Dead Kennedys live in Italy (Pinarella di Cervia)

A warm Autumn night in Pinarella di Cervia for Dead Kennedys, the Californian punk legends, who come back to Italy after a few years.
The opening act is by Petrol Girls, a young post hard-core band founded in London in 2013, pure power; they immediately warm up the night while the venue is filling up; the singer’s voice mesmerizes the audience; she talks a lot between a track and another. A very good live show and well deserved applause.
The Dead Kennedys’ symbol lights up on stage. The crests go for the mosh pit in a show haunted by the ghost of Jello Biafra, the former singer who left the band after a dispute with the record company.
After the first tracks, the ghost vanishes thanks to Ron Greer (former Wynona Riders’ singer) who performs above expectations, entertaining and ironic between a track and another, without trying to imitate his predecessor; the rest of the band is too static, only East Bay Ray moves a spotlight with his guitar.
The dominant album is “Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables” with a “California Uber Alles” which makes everybody move. The temperature rises and the crowd surfing starts; people go crazy for “Kill the Poor” and “Nazi-Punk Fuck Off”, not only for musical reasons for this track which closes the set list.
People call for an encore, and the show goes on with Elvis Presley’s cover “Viva Las Vegas”, “Holiday in Cambodia” (which makes my friend cry) and a very impressive “Chemical Warfare”.
I can’t miss a t-shirt from the merch stand to remember this great night; unfortunately only a bar was open, and very crowded.

Live Report by S.M.
Translation by E.C.