Propagandhi
Live @ Forte Prenestino, Roma - 28.04.09

THE REVIEW

The media bombardment of posters along the way to my faculty (my my space!) and on various music websites made me take up this band again that, in the past, has made its mark in the melodic hardcore scene (even if they prefer to call themselves "progressive trash"). And I must say that going to the Forte to see them was not bad at all: firstly because I only shelled out 5 euros and also, I have to admit, I love this place and its certain industrial archaeology feel.

It was a great concert, perhaps because everyone knew, more or less, that this would be the last time in Italy for Propagandhi, a long-standing group that still rocks the stage incredibly and no younger opening act can match them. I don’t know how long it all lasted, but after the fake closing gag, they played a ton of powerful and tireless tracks, even more than on the optical disc.

The tour is for the release of "Supporting Caste" and they indeed opened the concert with the title track of the album and then moved on to a mix of songs between the recent ones and their previous works from "Potemkin City Limit" to the older ones, "Less Talk," "More Rock," and "How To Clean Everything," which were a joy for the moshers who have followed them since the 90s beginnings. It is true that by now they don't create anything transcendental musically, and I am certainly less enthusiastic about this than some other voices online and off, but it is undeniable that the political/social commitment is the same as always! Animalists, antifascists, pro-gay, profeminists, they are like that, and the music conveys their messages, whether they continue on their well-established path from the past two albums, between more or less melodic hc and metal, doesn't really matter. In the end, they can very well afford it.

I, who was in kindergarten in '91, must admit that bands like this still have an effect on me, maybe because now the genre is on the decline and there's no longer the desire to say many things, however, they undeniably deserve it live.