Calibro 35

In summer 2007, Italian producer Tommaso Colliva (known for his work with Muse, Franz Ferdinand, Arto Lindsay, The Twilight Singers and others) brought together a group of notable studio musicians with the idea of forming an instrumental band inspired by themes from Italian crime films of the 1960s and 1970s.

A nearly uninterrupted two-day jam session at Milan’s Omnia B studio resulted in a large number of covers as well as original compositions. The natural fusion of multiple genres (funk, jazz, rock, prog-rock), a refined sense of improvisation, and the perfect synergy between the musicians confirmed that the band was ready to leave the studio.

Over the following months, Calibro 35 toured across Europe, and during spring and summer 2008 they filled clubs in Italy. In autumn 2008, they released their first album.

In December of the same year, they completed their first soundtrack for the film Said by recording live during a private screening at the legendary Roman studio Forum, founded by Ennio Morricone in 1969.

In 2009, they recorded the single Tutta Donna featuring guest vocalist Georgeanne Kalweit, which reached number one on the Italian independent radio chart. That same year, they composed music for the American documentary Eurocrime!, dedicated to the very film genre that defines their sound — Italian crime and police films — and went on a successful US tour while working on their next record.

At the beginning of 2010, they released the album Ritornano Quelli di… Calibro 35. During that year they toured Italy, performed live film-score screenings, and had several tracks featured in the Hollywood film Red. On June 8, they opened for Muse in Milan, and the album was later licensed and released in both the UK and the US.

In January 2011, they released the compilation Rare, featuring B-sides and unreleased material. In October, they took on another major project — performing arrangements of themes from 1970s Italian horror films with the Milan Symphony Orchestra at the renovated Teatro Dal Verme.

Their third album, Ogni riferimento a persone esistenti o a fatti realmente accaduti è puramente casuale (“Any resemblance to real persons or events is purely coincidental”), was released in early 2012, followed by Traditori di tutti in October 2013 — the record that opened many international doors for the band. The accompanying tour saw sold-out shows across major Western European cities including London, Berlin, Madrid, Paris, and Rome.

In 2015, Calibro 35 released their fifth album S.P.A.C.E., recorded at the legendary Toe Rag Studios in London — described by the band as “the perfect funk soundtrack to a science fiction film directed by Sergio Leone.” In 2016, they released the live album CLBR35 Live From S.P.A.C.E.

Between 2012 and 2016, Calibro 35 performed frequently in Belgrade, almost twice a year. Over the past decade since their last appearance, they have released several successful records and established themselves as an important name beyond Italy.

Last year, they recorded the soundtrack for the documentary Ellroy vs. L.A., directed by Francesco Zippel. The film explores the relationship between writer James Ellroy, author of novels The Black Dahlia and L.A. Confidential, and his hometown of Los Angeles — a city that has been both a source of trauma and endless literary inspiration.

All shows in the 2026/2027 season will be presented under the title Calibro 35 vs. L.A.. The first part of the performance will feature material from the latest soundtrack, followed by the band’s well-known hits.