It’s twilight time again in Rimini. Tonight’s the fourth gig of the Twilight Singer’s Italian winter tour, the band returning at the Velvet Rock Club after ten months, still in partnership with their local mates Afterhours. Manuel Agnelli, the Italian band’s singer, is currently touring with the Singers as the keyboard player, while Dulli produced the new Afterhours’ record, due to release early next year.

The Singers have been on tour for more than a year right now, and their growth as a musical unit is impressive. Tonight’s gig is clearly based around this year cover records "She Loves You”; at times it seems that we’re looking at the greatest cover band ever. But obviously that’s not the point: this is a true Greg Dulli experience in all its madness and glory.

Dulli is in great shape – so to say: he smokes dozens of cigarettes during the gig, but strangely doesn’t talk too much. Instead he lets the songs speak for himself: the set is filled with great Twilight’s tunes (Esta Noche, Decatur St., Teenage Wristband, Love/Annie Mae, Papillon, Martin Eden, and a new, beautiful song) and the usual handful of covers (Too Tough To Die, A Love Supreme/Please Stay, Hyperballad, Black Is The Color…), all of them played at maximum volume, in full “let’s burn this place down” effect.

The evening's surprise is the encore, with Dulli crooning alone at the piano for a beautiful rendition of “Black Love” while gazing at the blonde girl in front of him (another great Dulli moment), then soon joined by his pals for the big finale, featuring the Outkast's “Roses” and the Afghan Whigs’ “Uptown Again” and “Faded”.

Despite Dulli’s typical bleakness and cynicism, we finally leave the place with the shared feeling of being part of a great community – the band and us, Dulli and his fans, the guys onstage and the local promoters and friends – all of them personally greeted by The Man himself. We’re few hundreds tonight, but that’s a wonderful congregation.
Nicola Caleffi

Setlist:

1. Esta noche

2. Decatur st.

3. Too tough to die

4. A Love supreme

5. Please stay

6. Teenage wristband

7. Hyperballad

8. Love

9. Annie Mae

10. Incidente (new song)

11. Papillon

12. Martin Eden

13. Black is the color of my true love's hair

14. Giorgio's Birthday (sung by Manuel Agnelli)

Encore:

1. Black Love

2. The Killer

3. Roses

4. Uptown Again

5. Faded