In the evocative setting of the Koko Club in Camden, Bloody Mary give their new London performance: a gothic band from Milan that enjoys remarkable success with audiences in the land of Albion, helped too by the promotion of Six Six Six Records, the label of Dave Pybus, bass player of Cradle Of Filth.
The Koko, a former theatre in baroque style, is the perfect setting for the show of Bloody Mary, a band careful to balance its music with a visual side that owes much to today's gothic scene. Black is de rigueur tonight: we notice it at once in the eager audience (mostly female — did we need to ask?) crowded in front of the stage and ready to cheer on its favourites.
The Milanese five-piece certainly needs no persuading, and puts on an entertaining and, above all, professional show. Despite the genre, which may wrongly be dismissed as "easy listening", live Bloody Mary balance the facets of their sound very well, an intriguing mix straddling darkwave and the energy of rock'n'roll. Careful to please everyone, the five Milanese hypnotise the audience with adrenaline-charged songs (excellent work from the pair of axe men Stranger and LaMountain, who lay beneath the songs carpets of riffs as compact as they are catchy), with a vein of melancholy and, above all, with the pursuit of the explosive, gripping refrain, one to remember at once and sing along to.
Aldebran's "warm", deep voice is perfect for the songs, which flow pleasantly and smooth as oil. The band's vocalist must also be credited with good frontman skills: a performer who draws the audience in with winks and moves that suit perfectly the sensuality of the genre.
Tonight's songs are taken from the recent 'Blood'n'Roll'. They range from the "catchy" 'Icy Blue' and 'Little Sister' to the rocking 'I Won't Be Unfeeling' and 'Judas Spite', on to 'Cease To Burn', 'Drops', 'It's Too Late'. We also want to keep a word for the rhythm section of LaRouge (bass) and Jürgen (drums), who win us over with technical skill of fine quality.
With their fun cover of The Twins' 'Face To Face, Heart To Heart', Bloody Mary take their leave of a satisfied, involved audience — a sign of the popularity the band is deservedly earning beyond its homeland's borders.
First published in Italian; in English here. Where it appeared ↗