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Novembre † Klimt 1918 † Room with a View |
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25/05/2006 - Roma, Alpheus |
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 Novembre,
Klimt 1918, Room with a View. The gig of the Roman trio, dreamt by many
fans for some years, has finally become reality the 25th of May, in the
capital obviously, gathering several people even from the extreme
borders of Italy...I would've comprehensibly bad tolerated to lose this event that I had been wishing for years, 3 of my fave bands, related, though with different stylistic approaches, sharing the stage for a night by the gloomy or dreamy colours, soft or heartbreaking, ready to make soul quivering and - why not? - to wring some shivers as already felt with their records... The gig's even been the occasion for the meeting of those from the chat which unites the lovers of the bands in question and stuff like them, but this is another story, just like all the problems suffered by a Sardinian guy who, for leaving his island, must always face the uncertainty of strikes, mobilizations and delays at the airport (this time my insults justly go to Alitalia) or similar troubles caused by the Tirrenia ferry-boats... I reach the club in haste, while already from outside I hear the notes of the intro of "Penitence", first song from he set-list of Room with a View and so I make my way till under the stage to attend their performance... I have to say that honestly I've gone to the gig mainly for them than for the other two bands, which I had already seen live, and it's not been really nice seeing that their set-list went cut (besides without going over the times) for the little consideration of the organizers of the gig towards them... So they didn't play anything from "First year departure", their first enchanting album, but only excerpts from the same (though differently) beautiful "Collecting shells at Lighthouse Hill", such as "Sometimes anywhere", "Against my will", "Breathe the water", "Friction" and the final "Till morning comes", all sung at the top of their voices by a lil' party under the stage (me included of course).  What I didn't
frankly liked has been the estreme use of bases to make the songs
sounding as on the record, that in some passages has a bit had
the contrary effect, reducing the impact of the tracks themselves... A
pity, even considering that for playing, Room with a View have
played and how!, especially the drummer, who is precise and elegant, just like you imagine him listening to the record, without
nevertheless
forgetting decision and power. Warm and intense the vocal interpretation
by Francesco (but even by Alessandro at the backing vox): playing and
singing at the same time shows some difficulties at times and some vocal
lines are shortened a lil', but the level remains however high, with an
excellent harmony among the various members of the band, even considering
that on stage they couldn't hear each other so well and hence they went
a bit by heart... It regrets that their performance has been a bit
mutilated by the lack (or almost) of the soundcheck and what already
said above, even seen that their qualitative level isn't inferior at all to
Klimt 1918, gone up the stage right after: the changes of stage have
been
very fast, even too much for those who maybe looked for some cd or t-shirt to buy, taking some pictures or just drinking a beer outside the club... By the
way it was the first gig of Room with a View and, some lil'
imperfections apart, it was a very successful baptism, a band able to
make you feel great emotions even on stage and that only needs to play
live more frequently for making the final improvement.While I'm at the stands I vaguely hear the first song of Klimt 1918 and so I return under the stage for "La Tregua": it's evident that the various gigs around Europe have made the band much closer than when I saw them 2 years ago always at Alpheus, for the 'Pale Moon Night'...  Harmony apart, it's worth talkin' about the drums' impact, which beyond
the soft vibe of many passages, is able to keep a resolute and powerful
mark without lacking in the dynamics, giving a 'more metal' sound to
some songs which on the record appear less heavy... The magic 'single'
from the last album,
"Snow of '85", acclaimed all together and clapping hands, "Rachel",
not less valid than the previous track, in which, always thanks to Paolo
Soellner, the song gains thickness compared with the cd (for example, I
didn't notice some triplets on the drums which give more shape to the
sound), follow one another the excerpts taken from
"Dopoguerra", while someone even asks some songs of Another Day, the
former band pre-Klimt 1918...
 'In any case we won't play "Stalingrad
theme"...' is Marco Soellner's answer to the requests of songs
taken from
"Undressed Momento" (persist therefore the doubts that
they're able to
play that song alive, double drums parts in the beginning inlcuded...),
from which are performed instead the stupend
"That Girl", with disappointing false note, break and reprise,
and "Parade of adolescence", even this with some problems,
perhaps the tuning of the guitar. And again "Because
of you, tonight", "Sleepwalk in Rome", "Nightdriver",
while for the final starts the intro of "Dopoguerra" which
flows into "They
were wed by the sea" to complete a performance surely very good and
touching, but with some doubts, use of score or lyrix in front of
the vocalist included, as well as manqué 'gift' of the set-list sheet to
whom had ask for it, for makin' instead a paper airplane to send among
the audience, which has not been so nice...In the end it's turn of Novembre, just returned from an intensive European tour supporting Katatonia and very acclaimed at 'home'... perhaps because the 'fatherland' was (quite) more populated by persons from abroad than natives, seen the heavy presence of people arrived from far away compared with the Romans, who once again give the impression of snubbing a lil' some very interesting bands  instead, and
maybe finally even a bit more launched outside the usual borders...
The beginning is up to "Verne", stupend opener from the last
"Materia", and the first rows start
jumping, singing and accompanying every note with the mind and heart,
while the band passes through "Come Pierrot", "My
starving bambina", "Nostalgiaplatz" for then coming back
to the present times with the singles "Aquamarine" & "Memoria
Stoica/Vetro"... They could be defined simply perfect, seen that even
Carmelo's voice doesn't miss a hit, the new bass-player doesn't limit
himself to play but is completely dragged by the songs, adding power
and impact to the band, while guitars (included that at double-neck used
in some songs Massimiliano Pagliuso) drive towards oneiric journeys
with the following
"Everasia" &
"Geppetto"... I think that is unnecessary
 spending words of praise for the drummer
Peppe Orlando, it's amazing seeing him playin' with
that disarming simplicity, either in the more complicated passages or in the
wilder ones, as the beginning of "Comedia", unexpected, which
leaves dumbfounded those present... Impeccable harmony, let's go ahead with
"Venezia dismal" & "Materia", after that
the band takes a short break for then coming back on stage with the last
3 songs, "The dream of the old boats", "Child of the
twilight" and the rediscovered "L'Epoque Noire",
included in the set-list of this tour a bit by surprise, considered that
in the recent past they didn't perform it... and to tell you the truth,
although beautiful, I would've preferred it was sacrificed in favour of
some excerpts from
"Arte Novecento", big absent among the
songs proposed, but there's to say that probably in many would've
liked Novembre to play again many other songs. Just another brief stop at the merchandising stands and in about a couple of minutes all the audience has been guided outside the place, it's not clear the reason why, nor with which profit even for the club/organizers... Last buys on the spot and then via, continuing and thinking again to the wonderful night with all its emotions. |
