When in Milan Phil Collins said: "Sun cuntent de vés chi!"

When in Milan Phil Collins said: “Sun cuntent de vés chi!”

On 9 October 1997 the then FilaForum (now Mediolanum Forum) in Assago was packed for the Milanese stage of the “Dance into Europe Tour 1997” Of Phil Collins. What follows is our review of that performance.

Despite the frankly exorbitant prices of tickets – up to 90,000 lire! (at today’s exchange rate it’s 45 euros) -, it’s sold out. The show, however, did not disappoint: Collins offered almost two and a half hours of very muscular, predominantly vocal performance (Phil preferred the microphone to the drums, where he sat for the opening instrumental and for a solo paired with his drummer Ricky Lawson, ex Yellowjackets), during which he presented a good part of the songs from the latest album “Dance into the light” and a rich selection of repertoire hits.
The stage shaped like a ship’s deck, circular and mounted in the center of the arena, took up the maritime symbolism that characterizes all the iconography of the tour; excellent musicians (in addition to Lawson: Nathan East on bass, Darryl Stuermer on guitar, Brad Cole on keyboards, a brilliant horn section and two good backing vocalists), excellent lights and sounds (and God forbid…), no group of support.

Collins greeted in Milanese dialect (“Sunt cuntent de vés chì”: for non-Po Valley people, “I’m happy to be here”), and allowed, supported by useful notes, other clips of conversation in Italian. Among the most applauded songs, the inevitable “In the air tonight”, “Do you remember”, “Easy lover”, “You can’t hurry love” and “Sussudio”; ovations from the nostalgics when Phil mentioned “Mama” and “That’s all”, in memory of the Genesis years; emotions and emotions for the acoustic sequence – voice and baby grand piano – with “One more night”, “Another day in paradise”, “Against all odds”; amazement for an unexpected cover of Dylan’s “The times they are a-changing'”.

Standing ovation at the finale (“Take me home”); polite surprise, strong disbelief and a few whistles when, for the encore, Collins invited “a good Italian singer” onto the stage, re-proposing for the Forum audience the duet with Laura Pausini already previewed on Wednesday evening at Propaganda. But you know, the record business has its needs…

First Sep

Hand in Hand
Hang in Long Enough
Don’t Lose My Number
River So Wide
Take Me Down
Find a Way to My Heart
Another Day in Paradise
Just Another Story
Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)

Lorenzo
Separate Lives (cover by Stephen Bishop)
The Times They Are A-Changin’ (Bob Dylan cover)
Piano + voice set

Do You Remember
Long Long Way to Go
One More Night
Last set

In the Air Tonight
Timbantiocha
Easy Lover (cover by Philip Bailey)
Dance Into the Light
Wear My Hat
You Can’t Hurry Love (Supremes cover)
Two Hearts
Something Happened on the Way to Heaven
Sussudio

Encore:

The Same Moon (with Laura Pausini)
Take Me Home