- Milan (Circolo Magnolia) November 2 2023 -

 

Waiting for a live show is always a great emotion for me.

The organization must also be almost perfect on what to wear.

For Milan I had brought a The Murder Capital t-shirt, purchased online and I had organized it with my "granddaughter" Martina.

With her it is always a guarantee of being in unison in tactical choices.

I arrived in Milan by train at 12:30.

She welcomed us with a gray sky that isn't like this even in December in Dublin.

A quick lunch with "grandson" Gabriele then a taxi that takes us to our hotel near the venue where the concert would take place.

We usually head to the front of the venue early to maybe meet the guys from the band around the Magnolia park, which would have been impossible that day given the weather.

It seemed like it didn't want to stop raining for a moment.

We chatted (plus mine, as usual) in the hotel, hoping that the sky would be more kind to us.

It's 7pm... I'm in total paranoia, almost tachycardia due to the fear of not arriving in time for my beloved barrier.

A change of t-shirt, naturally I'm wearing The Murder Capital one and off we go...

Let's leave the hotel, it's stopped raining!!!

Even time is finally on our side.

Along the road, about 800m on foot, we meet another boy who has to go to the concert and we lead the way. Now Leonardo too becomes one of us.

In front of the restaurant, fortunately, there are only three people waiting to enter.

At 8pm the gates open and, finally, I can relax having only the barrier and the stage in front of me.

Immediately after conquering the station I head to the merchandising desk where I purchase a t-shirt for the next day.

At 9pm Soak takes to the stage, delicate and petite, she accompanies us for about 30 minutes.

At 9.30pm, in a freezing Magnolia, The Murder Capital enters!!!

Gabriel (Bassist) has gray trousers, a dark gray sweater and black cowboy boots, Damian (guitarist) has a striped t-shirt, dark trousers and black biker boots.

I think they are both cold because they are wearing leather jackets and Damian is also wearing gloves.
Pump (born Cathal, guitarist) wears a short-sleeved blouse with brown designs, gray trousers and black sneakers.

Diarmuid (drummer) is also in short sleeves, I can only see that he has a black t-shirt, but you know, the drummer is the one who struggles the most.

The last to take the stage is the frontman, James, wearing an open black long-line blouse with a black tank top underneath, black trousers and beige Texan boots.

With his bold air, a bit like a cursed poet that I'm almost used to both from having seen them in Igea and from the many videos of their live shows that I've devoured in recent months.

The audience rejoices at their entrance and at the first notes of "Heart in the hole", their latest single, could it be a preview of a new album?

Let's hope so!!!

I'm already completely wrapped up in this long-awaited live show that, when I hear the attack of “More is less” my body starts to move automatically even though, I have to be honest that I wouldn't have put this song second in the setlist.

James wriggles, sensually, standing on the barrier right in front of us.

“Return my head”, from their second album, continues to heat up the atmosphere, luckily!

“Green & Blue”, from their first album, with that drum attack, which accompanies the whole piece, makes me completely melt and moves me with sensations that I can't convey.

It certainly reminds me of dark sounds that are so dear to me.

I'm sorry to say but “Gigi's Recovery”, the title track of their latest album, is not among my favorites but, certainly, live it is much more engaging than on vinyl.

The concert continues with “The Lie Becomes The Self”, another of those songs that won me over on first listen.

Hermetic words that have a real meaning for each of us:

“Don't get it twisted
It's no existence
The lie becomes the self
Outruns the self”

What can you say about “Slowdance I” and “Slowdance II”?

The latter is an instrumental piece only.

Continuums of dark harmonies are brilliantly merged.

“The Stars Will Leave Their Stage” has that electronic background that makes you understand the musical research behind every Murder piece.

The show continues with “Crying” where our good Pump alternates between keyboard and guitar.

Ethel”, according to James, his favourite, is the third single released from the second album.

Gabriel rotates his right hand in time to the music, almost like an orchestra conductor.

“A Thousand Lives”, we see Damian almost twisting around his guitar, definitely involved in the piece.

Exciting “On Twisted Ground”, Gabriel and Jamens duet as if they were alone on stage.

The latter theatrically poignant to the point of tears.

We still need heat and the boys don't wait to be asked and play three songs full of pure adrenaline, the people behind us wriggle in a wild mosh pit: “For Everything”, “Don't Cling To Life” and “Feeling Fades”.

James' stage diving on the last piece is unmissable and takes him directly to the merchandising desk where the other guys join him too.

I don't immediately get into the crowd knowing I have two more evenings available to meet them.

Gabriel is there wandering around the room and doesn't hold back for a photo or an autograph.

When most of the people have moved away, and even the kids would like to go away, we stop them for a fantastic photo all together.

My first evening seems to have flown by in an instant although I must admit that the boys seemed a little colder and less involved than this summer, could it be the Milanese temperatures?

Road to Bologna...