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Rating: Firstly, I must state that, due to transportation issues, I was unable to attend the concert in person, but I followed it on Radio2, the station broadcasting the live radio coverage of the event. Therefore, this review is written by someone who can mostly assess how the various bands performed musically. With this premise, the actual review can now begin.
In the afternoon, three indie bands, mostly unknown to the general public, took turns on the stage of Arena Parco Nord: the Morning Parade, the Wombats, and the slightly more famous White Lies. Around eight in the evening, the atmosphere of the main event starts to build. Right on time at 8:15 PM, the Kasabian take the stage at the I-Day Festival, a British rock band praised by the Gallagher brothers. The group, led by the charismatic Tom Weighan, has always received a great public response, partly due to the fact that the guitarist Sergio Pizzorno has Genoese origins. The first song in the setlist is “Club Foot,” one of the most well-known and beloved tracks by fans, followed by Where Did All the Love Go?, the new single “Days Are Forgotten,” and “Shoot The Runner,” another favorite of the band. Immediately, one cannot help but be amazed by the skill of this group; their songs performed live gain even more power and energy compared to the original versions. The live performance then continues with a mix of tracks from the new album, due out on September 19, “Velociraptor!,” and classic old songs, such as “Underdog” and “Empire,” concluding the first part of the concert with “L.S.F..” After a three-minute break, Kasabian return to the stage for the encores. The set resumes with “Switchblade Smiles,” a song from the new album. Throughout the concert, the audience flawlessly sang along to most of the songs and certainly did not hold back for “Fire,” the song that definitively concluded the concert. Truly a great concert started and ended perfectly, played by Kasabian with impressive intensity. I have never been a true fan of the Leicester band, as I have always only casually listened to the most popular songs; however, after this performance, they definitely earned one more listener. RATING 9/10
After half an hour, during which the stage was dominated by the technicians in charge of lights and tuning the guitars, at 10:00 PM, the highly anticipated Arctic Monkeys took the stage. These four guys from Sheffield, led by singer and guitarist Alex Turner, not only are my favorite band but also the headliners of the most important summer festival, and, although they have never been played on Italian radios, they still have a large following in our country, as evidenced by the 15,000 people present tonight for them. After a few moments, drummer Matt Helders begins to “roll” the intro of “Library Pictures,” a track from the band's latest album, “Suck It And See.” The concert truly kicks off with the devastating “Brianstorm,” one of the most anticipated tracks by fans. The concert then continues with classics like “This House Is A Circus” and “Still Take You Home.” The performance then moves on to “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair,” the first single from the latest album, a song I was never fully convinced by, but it certainly merits extra points when played live. After “Pretty Visitors” and the surprising “She’s Thunderstorms,” the Arctic Monkeys hit us with “Teddy Picker” and “Crying Lightning,” two of the band’s most beautiful older tracks. Following a decent “Brick by Brick” and a good “The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala,” two famous songs from the first album arrive, “The View From The Afternoon” and the legendary “I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor,” which literally set the Bologna crowd on fire. Next up is “All My Own Stouts,” followed by “If You Were There, Beware” and “Do Me A Favour,” two tracks from the second album that, despite not being singles, remain a staple in the band's live performances. Finally, the most awaited moment arrives. When Alex starts singing “So who’s that girl there?” the audience knows it’s time for the historic hit: “When The Sun Goes Down.” When Turner then pauses midway through the initial verse, the audience takes over, singing the song flawlessly. This signifies that this song is a real anthem for fans, the most significant track. The song then resumes at its liveliest part, perfectly closing the first part of the concert. After a few minutes, the monkeys triumphantly return to the stage. The first encore is the romantic (despite the title) “Suck It And See,” certainly not one of their best tracks. The second encore is another highly anticipated song and my absolute favorite, “Fluorescent Adolescent.” After this performance, I find myself saying, “What did I miss?!?” We then reach the definitive conclusion of the concert, entrusted to 505, the song that closes the second album and also most of their concerts since 2009. RATING 9/10
In conclusion, the concert was a true triumph, with excellent performances by all the bands. I was positively surprised by the Kasabian, while the Arctic Monkeys fully confirmed themselves as one of the best live bands of our time.
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