aaamusic | On 29, May 2012

London, 26th May

I don’t think Vinicio Capossela is a secret at all.  It can’t be since last night the Barbican Theatre was full.

Vinicio Capossela is a man from the south of Italy even though he was born in Germany.
He represents all you can dream about the south of Italy. The late summer nights, the taste of the local farmer’s wine, the sand between your toes and the Mediterranean tradition and sounds.
He plays piano and guitar and his compositions and vocals are the warm and passionate folk music you would expect from the Italian Tom Waits.

He’s touring around the world promoting the last record called Marinai, Profeti e Balene (Sailors, Prophets and Whales). After Paris he landed in London and the Barbican was his home for more than 2 hours of music, of emotions, of countless encore with all the audience in a standing ovation.
The show was beautiful.

The stage represented the stomach of a whale and/or of a ship with the arches made of long pointy bones that opened up at times. Costumes of pirates with hats and those funny jackets, the oil lamps, the ropes and jute bags. The big piano in the middle, the guitars and the trombones formed a scenic sailing orchestra. Beautiful lighting with moment of blinding flashing lights and softer candlelight and a high screen on the background  for shadows theatre.

The concert has been a fabulous literary journey across the ocean. The creatures of the seas, the lives of the sailors and their guiding stars. The lyrics are inspired by the past literature and poetry about the topic and the show is designed as a whole fantastic opera with a sequence of acts, actors and characters. The music creates a legendary atmosphere, giving life to myths like Noah and Ulysses, reproducing the Berlusoni’s sexy party in the abysses, with octopuses in love and slutty sirens. There’s time for cabaret and burlesque, the show of the caught whale, the music of the village band.

Vinicio himself couldn’t believe his eyes at the end of the concert. The cheering crowd didn’t want him to leave. Notwithstanding the risk of finding all the pubs closed, he kept singing several encores with old famous songs for the exaggerated joy of all the italians at the Barbican.

He’s an amazing storyteller, a great performer that is now probably one of the best living Italian music artist.

Tracklisting:
Il Grande Leviatano
L’Oceano Oilala’
Billy Budd
Lord Jim
La Bianchezza della Balena
I Fuochi Fatui
Job
Goliath
Polpo d’Amor
Pryntyl
Vinicolo
L’Aedo
Le Pleiadi
Dimmi Teresia
Nostos
(plus encores)

 

Pietro Nastasi