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Rating: Eternal. Timeless. Indestructible. Majestic. Great.
I don't know what adjectives to use to talk about the last concert I attended in Catania (at the Metropolitan theater) on January 23rd, from the "Stati di immaginazione" tour, brought around Italy by Premiata Forneria Marconi.
Is it possible to play rock with such energy, grit, and strength at 60?
It is possible if it's the legendary P.F.M. playing.
Di Cioccio seems to have steel arteries for how he plays the drums and jumps across the stage. Mussida is like wine: the more he "ages," the better he gets. Djivas continues to play the bass with arpeggios that could enchant even a technical monster like Patitucci. Di Fabbri, now a permanent member since 1979 (excluding the "Ulisse" period), is obviously a fundamental piece in the group's lineup with his violin, keyboards, and guitars. Franz's replacement, when stepping down to sing, is the talented Piero Monterisi, while the latest member to join, only in terms of time, is the excellent Gianluca Tagliavini, who honestly makes you not miss the founding member, now out of the ensemble again, Flavio Premoli.
A concert in Catania, by the way, I traveled from Cosenza to be there that evening, absolutely incredible for technique, heart, and performed tracks. The beginning is entrusted to the piece "L'Isola di niente", performed while the cover images of the latest CD-DVD "Stati di immaginazione" are displayed. The sound wall is deadly. Immediately after, "La città dell’acqua" is presented, a track from the latest "Stati di immaginazione," with the whole group in a state of grace compositionally. The show continues with three tracks from the album Chocolate King (not in sequence): "Out Of The Roundabout", with an initial solo by the great Mussida, "Chocolate King", and the legendary "Harlequin".
The latest work, "Stati di immaginazione," is performed almost entirely, excluding only "Agua Azul", and it was very touching when, during the performance of "Il sogno di Leonardo", an addition to the original video was projected, showing images of Angelo D’Arrigo engaged in the wind tunnel bringing Leonardo's study to life, managing, like a bird, to rise from the ground. At the end of the piece, Di Cioccio expressed the group's hope that Catania's airport could be named after Angelo, inviting his wife Laura on stage. She appreciated both the musical tribute and the idea of naming the airport, presenting Patrick, Franz, and Francone each with an eagle feather, a gift her husband cherished in case they might serve to heal, by replanting, any injured eagle. This moment was very touching with the Premiata reciprocating the gesture with a floral tribute and the further dedication of the next piece, "Suonare suonare".
The audience of the packed theater reacts overwhelmingly, transmitting to the band that warmth and encouragement which the sextet brilliantly reciprocates. Djivas's solo, including notes from the legendary "Luglio, agosto, settembre nero" of the unforgettable "Area," opens the door to the semi-electric blues of "Maestro della voce" with the entire audience singing along and interacting with Di Cioccio. As the show continues, adrenaline rises. It's time for "La luna nuova" followed by a tribute to the unforgettable friend and poet Fabrizio De André with "Volta la carta", a song congenial to the six musicians in which they excel, involving an increasingly engaged audience. Shortly after, the notes of "Carrozza di Hans" begin… The encores are naturally entrusted to "Impressioni di settembre" with the entire audience singing along with Mussida and the group's musical manifesto, "Celebration", during which Di Cioccio urges the audience to join him in the now-famous "Ce-le-bration".
At 00:20, after two and a half hours of concert, the show ends in the truest sense of the word, with the entire theater giving due recognition to an indestructible and magnificent group of which all "we" should be proud.
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