The long awaited tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of “Mandylion” finally hit Trezzo Sull’Adda on a hot summery day, in a venue that was packed to the gills with nostalgics of the band’s iconic gothic style. They were not disappointed, as they lived a magical trip down memory lane.

LIZZARD

The ones who were lucky enough to attend the supporting act’s set can testify that Lizzard were the perfect choice to warm up the crowd and introduce the dreamy atmosphere that was about to follow. The French trio, featuring the charismatic Mathieu Ricou on vocals and guitars, the energetic Katy Elwell on drums and William Knox on the bass delighted us with a sophisticated alternative rock mixed with progressive elements, achieved through clean, expressive vocals, stratified guitar loops and energetic rhythms. The 45-minutes-long show included songs from the band’s five albums, showcasing the diversity of their songwriting. 

Setlist:

1. Black Sheep
2. Blowdown
3. Blue Moon
4. Shift
5. Unity
6. Vigilent
7. The Orbiter
8. Tear Down The Sky

THE GATHERING

After 18 years since talented von Giersbergen left the band, old fans of the Dutch rock band could finally see the original lineup on stage, and with the best possible outcome. The dive into the past began with “Mandylion“, the title track, that quickly merged with the popular “Eléanor“, setting the pace for a glorious show. Graphical, hypnotic videos on the background enriched an immersive experience guided by the singer’s enchanting voice, who didn’t age a bit and sounded even more fresh and captivating on every passage, especially on “Fear of the Sea” and “In Motion #1“. The memorable keyboards by Frank Boeijen, the strong guitar riffs of René Rutten and the solid bass lines performed by Hugo Prinsen Geerligs recreated the perfect 90s doom sound that stands the test of time and that can be enjoyed even by new fans. The second guitarist, Jelmer Wiersma, took part in all “Mandylion’”s tracks and “On Most Surfaces“, “Analog Park” and the beloved “Saturnine” that made up the encore together with “Travel“. The star of the whole show was of course Anneke, who was visibly emotional in seeing the crowd happily joining her in singing the airy, melancholic vocal lines, and who jumped and headbang like in the old times, especially on the last songs.

Listening live to a band that has been around for some decades, two things stand out the most: the authenticity and the genuine interest in experimenting for the sake of art in itself. How many bands can explore multiple universes in a single song like The Gathering, nowadays? Is it just a feeling of us aging Millennials and Gen X music lovers, or a product of how society evolved through consumerism and social media? We will probably never know, but we can always be thankful for the masterpieces from the past that we are still allowed to appreciate, even more when they’re impeccably performed live.

Setlist:

1. Mandylion
2. Eléanor
3. From the Sea
4. In Motion #1
5. On Most Surfaces (Inuït)
6. Broken Glass
7. Waking Hour
8. Probably Built in the Fifties
9. Analog Park
10. In Motion #2
11. Leaves
12. Sand and Mercury
13. Strange Machines

Encore: 

14. Travel
15. Saturnine