Wildly fun and provocatively stylish: Måneskin’s Memorable Manchester Show Marked the End of the RUSH! World Tour 2023
Written by TotalRocker on December 22, 2023
Live Review: Måneskin at the AO Arena, Manchester 19 December 2023
Words by Alex Alicia | Friday 22 December 2023
Photo Credits by Fabio Germinario
by Fabio Germinario
This week, Manchester played host to Italia’s Kool Kids Måneskin, for what could only be described as my favourite live show of 2023! Tuesday evening saw the flamboyant final bow of the extensive RUSH! World Tour at The AO Arena on Victoria Street. And in a sentimental goodbye for this year, the band made a memorable farewell to their first-ever world tour in front of thousands of adoring UK fans.
The final show on December 19th saw no-nonsense, no major gimmicks – just wildly fun, provocatively stylish, well-played rock and roll.
Silhouetted behind a huge satin-red curtain, the band made their entrance and what an entrance it was. From the second the lights went down, and the band hit the stage (loud and proud), they had the crowd in the palm of their hands. It sounded incredible and so powerful from the offset that you could feel the bass and kick drum in your throat and chest. Building excitement – fans screaming in anticipation of seeing their favourite band in the flesh, they played a perfectly drawn-out intro which led into the first RUSH! song of the night, Don’t Wanna Sleep before frontman, Damiano David screamed “I Don’t Want to Sleep at All”, and the curtain came crashing down to reveal the quartet boogying away, kicking the air, and covering all areas of the stage!
by Fabio Germinario
Hits such as Gossip, winning Eurovision 2021 single Zitti E Buoni, Honey (Are U Coming?), Supermodel, Valentine, Gasoline and in Damiano’s words “the song that made [them] the most famous c**ts in the world”, Beggin’, were just a handful of the many thrilling songs that filled the first half of the show.
The final night of the RUSH! tour showcased just how much Måneskin love what they do. One look at Victoria’s smile throughout the show would define pure joy. Their performance together highlighted that they love sharing the stage, sharing their music, and connecting with fans, whom on social media they express much love and adoration. It was a wholesome evening filled with Christmassy spirit and end-of-year highs that made for the perfect festive treat a week before the big day… If you’re still looking for that perfect gift, then maybe take a second to see when and where Måneskin is next in town!
by Fabio Germinario
One of the things I love about Måneskin is their obvious talent for not only sounding great but also looking fabulous! It wouldn’t be a Måneskin show without the high-end fashion. The fans ‘looks’ included. Naturally, the band each wore staple pieces, and lavish accessories and had cohesive intricacies of matching colour schemes – in this case, a striking red theme, laced in each stage outfit. Victoria De Angelis sported an all-red suit with hanging shoulder chains alongside Thomas Raggi and Ethan Torchio – both in red ties and sleek suits, whilst Damiano wore an all-black suit, also embellished with hanging silver chains, 6-inch heeled boots and belt combo complete with red leather gloves. As the night went on, however, the clothing items became fewer and the movement, cheeky profanities, and energy became even more intense!
by Fabio Germinario
Victoria De Angelis might just be one of the best bassists in modern rock right now. Not only is she an obvious fan-favourite amongst the crowd (homemade Christmas signs of the bass player featuring pictures saying ‘Merry T*tmas’ covered the audience), but she is also an inspiring talent. Seen often gracefully surfing over the sea of heads that night, bass and a huge smile in tow, her energy provoked the wildest reaction. She moves with a swagger that commands the stage whilst fingerstyle-picking her iconic red star bass. How she plays creates such a special groove essential to the newer Måneskin sound. Alongside drumming extraordinaire Ethan, the rhythm section is so impressively tight! They gelled so well together that night producing a driving spirit that never faltered. All those younger years busking in the Italian streets, earning their stripes, and perfecting their sound have truly paid off.
A moment’s break midway through the show saw the band reappear at the acoustic stage situated at the other end of the AO Arena. A wild surprise for all! Standing fans rushed in the opposite direction to worship at the smaller Måneskin alter whilst Damiano, Thomas and Ethan (now on acoustic guitar) waved at fans who’d previously been seated the furthest away, before performing a heartfelt rendition of their new single Trastevere. The way the band filled the arena with their captivating presence whilst being the most inclusive of all twenty-one thousand fans was something very special. Damiano’s ability to move between flavoursome raspy vocals to the serious and sentimental balladesque cries is captivating. Vibing on the B-stage, the flamboyant frontman announced that the band had picked a song to cover in every city they’d visited on this tour that celebrated an artist from each area. “We’ve tried to do a unique song for each city” grinned Damiano. And immediately the crowd started to make an assumption, and they were right. For Manchester, it had to be… Oasis. Fans lit up the room with their phone torchlights and sang along with the duo (Damiano and Thomas) for Måneskin’s wowing acoustic rendition of the 1995 hit, ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’. A special standout moment, unique to the Mancunian crowd.
by Fabio Germinario
An energetic return to the main stage kick-started the final half of the show which saw the band play even more bangers both old and new such as Mammamia, Bla Bla Bla, I Wanna Be Your Slave, Off My Face and Kool Kids where a plethora of buzzing fans were welcomed onstage to go wild as they danced with the band up-close and personal. Cool kids indeed, it was at this point in the show that the band let loose, unplanned and totally in the moment whilst silly dancing with huge grins, wearing Santa hats gifted by the fans, and taking the time to embrace every single person onstage with them. Måneskin is a truly loveable band that makes everyone feel welcome!
by Fabio Germinario
Their friendship onstage shone through all evening, and it was a delight to witness. I recall many funny, mischievous, and naughty moments between the Italian stars which amped up an already entertaining evening and got fans cheering and laughing along with them. Musically, the night also saw each member of the band have their unique musical moments such as Thomas Raggi’s stunning five-minute guitar solo leading into the beautiful ballad, The Loneliest. But one thing that I found wonderful was how they so clearly love to help each other shine – quite literally in Damiano and Thomas’ case during the self-lit silhouette guitar solo, Bono-style ha!
Often, we wonder about the headliners of our generation. Who might be at the top of the bill of our beloved rock festivals? Who are the rockstars of today? And I believe here in Manchester on Tuesday night, stood the exciting future. Måneskin are those rockstars, in every sense of the word.
by Fabio Germinario
Manchester was one of those beautifully memorable shows that stay with you, and you’ll keep replaying it repeatedly in the quiet moments for many days after! Måneskin is a band with an incredible presence and their energy is a force that radiates through a room (in this instance – an arena!). I only see larger crowds in their future, this band are on an ever-constant trajectory to rock stardom and rightly so.
by Fabio Germinario
Måneskin Setlist:
Don’t Wanna Sleep
Gossip
Zitti E Buoni
Honey (Are U Coming?)
Supermodel
Coraline
Beggin’ (The Four Seasons Cover)
The Driver
For Your Love
Valentine
Gasoline
–
Trastevere (Acoustic)
Don’t Look Back In Anger (Oasis Cover) (Acoustic)
–
Basso e Batteria
I Wanna Be Your Slave
Mammamia
Off My Face
In Nome Del Padre
Bla Bla Bla
Kool Kids
–
Encore
Thomas’ Guitar Solo
The Loneliest
I Wanna Be Your Slave
***
Live Review: Måneskin at the AO Arena, Manchester 19 December 2023
Words by Alex Alicia | Friday 22 December 2023
Photo Credits by Fabio Germinario
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Fluff On December 23, 2023 at 9:18 am
What a powerful review, fitting of a power band . Made me feel like I was there . Rock lives 🤘👏👏