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Novembre † Klimt 1918 † Room with a View |
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25/05/2006 - Roma, Alpheus |
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 I reach Rome around 15:00 p.m. of Thursday, the 25th of May. The city is
wonderful and a summer sun, mitigated by a wind that usually here in our
country is unfortunately absent, refreshes a lil' my day, waiting for
the gig/event of the night:
Novembre
+
Klimt 1918
+
Room with a View.
Got off the train, the first thing I've noticed is the almost frightful
largeness of the central station of Rome, that seems an airport with a
multiethnic mixing really incredible. Another thing that I could've noticed
- especially for the boys - is the fact that the Roman girls are
terribly beautiful so, even if art doesn't interest you, go to Rome the
same, you won't regret!! Well, wanderings apart, after a visit at Villa Torlonia
- and namely Mussolini's ex-residence
(no comment) - in the
afternoon, the
evening comes in a hurry and at 21:15 I arrive at Alpheus. Paid the
ticket (10 €!!), I enter the club and I immediately go to hava a look at
the merchandising stalls, where the members themselves of the bands (except Novembre)
are selling various stuff at good prices (there was even a loincloth of
Novembre!!!). After a while, at 21:50 (ten minutes early than expected)
Room with a View get on stage.
The Capitoline band opens straight away its own set with
"Penitence", the
most violent song from the last work "Collecting shells at Lighthouse Hill"
and unfortunately since the beginning there are technical problems which
will quite affect the set of the band. The absence of a keyboard
player on stage and especially the voice of the singer Francesco Grasso,
a bit too much going ups & downs, have prevented the 4-piece to
express all its huge potentialities and the emotions they're able to
make you feel. At their partial excuse, there has to say that the sounds
weren't exactly perfect and that, as 'confessed' by the vocalist, this
was the absolute 1° gig of the band, and therefore I consider at least fairly good
the performance of Room, that in any case see among their rows an
incredible
Piero Arioni at
drums and that in the heaviest songs such as "Breathe the
water", resulted however convincing, even if not sensational as in
the recording sessions.Well different story for Klimt 1918 who, more experienced and with some songs surely more simple to reproduce alive, compared to whom had preeceded 'em on stage, have been the surprise of the night. Lead by a charismatic and clever front-man as Marco Soellner, dressed up in style Franz Ferdinand for the occasion, the band sets the audience on fire thanks to a performance by the unbelievable accuracy, with the above-mentioned singer especially really very good at vocals, as well as a killing but exciting groove. We were saying about the personality of the vocalist/guitarist and this, very strong, especially comes out when, talking to the crowd, asks which song they'd like hearing to be played and when he underlines the fact that a lot of people were coming from outside Rome for attending the gig, thing really a bit proper for such an event. The set-list, held in about 50 minutes of show, included almost the whole spectacular "Dopoguerra", further to a couple of songs taken from the debut album "Undressed Momento" and, in particular, resulted definitely convincing the live versions of songs such as "Because of you, tonight" & "Nightdriver", further to the last "They were wed by the sea", as conclusion of an astonishing performance of a band in dazzling form. After Klimt and another quick change of stage (with regards to this, I'd like to underline the excellent organization of the evening) and the headliners Novembre materialize on stage. Thanks to an immense class, an instrumental ability really unusual and an album, the sensational "Materia", released a short time ago but already a milestone from the band's repertory, the act of the Orlando bros really takes a lil' to result fantastic even on the boards of the stage of Alpheus. The band gives the right weight to the songs taken from the last work, but doesn't absolutely forget the past. We find in fact, together with songs such as "Aquamarine", "Memoria Stoica/Vetro" & "Geppetto", perhaps the best songs from "Materia", very great classical songs such as "Come Pierrot", "Nostalgiaplatz" (greatly acclaimed by the audience) and "My starving bambina", in which the band gives vent to all its emotional potential, thanks to an unique sound that blends arpeggios and melodic parts to blasts by the phenomenal extreme taste. It must be underlined however that, just like in the last release, Carmelo Orlando uses less the growl to concentrate himself mostly on the clean voice and that some songs, especially those taken from the masterpiece "Novembrine Waltz", are cut by the band, maybe to have then the time to play more songs possible. The highlights of the evening are surely the incredible "Venezia Dismal" (extraordinary, in spite of its complexity) and the extraordinary "The dream of the old boats", with a stupend contribution of the audience, further to an outstanding Massimiliano Pagliuso who, even thanks to a beautiful double guitar à la Jimmy Page, made the songs such as the finale "L'Epoque Noire" real jewels. And it would surely be ungenerous not remembering a great rhythmic section with Giuseppe Orlando comparable only to a machine and the bass-player Roberto Fasciani, at his first gigs with the band, but not shy at all. In short, an excellent performance, as conclusion of a really beautiful and problably unrepeatable night. Once the gig is over, after a Nutella brioche simply divine, I found myself wandering a bit in the city, really fantastic by night, before finding the bed so longed for and, after a short sleep, I found again myself on the train comin' back home, with the memory of a night and a day that I won't easily forget: thanks Rome and thanks to all the bands which have played! What a wondeful night!!!! |