions me... Again I feel like the luckiest guy on the planet.

Finally the right sounds are coming from stage, and I sigh releaved! They sound great, and the drums might even sound a little better than the day before. I love the HHX evolution crash and the new brilliant Saturations! I check out the Saturation ride...I might need to get one of those!

The bandroom / backstage area is much smaller tonight, and I hang out with Virgil outside, shooting abit of pictures and video, documenting his time in Copenhagen. I leave him with the band and go to the frontdoor to pick up a few of my friends coming to the show. I am all over them with how great it will be and you can read from this review that they weren't disappointed:
http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ul...ic/f/609/t/4889

All I know there agree that it's uncanny good!
Were are laughing, singing along, and screaming at them! It's so ubeliveably great! This being the last night, the guys deliver BIG TIME. I have grown crazy about many of the tunes. I really dig them!! Virgil gets a full solospot, and... well... I can't describe how good it was. You all know it!
His execution was better than ever and his attitude was frightening! Easily the worlds greatest drummer in my book.

I am on cloud nine, and so are a few of my drumming buddies. We say goodbye to Virgil and the band, and head out for beers in the hot summernight.

I've just been Virged once again. It's like a fix.
You just want more. He might return to Denmark already in October.
I can't wait....
Now... I gotta practice!

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Jeppe Morgenthaler
Virgildonati.com Moderator

jonberg

That sounds great Jeppe. I agree with all you said, the Soul Sirkus gig in Stockholm was great too, and Virgil was very nice as usual.
I´m in the middle of moving out so I have to clean my apartment, can´t believe how much work it is! I hate cleaning!!!!!!

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jagdkommando

Thanx for the nice review. I'm jealous ... next time I should visit you
when there is a concert in copenhagen. It seems that you had much more success then me althaugh I met virg 5 times in a row.

Great review!

cjcdrums

Wow, fantastic review! I envy you and your experiences with the man himself. That's SO cool that you got to hang with him for so long.

"stunned by his Superman-like motions around the SS Donati / Airtom model 2.0." LOL!

kirk

Nice review Jeppe. WOW! sound's like an amazing 2 day's. Virg seems to really enjoy playing with the other guy's. It is nice to find a niche that works well. Klemme put up a great review at HOD also. Sound's like both of you were dragging your jaw's out of the concert hall.

Take Care
Kirk

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Stop practicing Donati! Your too ****ing good already! - Steve Lukather

morgenthaler

yup,- I actually linked to that post in mine!!

-and you're right. I too have no idea where my jaw is!

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Jeppe Morgenthaler
Virgildonati.com Moderator

Christopher

Awesome Jeppe, you even made it in the Weblog!!

GREAT REVIEW!!

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Christopher Nalbandian
Virgildonati.com Webmaster

morgenthaler

Thanks Chris, I'll have a few pix coming your way sooner than you can say : "So what do you want me to do?"

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Jeppe Morgenthaler
Virgildonati.com Moderator

jimi

Nice one Jeppe, Glad you had the time of your life!!

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morgenthaler

thx Jimi, you know I did...

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Jeppe Morgenthaler
Virgildonati.com Moderator

johngregson

Jeppe, glad you had such a great time! I've had my first fix of the Virgil live experience, and I can't wait for more!
Best,
John.

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frank

Wow Jeppe! Great review!!! It must have been SO cool to hang with Virgil like that!

"I've just been Virged once again. It's like a fix."

I know exactly what you mean! You just have to see the guy at least once a year, preferably more often..

I'm jealous but it's cool that you had such a great time!! I envy you!

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vdreignsuponus1

am i the only one on this board who hasn't seen virgil live?!?!?!?! it's murder i tell you!

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kirk

There are a few other's that suffer with you I think.

__________________
Stop practicing Donati! Your too ****ing good already! - Steve Lukather