LIVE REVIEW: DAVID DAMIANO @ THE ENMORE
The mark of a good artist is one who can connect with their audience, try new things/genres, all while remaining true to themselves.
Returning to Australia touring his debut solo album Funny Little Fears, Italian rocker and Måneskin frontman Damiano David proved he is one of those artists.
Playing to a packed Enmore Theatre on a Wednesday night, the crowd’s excitement was palpable. With no opener, by 8pm you could feel how desperate everyone was for the show to start. When the lights went down hundreds of phones were up in the air almost immediately, which seemed to annoy some people near me as they discussed the art of not recording and simply being in the moment. Don’t worry though, about three songs later they too had their phones out because evidently the show was too good not to capture.
When Damiano did finally waltz on stage at precisely 8.30pm he opened with the album’s lead single, the energetic ‘Born with a Broken Heart’. It was the perfect song to kick things off and get people moving. Following up with ‘The First Time’, ‘Mysterious Girl’, and ‘Voices’, Damiano and the crowd danced through a lot of the albums faster paced songs early.
Diverting from his own discography for a moment, we were treated to a cover of Kings of Leon’s ‘Sex is on Fire’. I have to say as iconic as as the original is, Damiano’s raspy Italian accent gave it a new dimension which was beautiful to witness.
We then had a more introspective and personal second half with Damiano literally changing before our eyes. With a hanger full of clothes on stage, he took this moment to change shirts and speak to the crowd, sharing how this whole solo act came to be. He made it clear he was still the lead singer of the much loved Måneskin (you could hear sighs of relief throughout the crowd) but that in the last 10 years while there were a lot of beautiful moments, somewhere along the way something ‘broke’ in him.
And so, he took a break and started writing Funny Little Dreams which is when he realised he was living an illusion of a life he thought he wanted, someone else’s life. As he stood there physically changing, it felt like he was shedding an emotional layer too, connecting with the crowd even more as he slowed things down with ‘Perfect Life’.
A few songs later he sang a personal favourite of mine ‘Tangerine’ which while a love song is also a bit savage when you really listen to it, followed by pure dance track ‘Zombie Lady’, which gave his female backing singer a chance to shine.
The crowd was completely in it and Damiano never faltered in commanding the stage.
When he was speaking or singing a more pared-back song, the crowd was quiet and hung on every word. When he performed some of his more energetic songs, everyone jumped as high as they could and sang right along with him.
When it came time for one of his personal favourites, ‘Tango’, he cheekily stated that while a lot of people made fun of the song, he thinks it’s one of his best and we can ‘suck his d*ck’.
As the show started winding to a close, Damiano shared some final insights into his mind and musical process, revealing that he’s a ‘bitch’ (his words not mine) and that it’s difficult for him to make friends, but that he made some great ones in the process of recording the album.
The encore included a repeat of ‘The First Time’, giving the crowd one more chance to dance their hearts out before ending with the slower but beautiful ‘Solitude’ which is all about embracing that feeling of being misunderstood and lost.
It was a beautiful way to remind everyone of the true power of music - to express yourself and find connection. It also showed us the true depth of the singer’s artistry and passion. David clearly loves what he does, loves his fans, and will always be looking for ways to express himself no matter the medium or genre.
While his solo career may show him in a new light, it’s clear he’s a star no matter what.