If it wasn't the concert of the year it came very close, last night's concert in Lignano Sabbiadorosecond leg of the Italian tour of the Chickenfoot. Super bands made up of great musicians from different backgrounds have not always produced great things, but fortunately Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony and Chad Smith have even gone perhaps beyond anything they have managed to do so far in their respective careers... and those who witnessed these two memorable shows are certainly of the same opinion.
Chickenfoot are a real band, they are four extraordinary, 'rich and famous' musicians who decided they wanted to have fun together and entertain their audience. With a setlist centred almost entirely on their eponymous debut album, they did not shy away from several exciting improvisations. The injury that had forced Chad Smith to cancel the date in Spain on 1 July (and for which the Peppers' drummer was supposed to take a month off) seems to have totally disappeared, or at least that is what transpires from the precise, driving and powerful drumming offered and Chad's cabaret-like humour.
Very welcome for the many Van Halen fans the return to the scene of Michael Anthony and especially of Sammy Hagar (several Montrose T-shirts, his first great love, were also in the audience). The experience and energy that have always characterised the bassist and singer exude from the first track (Avenida Revolution) to the final Bad Motor Scooter (by Montrose, and the only extra Chickenfoot track on the setlist). The rhythm and groove imposed by Chad and Anthony are those of 80s hard rock but with an extra dash of madness, coming from the drummer himself and the oddities of Joe Satriani, perhaps the most transformed compared to his career prior to this project, demonstrating a remarkable eccletism.
Hagar's vocal performance lives up to her illustrious past and she excelled herself on songs such as 'Sexy Little Thing', 'Oh Yeah' and the beautiful 'Learning to Fall', the only respite in a tight set that left the fans literally in raptures.
Chickenfoot are an experience to be lived... LIVE!!!!
The line-up in Lignano, 5 July 2009:
Avenida Revolution
Soap on a Rope
Sexy Little Thing
Oh Yeah
Down the Drain
Learning to fall
Get it up
Turnin' left
Future in the past
Bad motor scooter
Photos by Henry Ruggeri
