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Rating: It has been two and a half years since Tremonti last appeared in the Belpaese. Back then, the winter tour became a summer tour, and all dates were rescheduled due to the lingering effects of Covid, but the location remained unchanged: a scorching Alcatraz in Milan.
On January 27, 2025, two weeks after the release of the highly anticipated new work “The End Will Show Us How”, Mark Tremonti and his bandmates return to Milan at Magazzini Generali for the one and only Italian date of the eponymous European tour.
The evening opens with Florence Black, a young Welsh band that emerged just over three years ago. The trio, offering alternative rock reminiscent of the early 2000s, performed songs from their two albums, “Weight Of The World” and “Bed Of Nails”.
While glasses fill under the taps and quickly empty in front of the stage, the clocks tell us that it’s nine o'clock. On stage, a burly man is finishing up making sure everything is in order. He quickly steps away, and the venue plunges into darkness. We understand what is about to happen and make ourselves heard. The large image above the stage, that Angel of Death animating the new band’s album cover, is engulfed in an intense beam of purple light. The screams exceed the allowed threshold, and they start to trickle in: first Mark Tremonti, followed by Eric Friedman and his guitar, Tanner Keegan with his bass, and Ryan Bennett, who, with spinning drumsticks, settles behind the drums.
The acoustic riff of “All The Wicked Things”, the closing song of the new album, begins. Wisely starting from the end since the explanation comes from there (“The End Will Show Us How”). Tremonti's voice moves us, cradles us before the explosion of energy that will carry us through the entire evening.
It’s a frantic journey through the band’s entire discography, which after just over twelve years boasts six releases. The time machine takes us back a decade with “Cauterize” from the second self-titled album. They immediately get tough, inflaming Magazzini. Then another “step back” to the beginnings, with “You Waste Your Time” from “All I Was” of 2012.
Speaking of origins, during an interlude Mark expresses pride in his Italian surname, carried with pride also thanks to our affection.
The introduction of “The Things I've Seen” satisfied those expecting an imminent solo (it won't be the only one of the evening). “We are all children of the same Mother Earth, without differences in religion or race”. With this quote, Tremonti introduces the emotional “The Mother, The Earth and I”, followed by the mid-tempo “Just Too Much”. Among many headbangers, there are a few moshers, spurred by the insistent double pedal of “Throw Them to the Lions”, as if they really had released some lions from their cages.
The skillful setlist, after so much energy, brings a bit of heart and moves us with “Another Heart” and “It’s Not Over”. We enjoy the quality of the frontman’s vocal cords, which in moments like these reveal their full power.
A sip of water, then a new guitar change, and a few smiles. Tremonti has us in his grip. We are all at the mercy of his ability to move and shake us with a simplicity of execution that at times doesn't seem human. We shift from humans to primates with “Flying Monkeys”, which isn't usually considered one of the memorable tracks but performed live manages to change my mind, thanks also to “So You’re Afraid”, which follows immediately after.
There are very few smartphones, not obstructing the view, truly a good and right thing. You see many when Tremonti asks us to raise them like lighters before “Dust” starts. A couple of live flames are also visible, evoking times past and probably attracting the attention of fire sensors. It’s all incredibly beautiful.
“Catching Fire” tells us to blow out the lighters and turn off the torches but without dousing the enthusiasm, ignited by “My Last Mistake”, which is anything but a mistake...
The beautiful and melodic “Marching in Time”, from the eponymous fifth album, is sold to us as the last track of the evening. After the fake goodbyes, some imprudently move away, amidst the ironic smiles of the more seasoned attendees, who know it's a bluff. I think to myself that we are in the presence of the same hurried audience that leaves the cinema during the end credits of Marvel movies, missing juicy details that preview future feature films. Luckily for the hurried and not only, they soon retrace their steps, gifting us with three more songs, performed with the freshness of nine o'clock in the evening: “The End Will Show Us How”, the devastating “A Dying Machine”, and last but not least, “Wish You Well”.
Mark promises us he will return soon, and as the lights come on, he pounds his fist on his chest over his heart, tossing a few guitar picks with his free hand. Ryan Bennett does the same with drumsticks, and together we immortalize the delirium of appreciation in a group selfie. We walk away to the notes of “My Way”. We all sing along, careful not to overshadow the original voice. Not Frank Sinatra's, but Mark Tremonti’s. Because he leaves us wanting nothing. Not even at the end of the evening. Not even when it's no longer hard rock but time to don the crooner’s attire.
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