Rock Monsters Romania

by Alexandra Rada

Let’s look back at Rana’s last concert in Bucharest at The Pub Universității. The concert was the first of their summer tour this year, which has already been announced on their social platforms. Here you can read a genuine review, as it was not only the first time I heard them live but also the first time my friend heard them. I will tell you the highlights of the evening for us at the end.

A year ago, what were you doing on September 20th? How about three years ago? Can you remember? Clearly, I don’t remember either. But the guys opened their show with their song ’20 septembrie,’ which makes you long nostalgically for autumn days or a former love. Or at least it always does for me.

This concert definitely holds a special place in our hearts because they played a few songs from their upcoming EP called ‘Codependent’. Two of them, ‘Indiferența’ and ‘Turist’, have already been released on streaming platforms. We listened to ‘Oranj’ in premiere. ‘Indiferența’ was the second song they performed, and its introductory lyrics are something I can’t forget. ‘Your indifference is the hardest thing I’ve ever carried on my shoulders.'(translated after “Indiferența ta e cel mai greu lucru pe care l-am dus vreodată pe umeri.”| Indiferența- Rana)

As you might expect, all of their “Verde Electric” EP tracks were included in their main act. The songs that I am going to talk about specifically are ‘Nichita’ and ‘Icoană’. On the song ‘Nichita’, the guys gave us a musical prelude on cymbal drum and guitar. The slightly extended ending of this song about savior complex in relationships might give you some shivers. And the song ‘Icoană’ was played just before the encore was called, with its energetic ending that keeps you hooked on.

Sometimes, you don’t realize why a band is so good until you hear them playing a cover. Last Thursday, you missed listening to Placebo’s ‘Because I want you’ and ‘Visare’ by the Romanian band Vița de Vie, interpreted by Rana. The members’ passion for the band Placebo, always recognized for Brian Molko’s distinctive voice, is felt at times in Bogdan’s musical alterations. I hope you will get a chance to hear them at one of their future concerts.

About the favorite moments of the evening, when Rana played the fan favorite songs, you could really feel the connection between fans and artists. Such as the chorus to the song ‘Lumea lor’, ‘Cer Chinezesc’, or the last one in the setlist, ‘Verde Electric’, when they invited the audience to come closer to the stage.

Concluding with ‘Verde Electric,’ I discovered that my boyfriend and I have the same favorite track. He really likes the mix of influences that Rana brings to their songs: a combination of mellow vocals with electronic sounds and instrumentals. So he declares himself a secret admirer of their instrumentals, and I am an admirer of their poignant lyrics.