Damiano David at Roundhouse
Just a few years ago, Damiano David was fronting the Italian rock band Måneskin as they headlined the O2. This time, it’s two nights at London’s Roundhouse and, this time, he’s on his own. Touring his debut solo album FUNNY little FEARS, David has sold out his European run, and takes to the stage each time more at ease than ever. He was once an animal onstage and, while it’s easy to miss the intense, rabid energy he had in the band, his pop era is more than enjoyable as well.
Flashing lights and a band in suit and tie are the backdrop for David’s entrance, and the crowd is buzzing. People point eagerly down towards the sidestage, trying to spot him, but the moment he rounds the corner, he is unmissable. He has the kind of aura that people are only born with, walking out in silk trousers with pirate-esque tied belts, shaking his head, tilting the mic stand like a lover would. Born with a Broken Heart opens and the place goes wild. Then, The First Time plays, and it gets even louder. The First Time is effortlessly catchy, with lyrics falling off into one another in a way that means it could go on forever.
Most of the setlist is the ballad-pop genre he has found himself in. Next Summer, The Bruise and Sick of Myself are slower, with building bridges and open lyrics. His voice is addictive. It breaks in all the right places, his tone like cracking honey. He is particularly vulnerable for Perfect Life; before singing, he changes outfits onstage, dressing himself from a rack while explaining what this one means to him – it’s all very striking, candid. He tells us that the show up until then has represented the last ten years of his life, when everything was whipping past at bullet speed and he was doing such amazing things, like the arena tour mentioned before. “Something snapped,” he admits. The honesty is refreshing.
He ends the night with Solitude (No One Understands Me), letting the anthemic ending crash out into the audience. They have adored this concert, jumping and screaming, clapping and crying. As a final goodbye, he hops down and dashes towards the barriers, into the waiting arms of his devoted fans. A thousand blown kisses, heartfelt thank-yous and handsqueezes close the show.
Talitha Stowell
Photos: Virginie Viche
For further information and future events, visit Damiano David’s website here.
Watch the video for Next Summer here:
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