The annual season of open air music events during July at the Auditorium Music Park - Luglio Suona Bene - continues this year with an eclectic programme of concerts, with Saturday evening seeing Glaswegian post-rock band Mogwai take to the stage in the Cavea. I’ve mentioned before on this blog how much I love the Auditorium and in particular sitting below Renzo Piano’s insect-like pods in the open-air arena during the summer - concerts usually start at 9pm when it’s still just light outside in Rome, and the mood of the concerts intensifies as night falls. Hardcore fans posting on online forums prior to the Mogwai gig had been bemoaning the seated venue, preferring standing space in front of the stage, yet for me their particular brand of atmospheric, hypnotic music suited the venue perfectly! As the first notes of Helicon 1 rang out a flock of dozens of seagulls flew above the stage and screeched through the opening bars, setting the mood somehow for something quite magical. As dusk turned into night bats were swooping overhead through Friend of the Night - spooky - and by the time they played the ethereal 2 Rights Make 1 Wrong, it was already dark and looking up Pegasus was clearly visible in the starry night sky.
This concert was one of discovery for me as I went out of pure curiosity knowing Mogwai really in name only, yet with the final blistering version of Mogwai Fear Satan ringing in my ears, I left the Auditorium a brand new Mogwai fan. Highly recommended!
Helicon 1 I'm Jim Morrison I'm Dead Christmas Steps Scotland's Shame Friend Of The Night Ex-Cowboy Auto Rock I Love You, I'm Going to Blow up Your School Killing All The Flies Thank You Space Expert 2 Rights Make 1 Wrong Batcat ---- Hunted by a Freak Mogwai Fear Satan
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