Arctic Monkeys swung through Milan for the only Italian date on the ‘AM‘ tour playing to an excitable Milan Forum crowd. The fact that half of the audience were barely in their teens when the Sheffield lads released “Whatever People Say I Am…” was further evidence that this outfit are as relevant as ever.
As soon as the band hit the stage, opening with an epic rendition of this summer’s first single “Do I Wanna Know?“, two massive AM letters lit up behind offering a glorious technicolor backdrop and literally taking center stage for the duration of the show.
With a multitude of highlights populating their already impressive body of work this really took all the semblance of a greatest hits show with early airings of “Dancing Shoes“, “Brainstorm” and “Teddy Picker” deserving a particularly rousing receptions.
Sporting his new demi-Elvis look Alex Turner finally took a bow a few numbers in and introduced himself in talk show host fashion: “Hello Milan! We are Arctic Monkeys and my name is Alex Turner”. He would be taking particular joy throughout the night introducing the rest of the band in similar fashion and this new suave stage persona showcased a man brimming in confidence. As such, even the tracks where he temporarily abandoned his guitar possessed enviable amounts of energy.
Once he did return to his instrument the frontman showed he could shred with the best of them reeling off solos with the greatest of ease. This is particularly evident on “Arabella” where a casual switch to the chorus from Sabbath‘s “War Pigs” is featured without missing a blink . Newbies “Fireside“, which Turner dedicates to “the ladies“, and “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High” get offered on a plate to much adulation. Meanwhile the underrated “Cornerstone” spearheads this decades equivalent of lighters in the air with thousands of smartphones being waved in the air.
Closing with their the powerful trio of “Snap Out Of It”, the classic “Mardy Bum” and stormer “R U Mine?” , it is clear that the 2013 version of the Arctic Monkeys is a band comfortable within the confines of mega arenas and the likes. It’s been a long time since these four shy teenagers from the North of England were finding their feeting but in Alex Turner, now like then, they possess one of our generation’s great lyricists.
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