By Luca Testoni

Sixteen years. That’s how long it has been since the last Italian concert by the Soft Cell frontman, one of the most brilliant and unpredictable figures in British pop.

Putting an end to his long absence from Italian stages, Almond—who in the post-Covid era decided to leave his country to live in Portugal—will perform with a full band in tow at the Auditorium Paganini in Parma next September 27th.

A performance that, along with Diamanda Galás’s, will stylishly open the 20th-anniversary lineup of the ‘Il Rumore del Lutto Festival’—an event that favors artists who do anything but compromise their artistic freedom. Such is the case with Marc Almond, the creator of an extremely personal path: over a career spanning more than 45 years, he has crossed paths with synth-pop, pop, chanson, cabaret, folk, and musical theater.

It will be one of Marc Almond‘s first performances following the passing last October of David Ball, the other half of Soft Cell—the early-1980s duo that, taking cues from Kraftwerk and Suicide while blending a passion for northern soul with electronics, not only forged British synth-pop and club music, but also achieved massive international success with their original dance suites. Take, for instance, the timeless 1981 classic hit ‘Tainted Love’, a Gloria Jones cover.

Furthermore, as reductive as it might seem, whenever it comes to interpreting other artists’ work, the eccentric Southport native—possessing a voice that is pained yet melodious, much like an unconventional crooner—has never held back. In fact, spanning from French chanson to Motown soul and beyond, he has always delivered his absolute best. It comes as no surprise that his latest solo album under his own name, 2024’s ‘I’m Not Anyone’, was once again a record made entirely of covers, featuring a repertoire ranging from Mahalia Jackson to Neil Diamond and King Crimson.

Coinciding with the Parma concert, Soft Cell‘s sixth and final album of unreleased material, ‘Danceteria’—a sort of tribute to 1980s New York—will be released, effectively bringing the duo’s story full circle. Even if Mr. Almond’s musical journey continues.

Info & Tickets http://ponderosa.it

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