It finally arrived.
The day of my very First Concert – June 21st, Milwaukee.
Jane, Mary B, and her daughter Anne, and I had flown to Milwaukee from Minneapolis together on Friday to begin a wonderful, wonderful weekend. Saturday dawned very, very foggy. But who cared about the weather?! It could have been snowing and blowing – a regular blizzard – But I wouldn’t have cared one bit. We all met for breakfast in the “breakfast nook” of the hotel, but that’s another story. We spent what time was left getting ready for our get-together with other Flight Crew members at 5:00 PM at the Calderone Club – an authentic Italian restaurant, which we thought very appropriate. I now could put faces to some of the names – Marie, Michele and Dorothy. A great meal was enjoyed by all, and I soaked up all the Il Volo talk that was going on. And then it was time to go to the Theater.
Mary B., Anne , Jane and I walked the loooong (to me) three blocks. Jane had Mary B. on one arm and me on the other. It would have been quite a sight if we had fallen in a heap. But we got there all in one piece. We got our M&G wrist bands and headed for our seats. The lights dimmed, and this is where things became one heavenly and happy experience for me.
It is hard to explain the emotional impact these three young Italian men, Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca, had on me as the show began. Tears filled my eyes and I thought my heart would burst from my chest with the love I felt for them. I never could have believed, if I didn’t hear it with my own ears, how much those glorious voices could move me to tears. Sooo much better in person than on a CD. Piero’s voice is magnificent, Ignazio’s voice is as stunning as he is, and Gianluca’s was, well in the days of Sinatra, I would have swooned as he sang! The show was 2-1/2 hrs. long, not nearly long enough. I could have listened to them for 2-1/2 hours more. But wait, we still had the M&G.
While standing in line, we went over to talk to Barbara and Mrs. Ginoble. I told Mrs. Ginoble “thank you for sharing Gianluca with us”. Then it was our turn to meet the guys. I was as giddy as a teenager. I gave Gianluca a big hug, and told him he was better that Sinatra. I got my arms around Piero, gave him a big hug, and wished him a Happy Birthday, to which he said “thank you so much”. Oh my, that wonderful voice! But then I got hustled along right past Ignazio. No fair! I didn’t get to smell his cologne like Jane did! But she brought it back to our room on her shirt. Alas, the smell was gone the next morning.
And so that was the end of the weekend I had looked forward to for days and days. I went home to Rochester, Jane went home to Duluth, Mary to Stillwater, and Anne to somewhere in northern Minnesota. I am already planning to get to as many concert as I can on their 2015 Tour.
I almost forgot that I also talked to Laura and Suzy. I had met them before at the Mall of America.
God bless you and keep you safe Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca.
Allene
***
Allene,
That’s ok, I don’t mind one less woman smelling HIM! Nice 1st concert experience!
Great to meet you and talk Il Volo.
See you in the 2015 ticket line!
~Marie