By Phil Eil
For those of you who declined invitations to Dolores Park on Saturday: Don’t worry, you didn’t miss much. It was the usual scene: young people drinking Tecate, dogs chasing Frisbees, an eight-year-old guitar prodigy playing Creedence covers.
What’s that? There isn’t usually a third-grader playing to throngs of fans? I see. OK, then. Maybe you did miss something. Here's what happened:
At around 6 p.m., I was lounging on the grass near the center walkway, talking with a friend, when I heard the unmistakable guitar intro to “Suzie Q.” But then, instead of a grown-up Fogerty-wannabe belting out the lyrics, I heard a tiny, determined voice wailing, “Oh, Suzie Q, baby I love you…” Curious to see who was singing, I shuffled toward the source of the music. By the tennis courts, I found a raucous crowd of hipsters whistling and hooting around a kid with an electric guitar and a microphone. Behind him, sitting on an amp, there was an older guy playing back-up guitar. I sat down and stayed mesmerized for the next 45 minutes.
My PS3 abilities no longer seem so impressive ...
The kid, Lucciano Pizzichini (I learned from his business card, taken from a stack next to his tip jar), was a miniature rock star. He not only had the look (shaggy hair, aviators, jeans, and Chuck Taylors), he knew exactly how to work the crowd. During his set of classic rock staples -- “Samba Pa Ti” by Santana, “When the House is a Rockin’ Don’t Come A’ Knockin’” by Stevie Ray Vaughn, “Proud Mary” by Creedence Clearwater Revival -- he strutted up and down the hill, playing scorching solos and dropping to his knees a la Jimi Hendrix. I’m sure everyone in attendance – by the end of the show there were over 100 people – would agree, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen an eight-year old sing, “Left a good job in the city/ workin’ for the man every night and day.”
If Pizzichini, the Argentinian guitar prodigy, ever hits it big (which I’m sure he will, someday), I’ll be able to say that I saw him play waaay back in 2008 in Dolores Park. I’ll grin and think back, misty-eyed, to that unforgettable performance that left more than a few people, including myself, wondering, “Is this some sort of FOX special? Am I hallucinating? Should I call Child Services?”
Then I’ll lie and say that it was actually me, who, when Lucchiano was finished playing, yelled, “Somebody get that kid an ice cream!”
Pizzichini on Telemundo.
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