New Wave a Firenze

In the 1980s, the city of Florence became the capital of independent music, with its nightclubs, groups, record labels, magazines, festivals, and experiments in different expressive languages. The prevailing word was New Wave, which after having baptized the second generation of rock in the United Kingdom and United States, was also spreading here, finding its preferred experimental space in the Tuscan capital. It is no accident that they talk about those years as a Rock Renaissance. The most popular international groups had a great influence and virtuous effect on the Tuscan underground, by promoting a powerful and colourful subculture.

1980. The New Wave generation was born. On September 28th Peter Gabriel played a concert at the Prato delle Cornacchie, inside the Parco delle Cascine, with thirty thousand people cheering. Simple Minds open. I’m backstage, photographer Jim Kerr and friends. Here the fuse of Renaissance Rock in Florence catches fire. Litfiba debuts on December 6 at Rokkoteca Brighton in Settignano: that night a crazy adventure began, a great band, a beautiful project, three hundred people attended the first concert of a group that represented and still represents rock culture in Florence, in Italy, in Europe. That sweaty night (…) the Florentine new wave was born. “There are murmurs of a new Florentine renaissance, while the lines of the Great Complotto of Pordenone are becoming ever more blurred. Thanks to Neon (formed in 1979), Diaframma and Litfiba, the Tuscan capital is looking like a magical forge producing delights for everyone (Stefano Ronzani)”.

1981. Incredible things happen in Florence. Franco Battiato is at the Andromeda Theater (…) and Tangerine Dream at Teatro Tenda the same day (…). There is an air of London, of massive concerts, in our beautiful city of art, the scent of international events, rebellious dreams, libertine dreams, happy dreams, we feel as though we are at the centre of Europe. On May 25, the Teutonic Kraftwerk arrive at Teatro Apollo, a technotronic show at the fringes of reality (…). Firenze Estate 1981 presents “Invasioni spaziali”, a project blending theatre, visual arts, music, and performance (…). The grand finale is at the Piazzale degli Uffizi, with the concert by Echo and the Bunnymen (…). I remember the splendid concert by Cathy Berberian and the abrasive performance of the DND by Arto Lindsay and Cafè Caracas in Piazza Santa Croce (…)

1983. Going around the concerts and clubs I see an Eldorado of crazy aesthetic looks and tribes, a bestiary of styles that contaminate each other, punk and hippy cultures, glam cultures with afros, trendy and beat cultures, making way for creativity! Here is the beauty of the 1980s. Everyone has their own way of conceiving their own aesthetics (…). Florence is observed with interest by the national and international media: they want to understand what is happening in our beautiful city.”

Excerpt from: Bruno Casini, New Wave a Firenze. Anni in movimento, Zona Editrice, Genoa 2019.