The metal genre is definitely not born yesterday, and so many of the bands that today we call “legendary” some decades ago were pretty much starting their career. And one of these legendary bands is Lacuna Coil, hailing from the same country I am in, which is the beautiful Italy. On October 15th, at Fabrique, in Milan, it’s planned a celebration to commemorate 20 years since the release of their third album, Comalies.
When I arrive at the venue around 6 PM, there is already quite a long queue: the die-hard fans have been standing there many hours before me, and I applaud their enthusiasm. This is a can’t-miss show, and it’s best to secure a spot at the barricade to enjoy the concert. A few minutes before 7 PM (when doors are supposed to open), the security lets the first fans in, and I enter as well. The scenography on the stage is well-balanced, with a huge sheet on the back of the stage with Comalies’s logo and two pedestals with the same logo, one on the left and one on the right of the stage.
Time passes quite fast, and it’s 8:30 PM, and Lacuna Coil’s intro begins, soon followed by the unmistakable notes of “Blood, Tears, Dust” that make the audience go crazy! The whole band is dressed in a white outfit with black drops on their chests and lines on their back, a very classy touch. They are in perfect harmony with each other, and the songs flow one after the other. Cristina leads both with her outstanding vocals and her spectacular ability to entertain the audience.
At about half of the set, Cristina asks their light engineer to light the centre of the audience, and she announces that she will perform a song from there, “The Ghost Woman and The Hunter“. For everyone to enjoy this special and particular moment, she kindly demands that all presents sit down on the floor, so we don’t have to fight to witness this. She wasn’t escorted by anyone, and the people were very respectful of her personal space and just lend their hands to get a shake or a fist bump from her. This shows how wonderful the metal community is: the crowd was there to have fun and enjoy music, without arguments, problems or difficulties.
Then, the show resumes and Cristina returns on stage to continue the rest of the set. We also get treated with a live premiere of “The Prophet Said”, which was a pleasant surprise! After 10 minutes (perhaps more) of intermission, the band finishes this anniversary concert with the encore, that includes their classic cover of “Enjoy The Silence” and their anthem “Nothing Stands In Our Way“.
I am proud to say I share the citizenship with this phenomenal group of people, that are able to put up a hell of a show whilst continuing to have a deep relationship with their fanbase. Long live Lacuna Coil!
The photos of this sensational evening are as usual by our very own Silvio Colombo, and I’d also like to thank Jacopo Casati and Vertigo for their kindness and professionalism!
