A few weeks after the release of the single Question Everything, I meet Kevin Calì voice of the Ticino band Dreamshade. If you associate skulls, black leather and other gothic images with metal - with dreams of mistakes! The group, born in 2006 by the guitarists Fernando “Fella” of Cicco and Rocco Ghielmini (former member), associates an explosive positivity to distorted guitars. The frontman wears a shirt studded with little tigers and Elvis Presley in the expansion earring and, while he talks about the band, he gets excited, gesticulates. With him I discover a group that, through a powerful melodic metal, above all wants to communicate happiness from that stage ...
La band
«I started singing with Dreamshade in 2011. Before I was playing in another band but I must say that I admired, indeed I must admit that I was almost jealous of Dreamshade's musical prowess. Then she happened to be selected to sing with them and we haven't given up since. We are very united, over time we become like a family and as in every family each one has his own quality and his temperaments both on a musical and human level and this is the beauty. An extended family that includes fans! ».
What your music tells ...
«Our songs speak of everyday life or experiences lived on our skin or that of close people. The idea of a new piece generally comes from the guitarist Fernando “Fella” of Cicco and then all together we develop and make it grow. I believe that the important thing is without limits of any kind, the music must be thought, composed and explored at 360 degrees. The latest single "Question everything" tells our point of view on the music industry, in other songs we treat family, friendship, our way of seeing life up to more intimate themes. In short, music is nurtured and connected to many of our personal experiences. When people tell you they recognize themselves in what you write,when you know you have really managed to send something you are satisfied and excited to continue giving your best. If there is someone besides us who really believes in what we do then it all makes sense ».
Each story has a starting point. What are the first songs that left a mark on your heart?
“I had to, One E More T have AF eeling of the Boston and the Other E La F inal c odowndown " of Europe, which in 87 participated in Sanremo: I was only 3 years old and with my plastic guitar, completely captured, I imitated their moves! This thing got inside me. Thanks to my sister and brother, I discovered a lot of other music from Madonna to Metallica. Everyone in the house, even my father, listened to good music.When I was 15 I started with the guitar, I was a singer-guitarist for a Metallica cover band but then I realized that I was limited instrumentally (and laughs) I felt I could not express myself at best ... groups with singers who could do everything , from the shouted, to the clean, to the melodic. It fascinated me a lot and since then I have focused on the voice! ».
Your voice is so powerful so multifaceted ...
«My voice has always made me“ crazy ”(and laughs). With her I have a love hate relationship, a constant exploration of one's limits. Not having complete control over her spurs him on to move forward and break every barrier between us. A continuous learning to know and explore your body, that's why I'm in love with it. Sometimes the relationship is complete and there are stages of impasse but then, with discipline and passion, we continue to grow ».
You have just returned from your second tour in South Africa, how did it go?
«Great, it was great to be back 5 years after the first tour. An enchanting country full of colors and traditions. In short, a fairy tale! This made us feel good and allowed us to face the tour in the most peaceful and fun way possible. An electrifying experience that has undoubtedly left its mark. In addition, they have already made some good human contacts the first time and the relationship with the fans has been nurtured, it was exciting to be in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria and Johannesburg and see people coming back to see us ».
Tell me about your relationship with fans.
«For us the band is not just made up of 4-5 individuals you see on stage. Before and after the live we look for a real contact with the public, chatting, drinking a glass together: a relationship that then often continues on social networks. Not all groups do this but human connection has always been central to us and we are not going to stop. Basically our idea of a concert is to spend an evening together. The band makes 50%, the audience makes the other 50% and when the two parts mix in the right way, something special is created ».
Energy and stage. How is magic created?
The aspect of live shows that I love is that, compared to an album or a video, you show yourself for who you really are. From the stage we want to pass a great positive charge: despite the distorted guitars or the pounded drums that can characterize our musical genre, we always play with a smile! Every concert is a marathon and you have to be energized and prepared Before going on stage everyone takes half an hour to warm up both musically, physically and mentally, hug the group and off to the show. Even after so many lives, the adrenaline that causes anxiety becomes charged to be given to the public ».
Disguised as a rock star, who are Dreamshade?
«I am a postman, a dynamic job that satisfies me. As opposed as they are, I love both dimensions of my life, they balance each other. Fernando di Cicco instead organizes events for the city of Lugano, Gian-Andrea Costa (bass) is a radio speaker and Luca Magri (guitar) works for an event service company. All activities that allow us to be in constant contact with people and always create new connections. I find it interesting that there is a link between our work and what we do with Dreamshade ».
News and dates in Switzerland?
«Currently, at the live level, we give ourselves a little respite to have time to work on new songs. As for Switzerland, we want to create an important fanbase but it's not easy at all. We have managed to open up to markets such as Asia and South Africa which have allowed us to grow and, paradoxically, “playing at home” is harder. Switzerland and Central Europe are already saturated areas at the level of touring bands and therefore it is more difficult to make room. But we want to play more often in our part and we are moving to support important groups. In January 2019 we had the honor of opening the concerts of the European tour of Don Broco (UK), one of our favorite bands, and now we are establishing new artistic relationships ... in fact at the end of June we will play with Arch Enemy (SE) at Z7 of Pratteln ».
Can creativity and new approaches help to get noticed?
"I think so. In Ticino, for example, they are convinced that the particular event could capture more attention. We would like to get out of the usual context, the usual club or concert hall, and invite the public to experience something different with us. In fact, our idea is to create concerts in unusual places. Recently this idea was born that we really like and we are thinking about the location possibilities therefore: stay tuned ».
