Verdena
Live @ Honky Tonky, Seregno 25.03.11

An amazing live show. At the Honky Tonky in Seregno, the five hundred lucky ones like me who managed to grab a ticket for the date at the Brianza venue (yet another Sold Out) of Verdena's WOW Tour 2011, were able to witness a rock show from another era.

You can tell that those three (along with "noisemaker" Fidel Fogaroli - guitar, piano, synth & vocals) have spent the last four years in the Pollaio (their recording studio, ed.) playing and replaying the 27 tracks of "WOW", the latest and almost epic discographic effort from the Bergamo band.

Epic in the sense of majestic, imposing, but also intentionally spectacular and challenging to understand. A desire to explicitly go against the market, yet with the awareness of having created a high-quality product, capable of reaching the core of those who truly have ears to listen. And they succeeded. Thanks also to the commercial strategy (Double CD at 12 €) WOW is second in the Italian album charts after Gianna Nannini, a remarkable achievement for such a niche band, with many fans, but often belonging to the "without wallet" category. Yes, because the consumers "with wallet" are others; those who have twenty euros to give to Bruno Mars or Modà.

In contrast, Alberto, Luca, and Roberta are not conventionally attractive, poorly dressed, and not at all "suitable". And that's exactly what I like. Some accuse them of wanting to intentionally emulate Cobain and therefore being anachronistic, maybe so, but much better this than musicians trying to resemble Cristiano Ronaldo. In that case, the music is set aside to focus on the right hairstyle or the "impressive move," whereas here it is clear that music is the only thing that matters.

For all these reasons, I was eagerly waiting for the live show (having missed the one at Alcatraz), and I was eagerly promoting it to my "enlightened" friends and acquaintances, confident not to disappoint them.

THE LIVE

Friday, March 25, 2011. I missed nights like this.

The guys make us wait a bit, as is right for those who are driving the ticket offices of all the "Italian concert venues" crazy, not used to the voracity of real enthusiasts.

From the moment they start, however, the concert gives no respite.

Dynamics, instruments, and thoughts alternate, but the artistic tension remains high throughout the performance. The setlist draws from all albums, obviously giving the right space to the new Wow, but without forgoing nostalgic dives into the past (Valvonauta).

The entire performance is played with impressive mastery and power.

Rarely have I witnessed such a meticulous execution quality accompanied by such an emotional fury. The pieces sound better than on the record, partly because they are deliberately recorded "low-fi," with the voice far back and the sounds muddied like Soundgarden, partly thanks to the excellent stage presence of the band, which moves, exchanges instruments, and "lives" the pieces together with the audience.

Not a single drop in quality, exquisitely curated sounds, and a mastodonic drum with the kick drum pounding on the foreheads of the front rows.

After the break, Alberto chooses "Mother" by Lennon to resume a discourse interrupted for only a few minutes. Then they return to thrash with "Il Gulliver," a grandiose psychedelic ride that leads to the end of the concert. The closure, like that of the album, is entrusted to Lei Disse (the only discordant note).

Perhaps it is the deliberate final exaggeration, the weak piece to send fans home in their way from the concerts, and to remind the listener that, sometimes, even they can make mistakes.

Setlist

Adoratorio
Scegli me
Per Sbaglio
Rossella roll over
Nova
Il Caos Strisciante
Badea blues
Nuova luce
Lui gareggia
Canos
Muori delay
Castelli per aria
Razzi Arpia Inferno e Fiamme
Miglioramento
Le scarpe volanti
E' solo lunedì
Valvonauta
Luna
Loniterp
Morbida