Diaframma
14 febbraio 2014, Black Hole, Milano

The umpteenth Lombard trip of the Diaframma is an excuse to meet on a gray Friday evening at the Black Hole, a pseudo-gothic nightclub in Milan, and have a chat, finally in person, with some old acquaintances—the kind, to be clear, that you hear more on "feisbuc" than anything else, but with whom, when you get the chance, you go out with them, and it’s a pleasure.

For those who missed a few episodes, it must be said that the Diaframma has long since passed the phase of being a niche group in the strict sense of the term and enjoys a large following, with many requests and dozens of concerts a year. The days of lean times, with some evening here and there in the most remote places, are long gone, good for them. Rejoice for our heroes who, after years, have finally broken into the hearts of the Italian public? Yes and no.

Let's make things clear, the success Federico Fiumani is now enjoying is well deserved, no objections. While the "cousins" Litfiba, with whom there always seemed to be a love/hate relationship, were climbing the charts in the nineties with albums like "Spirito" and "Mondi Sommersi", certainly not bad but children of a very different attitude from that of the golden days, Fiumani languished, writing gems like "Il Ritorno dei Desideri" and "Sesso e Violenza", and only a handful cared. So, if after "only" thirty years the existence of Diaframma has been recognized, it's nice to see that many under the stage are about twenty-five, clean-shaven university students who, between exams, indulge in the Diaframma trip and enjoy the Friday night mosh pit.

So what is the issue? It is that, paradoxically, after yearning so much for a success that seemed never to arrive, the good Fiumani, when he finally saw this success, seems to have rested on his laurels a bit, almost living off the "returns" on his myth. Strengthened, finally, by a stable lineup, supported by the rhythm section of Luca Cantasano on bass and Lorenzo Moretto on drums, as well as the returning Edoardo Daidone on guitar, the recent Fiumani is presenting himself with a more refined rock, which, from a purely musical point of view, seems to be more refined than what was offered some time ago, thanks to more meticulous and complex arrangements, certainly made possible also by the presence of the two guitars. At least for the moment, then, it seems that the power-trio formula has been shelved and, rather than pushing for a banal "wall of sound" at all costs, the choice to present a mature rock seems to have been successful, also thanks to the interesting reinterpretation of some old classics like "Siberia" or "L'Odore delle Rose", which certainly come out enriched. Although Fiumani was the author of an album called "Coraggio da Vendere" years ago, one can’t help but notice how some choices in the Diaframma household are not too daring, and in this regard, one can't help but talk about a setlist that now seems stuck on the usual handful of old classics, unfortunately almost always the same. With the exception of rare resurrections, in fact, Diaframma's concerts have long been characterized by worrying repetitiveness, with warhorses heard a little too often. Why play "Verde" and "Elena" for the umpteenth time, certainly pleasant tracks, when a long discography is available and the possibility to choose from almost two hundred songs? Albums like "In Perfetta Solitudine", "Sesso e Violenza" or the beautiful "Il Futuro Sorride a Quelli Come Noi", perhaps Fiumani’s last true masterpiece, are practically never touched, except on sporadic occasions, and "Difficile da Trovare", an album that in fact revived the Tuscans' ratings in unsuspecting times, seems to have already ended up in oblivion, yet there too, there were various worthy cues.

What can be said about "Siberia", an album of such historical importance that it overshadowed everything good done in the thirty years that followed? Usually, only a couple of tracks are replayed, always the same. This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of that album's release, why not re-present it live? If we add to all this that the tracks from the new "Preso nel Vortice", which are currently the backbone of the concert, do not always convince, the impression that we get is that of a missed opportunity and, where once there were a few dates but that had the flavor of a "little event", today there is certainly a longer tour but also characterized by a certain routine. And it is a pity because the current band is perhaps the best Fiumani has had in recent years; refinement after refinement, a perfect balance has been truly reached, and it is a pleasure to see/hear how Fiumani's guitar dialogues with Daidone's, as well as to hear such a well-knit rhythm section.

There is finally the impression of being faced with a group in all respects and not just simple session musicians, and the "collective" cover of the latest "Preso nel Vortice" couldn’t have captured this moment better. Regardless of the controversies, there were really several memorable moments during the evening, especially during the reinterpretation of tracks from the Eighties, now evergreen songs of Italian music, and the current state of grace, at least live, bodes well for the future. Given that, for once, we are lucky enough to start from such solid foundations, then why not take a few more risks? For now, deferred until September.

Diaframma: 

• Federico Fiumani, vocals and guitar
• Edoardo Daidone, guitar
• Luca Cantasano, bass 
• Lorenzo Moretto, drums

1. L'Odore delle Rose 
2. Siberia 
3. Labbra Blu 
4. Venus (Television cover)
5. Diamante Grezzo 
6. I Giorni dell'IRA 
7. Elena 
8. Tre Volte Lacrime 
9. Il Suono che Non c'è 
10. Madre Superiora 
11. Fiore Non Sentirti Sola 
12. Infelicità 
13. Io Sto con Te (Ma Amo un'altra) 
14. Vaiano 
15. Gennaio 
16. Amsterdam 
17. Illusione Ottica 
18. Claudia mi dice 
19. Hell's Angel 
20. Tutte le Strade 
21. L'amore è un Ospedale