Afterhours

How many times have we seen Afterhours live? Well, I personally think I've hit around twenty, across all their reincarnations, and I find the current line-up to be one of the best, as well as one of the longest-lasting, in a band whose only constant has always been Manuel Agnelli (along with drummer Giorgio Prette, who's been with him since almost the very beginning).

The Milan band is now a concentrate of effectiveness and experience: the years go by, but these gentlemen still know how to sweep an audience along, to caress it, to hit hard when needed, or to seek out experimental solutions - and in that respect the return to the fold of longtime guitarist Xabier Iriondo has been crucial. They know how to give weight both to image (certain priceless glam flourishes from Roberto Dell'Era are invaluable) and to technical-artistic substance (Rodrigo D'Erasmo is a multi-instrumentalist of the highest quality, Iriondo builds his own effects), blending extremely strong personalities (Agnelli's, obviously, first and foremost) with others who do fine, detailed work while staying in the shadows (Giorgio Ciccarelli is the sparring partner - as well as a sensitive and skilled composer - who would hold his own in any band).

Now I wonder: how is it possible that a band of this caliber, with major albums and memorable songs to their name, can still have so many detractors? Take Subsonica, for example: a band you might not like, sure, but you'll hardly find anyone openly bad-mouthing them.

With Afterhours, though (and also with Marlene Kuntz, to name another classic example), for whatever reason - maybe it's Manuel's overflowing and at times unsettling personality - a kind of target practice often ensues. And yet every time the sextet seemed almost finished, out of focus or lacking any clear direction, they've always bounced back, showing off ideas, eclecticism and an unquestionable artistic integrity.

Seen four months ago at the Orion in Ciampino, at the start of the celebratory tour for "Are You Afraid of the Dark?", they actually gave the impression of a tired, predictable band, with a setlist that left a somewhat bitter aftertaste, because after the full sequence of their signature album (replayed without a single dramatic twist) they dragged themselves through an enjoyable mini-encore dedicated to "Germi" (complete with a revival of the famous little girls' dresses they wore on that era's tour), followed by a second encore entirely devoted to a few extracts from "Padania", their most recent work. After that, hugs and kisses. All rather lukewarm.

Tonight at Postepay Rock In Roma, helped by the open-air setting and the pleasant summer evening, Afterhours instead let loose completely. After the 19 tracks of "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" (with a guest appearance from Nic Cester of Jet on "Veleno", made even more explosive for the occasion), two encores follow: the first focused on "Padania" (five songs chosen, including the miraculous "Costruire per distruggere"), the second becoming a kind of concert within the concert, with wide-ranging dives into the rest of their discography.

And it's precisely in this second encore that the show surprises everyone, as if we were in the final stretch of a wonderful sprint where you never know what might happen around the next bend. It happens that the usual die-hards raise the ever-present banner (at least here in Rome) "Facce Strategggie" and get their wish granted; it happens that the band throws their t-shirts into the crowd and Manuel sings "Le verità che ricordavo" bare-chested, showing off pecs and abs that would make anyone envious (especially given that he's no spring chicken anymore); it happens that the embrace with the audience is sealed with "Non è per sempre", one of the most beloved songs among longtime fans.

But it's not over yet: there's still room for two unexpected surprises, one track each from "Ballate per piccole iene" and "Quello che non c'è", and the crowd is completely knocked out. Anyone expecting a well-executed but somewhat half-hearted routine instead found a band in blistering form tonight, one that also showed great respect for its audience, staying onstage for about two and a half hours with a setlist that brings them back to their finest hour.

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