Article by Philip Grasselli | Photo by Giorgia De Dato
The last time in Milan dates back to 1994. Thirty years ago at Rolling Stone. In the Milan where there was fountain in Piazza Duomo and the case Tangentopoli it was at the height of the affair in Corso di Porta Vittoria. Another universe, which I remember in an almost microcephalic way.
Also in this case i Crash Test Dummies come to present the album that consecrated him in the world of folk rock, “God Shuffled His Feet”released on April 5, 1993: a huge critical success at the time.
The opening of Frisàri
At the opening of this evening, Frisàriwhich is presented in semi-acoustic mode, electric guitar and cajon, nothing could be simpler, to bring us some fresh indie rock discography: from some songs taken from his only album, “Fluorescent carp”to his latest EP “It's not the drought” – a title that also describes the Milanese climate of these last few days, not only from a meteorological point of view.
Thirty years of flashbacks with the Crash Test Dummies in Milan
The live show overall was really quick, with the twelve songs in the setlist already completed in three quarters of an hour: few words, just listening (with a few too many technical problems…) and thanks to the Winnipeg band, which presents itself in complete outfit in the via Pietrasanta venue in Milan.
Among the theme notes from the film “A Summer Place” by Percy Faith, back in vogue on TikTok in recent weeks, almost all the original members of the Crash Test Dummies: starting with the drummer Mitch DorgeThen Dan Roberts on bass and his brother Brad for the unmistakable voice and guitar, the legendary Ellen Reid to choirs, accordion and percussion, Stuart Cameron to the guitars and, finally, Marc Arnould on keyboards.
There's a skeleton in everybody's closet
I can think of one or two in my own room
But I would like to introduce them both of you
You'd shake their good hands and so dispel the gloom
Crash Test Dummies – The Ghosts That Haunt Me (1991)
As an immediate warm-up, the title track of their debut album, “The Ghosts That Haunt Me” from 1991, of a distinctly folk nature: acoustic guitars, mandolins and the electric accordion are the absolutely fundamental elements to recreate even a little of this country atmosphere between Canadian and Irish. With the next song, “In the Days of the Caveman”which goes sailing to the caveman's life, an ancient campsite, where bugs and trees were your food then/no pajamas or doctors.
God Shuffled His Feet, the consecration album
From here, a series of six consecutive songs taken from “God Shuffled His Feet”who turned thirty last year: the tour, which began last year in Ontario, continues without interruptions with many dates in the Americas, Europe and will soon also be in Oceania, with sold-out dates in some states of 'Australia.
A small interlude from the mid-90s with a song that was part of the soundtrack of the famous film “Dumb and Dumber” by Jim Carrey – known in Italy with “Dumb & Dumber”: the cover of “The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead” of XTC.
A small detour at the end
Sometimes when Supe was stoppin' crimes
I'll bet he was tempted to just quit and turn his back on man, join
Tarzan in the forest
Crash Test Dummies – Superman's Song (1991)
Then, before we get to the last song, “Afternoons & Coffeespoons”one of the top singles of their career, a small excursus on their first album with the beauty “Superman's Song”: a song that juxtaposes the figures of Superman and Tarzan with a more political key, in which the community vision of the former contrasts the more individualistic and wild one of the second character.
Finally, the Canadian band presents their latest single, released quietly on March 10 last year, “Sacred Alphabet”a song with markedly different and darker tones, with Brad Roberts' voice almost as serious as Johnny Cash in “Hurt”.
The encore
The deafening silence of “Heart of Stone”perhaps the most melancholic song of their setlist: guitar and the voices of Brad Roberts and Ellen Reid and the sound of the recirculation of the air of the Magazzini Generali. Rarely do we witness such calm.
It may seem incredible, but on October 17th the Crash Test Dummies will put fans' Whamageddon mode to the test by singing “Jingle Bells” in the minor chords version only, but with these Irish folk rhythms like The Pogues in “If I Should Fall from Grace with God”. Absurd, but this also happened.
Finally, passing through “He Liked to Feel It” and the presentation of all the members of the band, their most famous song, “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm”. And here the 90s emerge exponentially, given that it represents one of the folk rock anthems at Jewel or Alanis Morissette levels, just to name a couple of artists who marked those years.
Will we see the Crash Test Dummies in Milan again? Who knows, maybe we won't let another thirty years pass!
Click here to see the photos of the Crash Test Dummies at the Magazzini Generali in Milan (or scroll through the gallery below).
CRASH TEST DUMMIES – The setlist of the concert at Alcatraz in Milan
The Ghosts That Haunt Me
In the Days of the Caveman
I Think I'll Disappear Now
How Does a Duck Know?
God Shuffled His Feet
Swimming in Your Ocean
The Psychic
Two Knights and Maidens
The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead
Superman's Song
Sacred Alphabet
Afternoons & Coffeespoons
Encore
Heart of Stone
Jingle Bells
He Liked to Feel It
Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM