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Rating:
On Saturday, December 11, I went with a friend to Latte Più, a venue in Brescia where the concert of the English band Firebird was scheduled.
The Arrival.
Around ten-thirty, after spending a few minutes searching for the place, located in a large industrial area, we arrived at our destination. At the entrance, I immediately recognized the new bassist of Firebird, Greyum May, on the phone. I would have liked to chat with him, so I waited a few minutes… however, the call must have been long! So I gave up and went back inside to avoid freezing. Here I am inside, and here's surprise number two: Bill Steer, the frontman famous for having been with the Carcass, was a few meters ahead of me, chatting with someone. I turned to my friend and said: "Hey, it’s really him!" and then, as I looked again, Bill had disappeared behind the stage. Such a pity! In two minutes, I had missed two members of the band!
After these unfortunate events, we drank a beer and waited patiently for the concert to start. Luckily, the DJ behind us had a valid repertoire at his disposal, which made the wait more pleasant with the right background. It was nice inside Latte Più: the atmosphere was quite warm and the lights contributed to making the environment even more pleasant. Furthermore, it wasn't even crowded, and that could only be a good thing: when the Pelican came, the audience was so numerous that hardly anyone could move.
OJM
Around eleven, there was some activity near the stage as the opening group, OJM, took the stage. I must admit that I didn't know them at all, but I enjoyed their performance. The four guys played good music, a rock with stoner overtones that winked at the '70s. Rather unusual, they didn’t have a bassist, but instead, a keyboardist. The beginning of their show was quite impressive, with the guitarist showcasing his effect skills. If we add that they could boast a talented, passionate, and powerful singer, then they were all set. And yet no: a condition similar to boredom took over after a few songs, due to the somewhat repetitive sound unknown to most. The audience wasn't very interested; there were polite applause at the end of each song, but I swear they were just waiting for them to finish to make way for Firebird.
By midnight, OJM finished, so we took a look at the merchandise stand. CDs, vinyl, t-shirts…nice stuff, a bit out of reach for two perpetually broke young men! So we applied the "look but don't touch" philosophy.
Firebird
We wanted Firebird, and right on time, Firebird arrived at midnight. We were very excited. Bill Steer, Greyum May, and the heavily tattooed drummer Ludwig Witt took their places on stage. In good Italian, Bill greeted us ("Buonasera") and, seeing the scattered crowd: “Come here, come, join us!” and there we were in front of him, just below the stage. The opener of the concert was the powerful For Crying Out Loud, from their latest album Double Diamond. The setlist choice was very satisfying, balanced, and commendable. Blue Flame, Jack the Lad, Silent Stranger: the groove of Grand Union was sparkling live, as was the direct and honest attitude of Meantime. The cover of James Taylor, Fool for You, was also very good. Bill Steer delivered a fantastic show, thanks to his genuine talent, both on guitar and vocals, and even on the harmonica! This was to be expected from someone like him. The bassist also made a good impression, showing he could handle his instrument well, setting energetic and powerful rhythms. One of the most intense moments of the evening was offered by Ludwig Witt, who during Zoltana performed a solo that, from the twenty seconds on the record, was extended to over two minutes! Truly impressive!
Ironically, they closed with the classic Slow Blues, the fastest piece. Without particular attention to the audience, they left the stage, and the magic of the evening left with them…apparently! After a few moments, we started chanting “We want more! We want more!” and, shortly after, they returned to the stage. What can be said about the encore Four Day Creep, a cover of the Humble Pie? Performed with mastery, the best way to close a 10-out-of-10 concert.
Post-concert (considerations and return trip)
At the end of the show, I thought about waiting a bit to try to catch the band members after the show concluded, but unfortunately, Morpheus was about to take over my friend and evening driver, so to avoid unpleasant surprises, we agreed that it was time to head back.
As for music and musicians, here is my verdict:
- OJM: they have good insights, the guys know their stuff but still have a long way to go. Rating: 7/10
- Firebird: almost perfect concert, incredible the power a minute power trio can unleash live, all this has a name: class. Rating: 10
Having to give an overall rating for the evening, there is no mathematical average needed, 10 for a lifetime!
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