Posted on June 6, 2010 - by Mark Zonda

Paolo Benvengù is something to be

“Making a paragon with the world of cinema and movies, if we were back on a summer night on 1972 and you just decided to go out and see a picture show, you would have been the one who has picked “The Working Class Goes to Heaven” instead of “Love story”. And I tell you what…  Elio Petri wonCannes Film Festival that year”

For how this my appear some way obscure to you, these words were spoken by the Italian singer Paolo Benvegnù, while playing at Hana Bi a week ago. The singer was hinting at Lali Puna concert in Ravenna, being inexplicably sold out, being conscious that  his loyal audience was experiencing maybe the finest show from Paolo and his band.

Paolo Benvegnù is some kind of an hero from my point of view. Being confident of his talent as front man, singer and songwriter, he was brave enough to emerge from one of the most impressive Italian bands from the ’90s (Scisma) to start over a career supported only by an EP and an acoustic guitar, mostly being (laughed and boooed) the opening act of many important indie live shows during the years. Paolo made it in the end. He brought to live three important and complex albums and songs that prove him right: it was possible to engage and conquer audience into somethin new and unique still not steppin’ out the line of what’s pleasurable and pop, being surrounded by evermore talented fellow musicians on his live shows year after year. Top was on this tour, where saxophone and trumpet where added to his performance.

It’s all in the band or the real success of Paolo is on his great voice portraying the tales of a modern dramatic anti-hero puzzling with his tangled stream of consciousness songs? Guess Paolo know that, and after each song he courteously turn to his musicians showing them with the palm of his hands just like saying:”It’s all because of them”.

I’ve always being afraid of Paolo Benvegnù. I mean, he’s a tall and frenetic man, always looking like some kind of mad and irrational human being,  holding  such an incredible power always ready to explode. I think I got the same impression Eddie Argos had about Frank Blank, just to make it clear.

Still in the years Paolo has maturated the skill of being also able to laugh at himself and is monstrous talent. At some point of one of his most beloved songs, he walks across the stage of Hana Bi toward one of his multi player musicians, he opens his right hand with the palm over the guitarist head starting to saying in a trance like mode:“Guglielmo… Guglielmo… look at my eyes…. Destroy this lame Italian swing with the power of rock’n'roll…”. Then Guglielmo starts one of the all times most famous electric guitar riffs having the band to play AC/DC “Back in black”.

Don’t know about Lali Puna, but Benvegnù was able to show us something more than the average pop. Blame it on the brasses there were certain moments of his performance being really able to bring me back to 1972. Not in a move theater, yet right on a night at the “David Live” tour. Since some of the last songs had a timid approach to English, wish Paolo will be able to reach a wider international audience too.

• Paolo Benvegnù | Live @ Hana Bi 2010 Pics
• Paolo Benvegnù | Live @ Hana Bi 2010 Clip #1
• Paolo Benvegnù | Live @ Hana Bi 2010 Clip #2
• Paolo Benvegnù | Live @ Hana Bi 2010 Clip #3
• Paolo Benvegnù | Live @ Hana Bi 2010 Clip #4
• Paolo Benvegnù | Live @ Hana Bi 2010 Clip #5

Paolo Benvegnù – Marzo 13

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