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Rating: On the sunny afternoon of August 3rd, Gerry, the bassist from my band, calls me and casually asks if I want to accompany him to the “Filagosto” for the concert of the three masked guys from Pordenone. He leaves on his motorcycle at 8:30 PM, while Mark the guitarist and I set off in his new Citroen C4 along the sultry provincial roads towards the lowlands and arrive within half an hour at the fairground area in Filago (BG).
After a round of excellent, fresh Forst Kronen, we start hearing some crazy people playing; it was around 9:45 PM. So we head back to the stage area, and as expected, the crowd has doubled compared to half an hour before. In front of us is a young band from Perugia, winners of the 2010 “Italia Wave,” one of the most important rock contests for emerging artists. The support band in question is the “Fast Animals & Slow Kids.” The singer has a high-pitched, in-tune voice and displays exceptional charisma, and the band truly plays with gusto. Occasionally, he starts with additional drumsticks to attack two drums placed in front of him, multiplying the percussive sound, then turns and does the same with the cymbals. The surreal, sarcastic, and nihilistic lyrics do not sadden the audience; rather, people are thrilled and applaud at the end of each song. Then... A plot twist... In the middle of the third-to-last song, a guitar string snaps, and the Umbrian guitarist, after less than a minute, incredibly returns to the instrument all perky. Then the mystery is revealed: the T.A.R.M. lend their guitar for the last minutes of the Perugians' performance, who bow before them, declaring: “If it weren't for them, we wouldn't be here, and we wouldn't finish!”
Another round of beers, and here come the Friulians who take over the stage for almost two hours. I must admit that until now I knew very little about them, I was aware of the frontman being a comic book artist and the kind of music they did, and indeed, after being informed by my friend of a reggae twist in their latest work, I was already getting bored after three or four songs in that style. Then I was convinced and conceived the great rapport between the audience and the cartoonist Toffolo, narrator of small existential dramas, everyday anxieties, and always that feeling of oppression from power that these somewhat politically inclined bands sing about, let's be honest here. Now, don’t ask me about the songs because I don't remember many: "Try staying with me another winter in Pordenone", "How you want me", "Flying over my city", "Every adolescence", "Francesca is as old as she is", "The storm", "Beautiful Italy". They were all old “classics” of the group since they were sung by many in the underground. You could feel that stifled joy of exploding for being there at that moment, mixed with all the bitterness for negative things that never change. Then in the end, the frontman invites the audience to thank each member with a loud “F**k you!”, all to show that T.A.R.M. is just like us, sent to that place every day by power, managed in those two hours by them, masters of a stage and thus wielders of a pseudo-power, which offers this satisfaction to the people.
All in all, it was a satisfying and very pleasant concert. The organization was excellent, the sound impeccable, and the draft beer was definitely favorable. I must say that I will have a fond memory of these two local "punk" groups, even though it’s not a genre I prefer.
Occasionally stepping out of your niche is not bad at all. And let this be for everyone!
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