Lacuna Coil celebrated twenty years by filming The 119 Show – Live in London (Century Media) in that bastion of musicality, London Town. The more than two-hour show showcases all that’s good about Lacuna Coil and features amazing performances by Incandescence Circus Theatre Company. From the freaky circus backdrop to the band taking the stage in unsettling white face paint, The 119 Show is a mélange of American Horror Story Season 4, a wicked Lacuna Coil show, and amateurish editing.
The giant win is, of course, is Lacuna Coil. The set list is sublimely nostalgic: ‘The Army Inside’, ‘I Like It’, ‘Heaven’s a Lie’, and ‘I Forgive’ contributed to an awesome aural experience. It’s a set list you can sing along to. You can dance about your flat whilst listening to it as the DVD comes with two CDs of the live show. Perfect! The highlights include ‘One Cold Day’, an homage to Claudio Leo that is heartbreaking and moving. ‘Falling’ and ‘Wide Awake’ showcase Cristina Scabbia’s amazing vocals as she is accompanied by Silvia Zanaboni on piano. Not only do these songs prove that Scabbia is one of the best singers in modern times, but also visually was a show stopper.
The audio production is strong. It’s the usual audience mixed out during the songs yet audible in between. The timbre of the drums and cymbals are the true tell that it was indeed filmed live.
However, the visuals don’t match up, as due to some of the camera angles used, the frames get over saturated and washed out as the reds and blues of the lighting don’t actually help in filming. Though it may add ambiance to the show, unfortunately, if you’re sat at home watching this, it’s an annoyance.
Mildly annoyed also describes my feeling about the editing. Incandescence Circus Theatre Company did a fantastic job (from what I was shown) with backing dancers and performances but the ADHD random cut-and-jump-away shots follow no rhyme nor reason and are a huge distraction. ‘Blood Tears Dust’ and ‘House of Shame’ have the viewing pleasure greatly diminished by the editing. The aerialist gets precious little screen time as do the wicked cool zombies coming out of the backdrop where both would have added a wonderfully freakish layer to the visuals had they been edited into the scenes properly.
The takeaway is that Lacuna Coil is an awesome band. Cristina Scabbia has a stunning voice. The setlist is amazing. The 119 Show – Live in London is totally worth it just to hear the band and watch the interview however if you indulge in the DVD, be warned that the editing leaves something to be desired.
7.0/10
VICTORIA ANDERSON