Propagandhi + No Trigger @Live Music Club, Italy – May 6th, 2018

Talking about a Propagandhi concert is like talking about a mystical experience, a mix of adoration and emotional involvement towards the three Canadians, now accompanied by the American Sulynn, perfectly integrated by the group from Manitoba. You don’t have to be a fan to be carried away by their concerts, they manage to unite punkrockers, metal fans and anyone who appreciates excellently played music combined with distorted guitars and explosive drums. But first things first, at 9:30 p.m. the Live club of Trezzo sull’Adda is just filling up when No Triggers go on stage, I had never seen the 5 from Boston live and I’m very happy to see them as the opening act because I really enjoyed their last ep “Adult braces”. They play some really nice 30 minutes where they range from new songs like “Dogs on acid” and “Sleeping bag” to old classics like “Mountaineer” and “Owner operator”, the charismatic frontman Tom Rheault holds the stage very well but the whole band is good and the concert is really appreciable. A nice start. The time to drink two beers and the backdrop with the cover image of “Victory lap” comes down behind the drums, the audience crowds together and the adrenaline grows, the Propagandhi concerts are real events for loyal fans, Chris Hannah and colleagues enter the stage and start with “Failed imagineer” and the mess bursts, immediately after “Back to the motor league” and “Dear coaches corner” my friends from Livorno and I have already lost the voice. The band despite being at the last date of the tour is in great shape and spans all the discography choosing gems as “Failed states” or hardcore blasts as “Fuck the border”, from hardcore melodic songs from the last album as “Cops just out of frame” to sweet ballads as “Nigredo”, also from the last work released for Epitaph. Chris Hannah is sublime, he doesn’t miss a thing and he entertains the audience as he didn’t use to, Sulynn is a perfect supporter on guitar with the extra touch of the female choirs that also embellish the old songs; Todd and Jord are war machines on the rhythm section and the tracks sung by the bass player are not perfect for tightness but held up by a passion and determination that would supply a nuclear power plant. Before the final encores a return to the past with “We thought nation states were a bad idea” and “Apparently I’m a P.C. fascist” and the closing with “Haillie Sellasse up your ass” (a treat) and “Anti manifesto” that causes a restless mosh. They end with “Victory lap” and “Night letters”, everybody is happy though we would have appreciated a couple more songs; the band makes up for this by coming down from stage and thank the audience in the first rows, giving hugs, photos and autographs (I got the set list from Todd), humble and great as always. We go home, we feel we have attended a memorable concert and we can see it from the many smiles on the faces of the people coming out of the crowded Live Club. Long life to Propagandhi and many happy returns of this concert.

Live report by Randal
Translation by Elvira Cuomo