Loud Kids Tour at The Theater at Virgin Hotel Las Vegas
December 28, 3033 Review by Steve Allen
After opening for The Rolling Stones just over one year ago, Måneskin’s “loud” return came to Las Vegas for the second time. It was also a night that would be defined almost entirely by their music.
For the entirety of the US leg of their Loud Kids tour, Måneskin had no opening act, no over-produced stage design, and little fanfare to their entrance as they casually strolled onto the stage to do what they do best: deliver raunchy in your face rock and roll.
Måneskin fans began lining up as early as 7 a.m. with MANY more showing up around noon. If you wanted a good spot in this all general admission show, you had to put in the work to get it. Once through the doors, the race was on and those who ran fastest got the spots they rightfully deserved after their long wait. There were no bad attitudes, only anxious anticipation for the only band that mattered on this night…Måneskin.
Around 4,000 fans passed through the theater doors for the final show of their US Kids tour. They knew it and everyone in the house knew it. In fact, for being somewhat unknown here in the States, they have a well-traveled fanbase that came from not only all over the States, but from the band’s home country of Italy, as well as other parts of Europe.
With the release of their album “Rush” coming in January, many felt that this may be the last time to see them play in such a small venue, and they weren’t about to miss it. Considering they can play to 70,000 people overseas, I’d say that’s a good guess. An “unknown” band that has more than four billion streams, commands a stage, and works the audience like pros is kind of mind boggling. Yet here they are with most of America just finding out about these “Kool Kids.”
As it has been for all of their US tour, the setlist remained relatively the same: a mix of older and newer songs, a blend of Italian and English language songs. Måneskin opened with new song “Kool Kids” from their upcoming album, and even though it’s an unreleased track, EVERYONE in attendance already knew the words.
Fronted by the charismatic singer Damiano David, the band fired up like a buzz saw, delivering each song they’ve been playing for years as if each one were new to them. With the new album on the horizon, I like to think they wanted to give many of them a proper sendoff, and I felt each and every tune like a punch on the chin.
Coming straight at you were a musically furious stanza of gritty, but beautifully composed, yet very raw songs like “Zitti E Buoni” and “In Nome Del Padre.” What’s more amazing is how many fans understood and could sing back the lyrics to the Italian songs; even if they couldn’t, the content oozed so much emotion and passion that the subject matter transferred without words.
Måneskin performed as energetically and musically skilled as any rock band around. Each member projected a larger-than-life quality and the talent to acquire the rock god status that has long been lacking in the genre.
Bassist Victoria De Angelis was continuously on the move and even played while crowd-surfing. Guitarist Thomas Raggi put in work as a crowd-surfing musician as well; not only is he a six-string virtuoso, he’s definitely modeled his stage mannerisms after Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, only trading in the Les Paul for a Stratocaster. Raggi’s solos were poetic, melodic, and emotive, which is a challenging task with as much movement as this band has on stage.
The stage production was pretty minimal, with the exception of the over usage of strobes and a stairway to the drum riser. This minimalist approach placed the attention entirely on the music. The band unleashed their first and to date, biggest hit, a cover of the Four Seasons’ “Beggin,’” and the packed house sang along almost as loud as the band.
Damiano declared “This is the saddest song we have,” before a beautiful rendition of “Coraline.” He then had fans go to the floor before jumping up into the air on “I Wanna Be Your Slave.” They also do the best cover I’ve ever heard of Iggy Pop’s “I Wanna Be Your Dog.” Usually, cover songs are a bathroom break for me, but not this time. Måneskin would also cover The Who’s “My Generation” and yes, I even stayed for this one.
Typically, near the late middle of the show, they play what has seemed to me, a song they wanted to push as their first hit or single from the new album called “Gasoline.” A sort of tribute to Ukraine, but tonight it was oddly left off the setlist.
All too soon came the last two songs to end their main set: “Mammamia” and “Lividi Sui Gomiti,” where they invite fans onstage.
Returning for their encore, Raggi played one more six-string melodic interlude, literally showing his best work of the night, naturally transitioning into a beautiful arrangement of a song that may literally bring tears to your eyes titled “The Loneliest.”
On occasion, I’ve heard a song live that was so good I wanted to hear a second time. Of course, that never happens right? I mean who does that? Måneskin does! As they usually do, they ended the night with a second playing of “I Wanna Be Your Slave” and we all went home happy.
BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!
Channeling their inner Who (the band), as they were winding down “I Wanna Be Your Slave,” Damiano and De Angelis were doing their thing, playing and waving to the crowd. Raggi suddenly decided to smash his guitar on the stage… HARD. So hard you could hear it thump, thump, thump until it broke at the neck and the body bounced up in the air.
You could tell it wasn’t planned simply by the look of “what the…” on Damiano’s face. Then De Angelis wanted some of that action and smashed her bass guitar on the stage until it too broke. As De Angelis was finishing off her destruction, Damiano ran up the steps to the drum riser and began pulling the drums apart while Ethan Torchio was still playing, throwing them down the stairs where Raggi and De Angelis began smashing the heads in with a fucking kick drum mic.
It was insane. It was a GREAT rock and roll moment. NOW we all went home happy.
