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Rating: Setting of a Friday evening in early spring under the shadow of Etna: the usual national-popular Liga concert in Acireale, Telethon concert with cover bands of famous names from the past in Piazza Università, Fast Animals and Slow Kids within the frame of Mercati Generali. Free will and a detour to the out-of-the-way venue for what my chances allow, lead me to the court of the four griffins.
The descent of the guys from Perugia had been awaited for three years, as they’ve been absent from the city of the elephant for that long, as they themselves will point out. A descent into Sicilian land also wet by the stops in Messina and Palermo.
Opening the evening, with the main hall not yet properly filled, were the lively Ultravixen to a local band, unknown to me, dedicated to an interesting 90's alternative rock balanced between early Marlene Kuntz and the theatricality of Teatro Degli Orrori. I don’t know why, but the vocals reminded me of Pierpaolo Capovilla’s.
Entertaining moments occurred when the frontman approached the front row with the guitar, creating a little show with the first rows.
It was already one o'clock when the Fast Animals took the stage, behind schedule. One witnesses a physical performance without interruptions and the exits and returns to the stage, which let's admit, have been a bore for some time.
They give fair space to “Alaska,” their latest creation, without forgetting “Hybris,” my favorite album of theirs, and offering a gem polished from the first album like “Copernico.”
What is striking about the four guys, especially about frontman Aimone Romizi, is the ease with which he stands on stage and his effortless interaction with the audience, coming across as very likeable, never taking himself too seriously. He is the real driving force, managing to arouse the crowd below the stage well with his words and actions. Epic, in this sense, was the stage diving onto the crowd.
A continuous and uninterrupted flow of notes, composed of songs that in a live setting prove even more fiery and at the same time epic than on the album. Key moments include the performance preceded by a scream of “Troia,” the epic and derailing “Treno,” the evergreen “A cosa ci serve,” as well as the noisy “Il mare davanti,” “Coperta,” and “Come reagire al presente,” which represent the best possible pieces of “Alaska.”
After the concert, after grabbing one of the picks, Aimone himself proved available for autographs and traditional photos, even taking the time to create a funny little scene, hugging me and allowing me a second attempt for the photo.
The categorical imperative is that three more years must not pass before seeing them again, but the warm audience, not numerous but present and participative, and our culinary tradition will surely bring them back.
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