It’s great to be in Verona again, and playing at the Arena. (I last played here in 1987 with Peter Gabriel.)

It’s not only in the city, it’s right in the piazza called Piazza Bra. You’re walking around, maybe shopping, and come upon this view:

I’m lucky, I get to go right inside.

Arrived in the morning with the crew, and due to a rain storm last night, and late load out of the opera scenery, things are running behind today.

The view from the top seats is stunning.

I mentioned an opera here last night - they have performances all summer, and as we go into the Arena there is a lot of huge scenery stacked everywhere

and more opera stuff inside….

I went off to have a coffee (the crew still working away) and returned to find the stage roof up above and things coming together.

a late addition to the web diary, this pic from Russ Wilson, our monitor engineer, taken of me going to soundcheck.

It’s not like it looks… I ran into the … no, really it’s not as if …

Anyway, shortly after soundcheck, what’s called the Royal Package… some people come in early, have a question session with our mgr, David Singleton, and also with some members of the band. I joined Jakko today.

Backstage, it’s quite cavernous. One can imagine lions running through these halls on their way out to the arena center.

We took a very short intermission, so as to get more music in before the venue curfew. Knowing the audience might not be back in their seats, Sheltering Sky seemed a good piece to get them back in.

Headed back for second set, it’s dark now

and after the music, here’s our wonderful audience

maybe not wanting the evening to end, I took a few shots as the crew packed up