Sophia & Vito
Live @ Qube - Roma 15.04.06

The Sky in a Pool is not The Sky

Please Look Higher...

This is (I am aware) an outburst. As well as an interminable premise (and I am sure quite hard to agree with). I had read and heard that sometimes "myths" would be better kept confined within their realm of competence, that is, the myth's: the risk of disappointment exists.

Partial disappointment, but one that has opened a gap in the vision of a character, (I will not touch on the indisputable artistic qualities) who in my imagination was, alongside John Lennon, Lou Reed, Nick Cave, etc., one of the most "elevated" figures in absolute terms. So mythologized as to imagine someone who is not there.

Such was the epiphany, for a work like "Scenes From The Second Storey," that in 1992 literally changed my life (or at least the way I looked at certain forms of expression), coupled with the sadness of learning that after Jimmy Fernandez's death, that splendid rock band would never exist again, except in that album almost without writings on a white cover ("One Last Laugh In A Place Of Dying..."). I remember precisely the same emotion when on the cover of a well-known Italian magazine among various titles stood out "Farewell, God Machine."

I never managed to find suitable words or adequate terms of comparison to describe those records (especially the first), also because like a bolt from the blue it was followed by a black-out of reason. I thought, "they will do something else, once the pain is overcome they will find a way to resume with another member." Vain hope: Robin Proper-Sheppard had decided, and (an absolutely personal hypothesis) would not have intended to continue even in that case with that experience. We are in 1998: I learn that there is a new group, the Sophia, I buy "The Infinite Circle"... "who knows what the new God Machine will be like!" I think; the hope of recovering that sonic universe was very strong; and it was equal to the sense of bewildering surprise (and disappointment) in hearing the beginning of "Directionless." An electro-acoustic sound, slow ballads, the unmistakable voice of what had been the leader of that "magnificent trio from San Diego," author of a kind of "conceptual neo-metal for the 90s": practically at the time it was THE Future.

I now read in the booklet the names of at least 12 musicians, "The Sophia Collective": there was enough to find it all slightly indigestible even though I had the intuition that within that music, as changed as it was, there was something (I thought of the "soul") of the works that had captivated me years before. That drumming, first hesitating then more pressing, with offbeat rolls and cymbals creating an effect of "flow" or dramatic stasis, those melodies vaguely resembling certain epic and sad moments ("Bastards," "The River Song," "Within Without"), but it was very little.

I had to change my mind when (we are in 2005) I listen only then to "Fixed Water": the magic resumes, I realize that Proper-Sheppard is in all likelihood a 360-degree creative genius: the God Machine did covers of "Double Dare" and "America: What Time Is Love?," now it seemed like I was hearing the Red House Painters in their most inspired moments, the most intimate and acoustic Oasis ("Masterplan") dealing with Nick Drake's repertoire, or infinitely more resolute (and credible) Coldplay managing to perform a song like the "Yesterday of the 2000s" ("So Slow"), all in the form of Singer-songwriter Song ("Death Of A Salesman").

With the doubts that the criticism then aroused by "People Are Like Seasons" ("do not be confused if by chance you notice more similarities that seem to recall the sound of God Machine" reports a description on the official website sophiamusicnet.com: coincidence?), and reports of legendary live shows in which Sophia (in the meantime arrived at City Slang) performed in an acoustic setup, with cellos, bass, drums, pedal steel guitar, acoustic guitar... (as in the sunset concert in Urbino: headliners Echo & The Bunnymen, blackout of the electrical system during the execution of "Bastards," Robin asks for silence and continues without amplification or microphone...).

Rome, last stop of a tour in which as the posters say "Sophia will present to Italian Audience the new band Vito," described as "Sigur Ros" dealing with the symphonies of "Ennio Morricone". Scheduled "after a first part - dedicated to the performance of Vito (new to the label of Proper-Sheppard: Flower Shop Records Ltd.) - Sophia - in acoustic version will interpret part of their repertoire, then in the third part "backsided" by Vito they will reinterpret in a more electric key their most recent material." Looks promising... the venue (the Qube, a disco on Via Prenestina) does not seem exactly suitable, (a Gothic Rock night is scheduled, and it's Saturday evening), I do not expect oceanic crowds, (in fact there will be 40-50 spectators), the ticket cost is practically symbolic, start time: 22:30. When, from the barricaded entrance, I see a group of people coming out and look better identify Robin Proper-Sheppard, the emotion is indescribable: a sense of loss of balance, From 1992 to 2006... so much time has passed and I would never have thought... (the TGM had done only one concert in Italy, at the Carpe Diem Festival in September 1993).

However (as expected) the official schedule remains on the posters: after 11:30 we can finally enter, and well past that hour the performance of Vito begins. The impression that spreads among the audience is that the two references are rather "imaginative" (the band plays a kind of very melodic post-rock that vaguely approaches the Mogwaii), the performance is "enriched" by projections of images on screen, the sound is powerful especially in the bass and drums parts, the singing faintly just perceptible, what strikes me most is "Across The Rubicon" (really very suggestive), but it's past midnight, the show seems never-ending, the play of images is really (sorry) mediocre, after the last interminable suite the light returns (for me finally).

