Maneskin

[Chris P.]

I was at the Maneskin concert in Amsterdam last Monday - no, unfortunately no interview for the mag, we've been trying for years - and I was very surprised and pleased. And Victoria has a new fan.

Let me be realistic and also mention the cons. There are some songs that are similar, there are some riffs 'borrowed' from well-known songs, playing your hit twice with the same kneel and jump moment with the audience is a bit too much, and how often can you adopt certain rock poses and spontaneously walk into the audience? I briefly thought of The Darkness' first performance in NL in the Melkweg, with catsuits, rock poses and where, despite the Spinal Tap content, I also watched with a big grin.

What I particularly liked was that there was just a singer, bassist, guitarist and drummer on stage. The Who has two keyboardists and an extra guitarist with them, Muse has an extra guy. But now nothing, no pre-recorded tracks, no guest musicians, no extra keyboardist whether behind the scenes or not. Just four people, a drum kit, two Ampegs, two Marshalls, a couple of relic Fenders, a wah pedal and Victoria with three different Longhorns and a Dano DC. I do think her fuzz was kicked on for her, though.

A lot of songs are carried by bass riffs and she can do that. Minutes of playing a repetative riff, with some guitar over it. Nice runs, nice high notes, nice melodies. She has a lovely fat bass sound, lots of fuzz and she really carries the band with that thick layer of bass and melody and despite all the poses, sprints across the stage, dives into the audience and two hours of playing, I think I heard her miss exactly one note and at that moment she was on top of the audience. Props! Truly a machine, in the good sense of the word.

The guitarist was also convincing. Besides playing sone good solos, he did a song with a talkbox, one with an ebow, he built up a long solo with a loop station.

Otherwise, it was a good show, with a small acoustic stage in the back of the Ziggo Dome (sold out, 17.500 people) for a couple of songs. A moving light-rig, dropping down for a more intimate atmosphere, real fire at a song, the singer shining on the guitarist with a portable light system, giving you that 60s/70s atmosphere. They have a lot of good songs, the outfits were good and I repeat now: I thought it was especially cool that it was so pure and energetic, with just amps on stage. The audience was relatively very young and that anno '23 bands like this attract and encourage young people and that they just see a real rock band. I already know girls who started playing bass because of this band. I had a very good time for two hours with that very audible bass!

[westen44]

This seems like something pretty good for Danelectro, needless to say.  I don't have a Longhorn, but I do have a Hodad purchased about five years ago.  If you adjust it just right, it can kind of be like a poor man's Ric.  Another good thing is Maneskin is Italian.  The Italians never got the memo about rock supposedly being dead.  I'm currently listening to several Italian rock bands and spending maybe a little too much for CDs by them.  But people need to be having fun with Italian rock.  Nothing can compare going to an actual concert, though.  That sounds like the concert was very nice and that's a great and descriptive review. 

[morrow]

Those Longhorns can be great little things. I've still got the factory strings on mine , It's from 98 or so , so it's strictly a thumper now. But it has a great deep rich woody old school thump.
Once upon a time it would sound like a baritone guitar with the neck pickup and a pick. No more.

[Chris P.]

Oh how I love bass forums and us bass nerds. I wrote something about the band somewhere else and most people start about Victoria and her outfits. Here it's just about how sexy Danelectros are:)

[westen44]

https://loudwire.com/ghost-tobias-forge-maneskin-rock-horror-future/

According to this, band's like Maneskin may be paving the way for rock's future.

[uwe]

I think those four young Wops have undeniable glammy charm, own their last two CDs, very entertaining. They obviously listened to a lot of RHCP, that seems to be their main influence and why not, there are worse bands out there. RHCP will never be the Beatles, but they are a nice jammy outfit. Maneskin, from what I have seen, should be a riot live.

It's all good that they have become so popular following their ESC victory 2021. All forza to them, allora!

But seriously: I can't believe that we are 5 posts into this thread, Chris - a man constantly battling his high testosterone levels - has once again fallen in love (for this week) and Victoria's bass model + effects get a mention, but her exquisitely taped nipples are hushed over as if we were conducting spiritual exercises in a Catholic priest seminary.



What is wrong with you guys, can't you ever focus properly?!

[Chris P.]

I'm moore of an ass and legs guy 


Being rock's future is always a bold comment, but it sure is great to see a 'real' band play, without all the extra's. It shows youngsters how it could and should be.

[uwe]

You bottom dweller!

[westen44]

"What is wrong with you guys, can't you ever focus properly?!"

A true music lover was once defined as a man who, upon hearing a beautiful woman sing in a bathtub, puts his ear rather than his eye to the keyhole. 

[uwe]

Re the prerecorded backing tapes epidemic with rock bands (I'm fine if this happens with dance acts, they've been doing it for ages), I'm with you:



And since you mentioned The Darkness (one of the best live acts on the planet), what does Justin Hawkins have to say?



I've never heard of Falling In Reverse, but judging from this here, I wonder if there is any need for them to play real instruments live at all, their music is 90% processed and programmed. Realistically, if they want to reproduce this live as close as they can, they'll need computers.

[uwe]

"What is wrong with you guys, can't you ever focus properly?!"

A true music lover was once defined as a man who, upon hearing a beautiful woman sing in a bathtub, puts his ear rather than his eye to the keyhole.

Such words of profound wisdom! 

[westen44]

Such words of profound wisdom! 

I think that quote can be found somewhere in Heidegger's "Being and Time."  It's definitely profound. 

[Dave W]

Not to my taste, but I'm not their target audience.

Whatever their lack of originality, it's still guitar oriented rock. Could be a lot worse. Could be Lizzo. 

[uwe]

If Lizzo saves just one girl in this world from starving herself to death, she's alright by me.

And she sings German too!

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2N79T49mVwQ

Her recent tour in Germany was lauded by the media.

[uwe]

Not to be misunderstood, I don't judge Maneskin for their RHCP influence (it's the music they grew up with) just as I don't judge Greta Van Fleet for having perhaps listened to one Led Zep album from their older brothers too many.

Bands like that keep rock alive. In this decade, we're gonna see the majority of our musical heroes enter the eternal backstage grounds. I'm still waiting for a young Deep Purple though, you sure don't see a lot of 20-year old Hammond players these days.