On Saturday, 13 April, Jerneja and I attended a concert by the quasi-legendary Italian post-punk band LDV and its fellow musicians of Moth's Tales. Considering that we already hosted LDV (La Dolce Vita) on our compilation, password: darkwave27 and that the guys invited us to their concert that took place a couple of weeks earlier in Ljubljana, we somehow felt obliged to go to not-so-distant Udine.
After driving for less than an hour, we quickly find Yardie Pub, located, as the custom in Italy, and a good one, inside an industrial zone in the suburbs. Half restaurant, half club, was already pleasantly crowded when we arrived, most likely with locals, as it looked like everyone knew each other. I was surprised by the price of the drinks, which weren't as high as they usually are at concerts in Italy, so... Anyway, a low stage was set up in the corner of the pub, and the tables almost reached it. I was hoping that those tables, where the band members and their friends were sitting, would be removed and that there would be a place in front of the stage for the audience, but no. It looked like it was backstage, or, in this case, "front stage".
After quite a long wait and a few drinks, the music finally came from the stage, and Moth's Tales began its performance. We settled in comfortably, and since we didn't know the band, we let ourselves be introduced. Well, at least for me, there was no positive surprise. Moth's Tales is a typical post-punk band with post-rock, psychedelic, and a little bit of darkwave influences. The sound was more so-so, especially the already monotonous vocals, which were also hard to hear, so it was hard to tell what the singer was singing and what he was saying between songs. The trio worked really well, though, and the audience gave it a lot of applause between songs.
I admit that I got a little bored during the Moth's Tales performance, maybe only during certain melodic post-rock parts when the matter became a little more interesting. The boys are good musicians, but the music lacks depth, dynamics and, above all, stronger vocals. After about an hour and a half, the performance finally came to an end. Regardless, the boys got rewarded with thunderous applause from the not-so-small audience. I must admit I haven't heard the Moth's Tales' studio recordings (if it even has any), and that's why it's hard for me to say anything concrete.
During the break, of course, there was a rush to the bar, and the tables were full of various snacks. A DJ program - hosted by the well-known DJ EleNoir, was heard from the sound system. Mostly pleasant music, old-school gothic rock, and some alter rock hits until LDV came on stage.
During the approximately one-hour-long performance, the LDV quartet played new and old pieces, among which the well-known "Too Many Voices" and "Mystery Boy" received the best response. I was surprised that there was a significantly smaller audience; maybe the reason was that LDV often plays in the area, therefore, many people preferred to stay outside, drinking and chatting. Anyway - it was a solid performance, though, marred by bad sound (especially the vocals) and some other technical issues. Thanks to the excellent frontman Massimo Sebastianutti, LDV delivered an energetic performance. They are good musicians, but due to the lack of musical dynamics, they get boring at times. Regardless of everything, those of us who were present, especially the trio right next to the stage, danced and obviously had fun with the post-punk vibes, which were here and there enriched with elements of darkwave, punk and alter rock.
LDV was formed in the early 80s and, after a long period of inactivity, reunited in 2012. The band recently signed with Mold Records, and a new album is expected anytime soon. LDV has potential, but I think it will have to work more on dynamics and recognition - and not just settle for a dull post-punk sound based on the sounds of the English avant-garde from the late 70s and early 80s. For those who find Joy Division, early The Cure, Wire, 1919, Cabaret Voltaire, The Smiths, and similar, as their cup of tea, I definitely recommend you get to know LDV.
Right after the LDV's performance, EleNoir's DJ program started. I think this was the highlight of the evening because the well-known pieces from The Sisters Of Mercy, Killing Joke, Héroes del Silencio, Rosetta Stone, and plenty of dark electronic dance music, EBM and industrial, did not let the present ones stand still. I believe the party lasted a long time, but Jerneja and I headed home at about 2 am with mixed feelings.
Report by Tomaz
Photos by Tomaz
Edited by Jerneja
Links: LDV, Moth's Tales, EleNoir