Ligabue
Sette notti in arena

THE REVIEW

Or, Liga With Strings.

Many have stumbled upon strings in their artistic lives. Almost everyone. From the great groups of the past (Deep Purple, Jethro Tull, Procol Harum, etc...) to those of the present (Metallica), in every genre of music, starting obviously from jazz, where for example, just to name two, the first that come to mind because of the reckless love for their works, Charlie Parker and Chet Baker, have gifted us with historical and unforgettable recordings.

But strings are a double-edged sword, or, to dive into a cheap pun, there are also bows without arrows...

And here Liga I'm not quite sure whether to say he made a blunder or simply brought home the bacon with a product that salvages what can be salvaged, without taking away anything, but certainly adding very little to a career that we've debated in vain too many times about whether it was glorious or not.

The fact remains that such an operation has several viewpoints. Let's examine them.

From the artist's side.

Undeniably, it is no surprise that those who sing and play (like the author here, in a small way, has always done) cannot help but be attracted by such a landscape: a big orchestra and the Verona Arena. Well, damn, I'd like to see... If any musician denies it, it means they're a compulsive contrarian or a serial liar.

It is obvious, of course, that it would be a dream. So, if a dream only brings you a bit of money in your pocket, in the end, what's wrong with that?

Then, everyone knows that after a while in show business, you become slightly whorish.

So what? In a state led by someone who fills his beach house with bouncing, naked chicks and lets any old Topolánek stroll around his garden with his junk hanging out, is there shame in releasing yet another live album with an orchestra? By now, dear friends, even the boundaries of morality have to shift. There's nothing to do about it.

From the producer and record label's side.

Well... speaking of whores... These folks, who share all the artist's flaws without their virtues (i.e., without being artists), live only by strategy. And strategy has one rule only: strike while the iron is hot. And if you see it cooling, make sure it heats up right away.

Liga's last studio album isn't exactly recent. The next one is not ready yet. There's been this orchestra thing. One more DVD or one less, what harm does it do? The fanatic buys it. The sympathetic (like me) downloads it, the others ignore it. Yet the newspapers and televisions talk about it. And you see, the iron is hot again. Game over. The wallet is full.

From the user's/buyer's/consumer's side.

And here one can bicker for two or three lifetimes. Those who take things very seriously, with that youthful fervor that I often regret losing, can take this record only if they have a wobbly piece of furniture and need to prop it up.

Those who, like me, become more lenient with age, not enough to start loving things like PausiniRamazzottiPezzaliAndCompanySinging, but certainly enough to appreciate a somewhat mundane work of an artist once dearly loved, well... those who essentially become a compulsive and excessive democrat like me forgive everything and might even enjoy some notes of an operation that, if judged by the very strict criteria of "usefulness" (how dangerous... and especially subjective?) doesn't stand up at all.

In short: advice to readers.

To Liga's fanatics: buy! It's well played and arranged. In the recording, the audience is a bit too overwhelming, some tracks have (at least) the sixth version served, but the album is beautiful, enjoyable, pleasant.

To those who appreciate without going crazy: download. You won't regret it anyway.

To others: abstain, maybe without getting too angry. It's in the natural order of things that the recording music industry also lives off these cheekily crafted projects.

Shall we settle? Not even in a dream?

It's up to you, my dear ones.