Event: D:A:D 40th anniversary concert with special guests Sandness
Date: Monday, November 25, 2024
Venue: Legend Club, Milan, Italy
18 years after the indescribable events at the D:A:D concert in Graz, my buddy and I hit the road down memory lane to reaffirm our old bond at the D:A:D concert in Milan, where the guys stopped as part of their tour celebrating the band’s 40th anniversary and promoting their latest album Speed of Darkness (Rockline review).
The drive flew by as we reminisced, and before we knew it we were in foggy Milan. True to Italian tradition — and on a Monday no less — every restaurant in the area was shut during the afternoon, so we fell back on the classic concert-goer’s pre-show routine: two bags of crisps, a few cold ones, and some whisky from the emergency stash, and the time until showtime passed in fine spirits.
When we arrived about half an hour before showtime, Legend Club was already packed solid, which caught us off guard — Italy was never really a strong market for the Danish quartet. That said, the Milan show was the only stop in Italy on this tour, so fans had crawled out of the woodwork from every direction.
The thankless support slot went to local rock trio Sandness. The guys put together a solid 45-minute set of punchy, melodic rock ‘n’ roll that, sadly, didn’t leave a deeper impression on me. Their guitarist/vocalist Robby did leave his mark, though — punchy riffs and smooth, flowing solos. Stylistically a very fitting opener, I’ll admit. The crowd’s response was positive, probably helped along by the sizable contingent of friends and acquaintances the band members had in the room.
After a brief stage changeover, the headliners appeared. When a concert opens with the hard-rocking Jihad, you know exactly what you’re in for. “Take no prisoners” all the way — total devastation. The band was in top form; vocalist/guitarist Jesper, with his Joe Cocker-style grimaces and a remarkably similar vocal delivery, was just soaking up the crowd’s reaction. The classic four-piece setup sounded massive — a true embodiment of the “less is more” approach — with Stig‘s two-string bass holding down the low end, complemented by Jesper‘s raw riffs and rhythmic foundation, while Jacob, with a delicate touch, filled the club with melancholic melodies and solos. Laust behind the kit was a story unto himself — turning what looks on paper like a fairly straightforward gig into a relentless cymbal-bashing spectacle, seasoning song after song with his own quirky fills and transitions nowhere to be found on any of the studio albums.
The setlist was, at least for my taste, fantastic. They pulled the absolute best from the new album (the only thing I missed was the closing I’m Still Here, which understandably can’t hold its own next to the timeless classic Laugh ‘n’ a 1/2). Five new songs were slotted neatly between the golden classics without ever disrupting the flow. During the heavier tracks (Rim of Hell, Reconstrucdead, Riding With Sue), the crowd went absolutely mental; the gentler melodies (Grow or Pay, Laugh ‘n’ a 1/2) brought a full wall-to-wall singalong. Those two, along with The Ghost , were basically the only chances to catch your breath, because rock ‘n’ roll destruction was rolling off that stage and out of those speakers without a let-up. The little hit from the Riskin’ it All album, Bad Craziness, sparked a proper mosh pit.
Stig stayed true to tradition, swapping out at least five bass guitars over the course of the night in his silver plastic outfit, each one more outlandishly styled than the last (see the photos). On two tracks (Jonnie and Riding with Sue), he stepped up as lead vocalist. During the falsetto section of Sue‘s lyrics, the crowd’s collective squealing easily drowned Stig out, which drew broad grins from the rest of the band.
The raw rock ‘n’ roll energy was cutting in both directions — off the stage and straight back again. As I mentioned, the club was packed into every last corner; by my estimate, around 600 of us were crammed in there. It’s incredible how well a gig like this lands after all the (power) metal events I’ve been to lately. The energy is somehow cleaner and more direct — I don’t know how else to describe it. The sound was top-notch, and those riffs genuinely rearranged your insides. Yet another reminder of how this kind of show blows stadium spectacles completely out of the water.
The band may not be at their creative peak anymore, but live they’re a proper vicious beast that tears you apart and chews you up — and then you’re begging for more.
More, please!
You can check the full setlist here.
Almost forgot — the closing trio of Sleeping My Day Away, Laugh ‘n’ a 1/2, and It’s After Dark shredded our vocal cords completely, set us up nicely for one last beer before bed, and sent us off to sleep thoroughly satisfied. Magical!!!
Text and photos: Igorac
