The gang at Void Church added something new to their repertoire by co-hosting Italian composer Fabio Frizzi at The Capitol Theater in Davenport on Thursday, May 8. Void Church typically aims for an audio-visual experience of goth and shoegaze based concerts complete with custom lighting, visuals, and the occasional fog machine as well as DJ-driven goth dance nights. Founded by members of Quad City-based horror goth-gaze band, Giallows, Void Church always seemed destined to merge their love of horror films and music into one event.
Frizzi 2 Fulci is a great way to begin that merger. The tour features Fabio Frizzi and an accompanying band performing a live film score to Lucio Fulci’s 1979 film Zombie (known as Zombi 2 in Italy). Frizzi was a frequent collaborator with late Italian filmmaker Fulci, whose works include spaghetti Westerns and mystery films, but his legacy is largely in horror films. He specialized in intense gore and practical effects. Zombie was created as a sort of unofficial sequel to George A. Romero’s 1978 zombie classic Dawn Of The Dead (re-edited by Dario Argento and released in Italy as Zombi).
On Thursday, Frizzi and company claimed their positions on a largely darkened stage, only music-stand lights visible, below a suspended screen as the cult classic film began. Undoubtedly their performance was well rehearsed, but witnessing their precision as the “composer’s cut” of the film unfolded was a sensation to behold. Modern horror tends to favor modern composition, focusing on aural textures and timbre to build tension, using unique and handcrafted instruments. However, 1970s Italy preferred a progressive rock approach, letting melodies carried by synthesizers, guitars, bass and drums drive their macabre narratives forward.
The Capital Theater’s large space and sound system added a new layer of dynamics to Zombie. While the drums and electric instruments did not overpower the film’s dialogue or sound effects, it did make the experience seem more alive, adding a sharper focus to the importance of film composition and soundtracks. It is a shame that modern films don’t take more inspiration from the rock band composition approach, as it creates a unique accompaniment to the fantastical and eerie images horror films conjure.
The event drew well over 100 horror enthusiasts, including some newcomers to the film. Whether the audience had seen it before or not did little to discourage their enthusiasm. It was interesting to experience bursts of applause as scenes of infamous gore concluded rather than when the band finished a song. This did not deter the musicians, however, and after the end credits music, they all stood and performed some additional compositions from Frizzi’s film career in a more traditional concert format.
Hopefully, more live score events will come down the road from Void Church, because this was a movie-going experience like no other. You can follow Void Church on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on future events under their spooky, dreamy umbrella.