Proper-Sheppard comes down, completely dressed in white, alone (and the Sophia?), elegant gestures, histrionic savoir-faire, wine glass in right hand and sheet with pen to note the songs that shortly after he will ask the audience to choose: titles rain "Ship In The Sand!!!", "So Sloooow!" "I Left Youuu" (the most requested) (for a moment I am tempted to ask "Purity": but I fear unpleasant reactions...) Robin notes, completes the set-list agreed with the audience, ideal toast, lays down sheets and glass, and picks up the acoustic guitar. It starts with "The Sea", after the first verse he stops, "oh no-no-no," starts again, exactly as before, applause, then (surprisingly) soon comes the most moving moment of the entire evening, (also because it will end unexpectedly): "So Slow" is truly splendid, a very strong tension pervades in a tangible way the entire audience, the pace is slowed, the audience is in (almost) absolute silence. The subsequent "If Only" sends the audience into raptures: even if quietly it can be heard being sung (the fans, myself included, know these songs by heart), then one of the lesser-known of "Infinite Circle": "Sometimes" (the most experimental on record); it's "I Left You"'s turn (I've read the reviews of the various concerts: he seems to never know how/want to perform it, it's not clear why: will he manage it this time?) and indeed after the warning "in all the other stops I didn't manage, I don't know how bloody to do it, I don't know why the fuck it happens, I'll try": start, "oh I Left You, but it's always like..." stop, "I'll try again, f* here f* there..." same result, "this is the last attempt if I make it ok, otherwise nothing to do...." As expected, even in this concert "I Left You" will not be performed. It moves on to "Bastards", much (and rightly) applauded; then "The Death Of A Salesman", "Are You Happy Now?" (by now the audience sings them without hesitation), "Oh My Love", beautiful in acoustic version: leading single of "People Are Like Seasons", it has been compared to a "love-song with Deus" style, then "Holidays Are Nice" and closes with "Swept Back" (much more suited for acoustic execution than the electro-naive effects of "Airportman" on record).

Pause: the third part should begin, the Vito-Proper-Sheppard one, but from the lower floors the vibrations of the traditional disco evening can be heard; Robin comments annoyed "it was a good idea to do the acoustic part first", the Vito go on stage, the setup changes, but this time something really doesn't work: Daniel's bass ... has pickup problems, disheartened signals to Robin, who had announced "Desert Song No 2" (will be just barely hinted), shortly after another comment "let's play some gothic rock..." then, restored the instrumentation, the band starts an extremely powerful and angry version of "The River Song". I realize it will be the last song (as it has become a habit, Sophia concerts end with this track) headbanging nods from the front rows, grand finale with repeated-obsessive bass-drum loop, as well as furious frontman leaving the stage sending (more or less openly) the organizers, the set-up, the gothic-disco... (on the Vito's blog it will read "the doors suddenly opened for the Goth-disco scheduled after the show and Sophia will end priorly")

For those who know him Robin is a perfectionist absolute, which indeed compels some critical reflections:

1. if the articulation of the show is so complex (in three parts: the post-rock of the Vito, the acoustic rock of Robin Proper Sheppard solo, the new course of future Sophia music) and the songs therefore rather numerous, more punctuality would be needed, if the audience expects the performance to start at 22:30 you don't start with almost an hour and a half delay (and the low ticket cost is no excuse)

2. aware of the delay, it would have been quite "common sense" to shorten the Vito's concert (virtually lasted almost an hour), after all the audience was there for the "Sophia" (actually the poster was misleading as well),

3. although a band like the Sophia would deserve arenas like the Palaeur, unfortunately, DNA concerts did what they could: Qube is a disco, with its schedules and its diversified patrons, and it's not the fault of a show-biz that flattens the best creative minds if such schedules must be respected.

So, an undoubtedly intense and exciting concert, but only half-successful: in my mind, for a while there has been the hypothesis that Robin Proper-Sheppard wants to express his talent (of which he demonstrates absolute awareness) well beyond Sophia, and they could (theoretically) even be an interlocutory project: the majestic neo-metal architectures first, the acoustic rock ballads with experimental openings now, make one (legitimately) think that City Slang (and the audience) is asking R.P.S. for a "more like God Machine" sound (or at worst "more updated", the word "commercial" is unpronounceable?), on the other hand, the performer Proper-Sheppard is to be recognized an extraordinary histrionic gift, and also (unfortunately) an (excessively?) high self-conception, which at times borders on megalomania. If it is the "price" of talent, it is (almost) fine, I hope that Sophia (or post-Sophia) will have in the future the success they deserve, for now, it does not benefit the image of their leader a haughty and annoying attitude towards an adoring and, in absolute, respectful silent audience.

In conclusion, greater humility would cost nothing, less victimistic rhetoric neither, and finally, less snobbery could even help regarding what was said above. Two Joseph Mascis (Dinosaur Jr) and Brett Anderson (Suede) are already there, indeed. May the group's name inspire more "victimistic." Who knows...