Here is my impression of my first Meet & Greet with IL Volo, last night at the Borgata Hotel & Casino. The boys were absolutely in top form and their singing was the most powerful I have heard outside of CDs on my stereo. The theatre was sold out and we were packed like sardines but it was a very happy group to be there seeing these wonderful boys. They boys looked absolutely adorable …as ever.
While being first in line before the doors opened I chatted with several Security Personnel and they said they have never seen a concert fill up like IL Volo’s or the people getting in line so early.
I stayed at the hotel and met many wonderful fans while walking around due to me wearing my IL Volo necklace. After the concert we waited in line for about half hour and were ushered into this very large room where the boys were standing and waiting for each person or group to go up and chat and have a photo taken. Never rushing us. What a thrill to be standing next to them. Gianluca recognized me and remembered me. He requested the photo with me showing the banner I am wearing and the flag (which I held up many times during the concert) I had made with the ‘Granny Groupies’ (Deborah Georgini Beaupre, Madeline Vitella and Joan Brenin) news articles of our trip in May. They loved it and looked at it very carefully. I wanted it signed but unfortunately we were told nothing to be brought to be signed, just photos.
After my turn I was able to hang around in this room and spoke with Gaetno Barone (Piero’s Dad) for about a half hour. I also spoke with Barbara Vitali (she is so pretty!) and Maestro Diego Basso. Maestro Basso seemed surprised that I knew who he was. Of course I congratulated him and thanked him for doing these concerts. Gaetano and I chatted in Italian (he does not speak English). He told me how proud he is of Piero and Mariagrazia and Francesco. I asked about Eleonora and he said she told him all about the Granny Groupie’s trip to Naro in May. I felt honored. He knew that I had gotten the courage to return to my homeland after 50 years of being afraid to fly because of IL Volo and especially Piero whose picture I carried of him sleeping like a baby on the plane. He said he loved hearing this.
I can’t wait for my second and third Meet & Greet next week in D.C. and Easton.
Maria, this is so great!! I am so happy for you. It sounded like the perfect night in every way! Makes me all the more excited for our upcoming time with them in Las Vegas!
Wonderful, Maria!!! So happy you had a great time!!! How nice you got to talk with Piero’s Papa!! I am hoping I’ll be able to meet the parents at one of the concerts!!! I want to thank them for sharing their sons with the World!!! Enjoy your Concerts!!! Ciao!
Thanks Maria! What a time you had! How lucky for you to meet all the others too. How great for them that you could speak to them in their own language. Like Jane, I’m even more anxious to see them for myself…SOON!
Maria thanks for sharing your “Meet & Greet”. The closer my concert date the more my inner self keeps telling me “get it together and charge”. I might talk brave but I have a cowardly streak as far as meeting strangers. I know the boys from six years of loving them and their music but meeting the LIVE model is scary.
Wow, you really had a great time. Could I borrow you for the
Oklahoma City concert? You would make a great M & G a really
exceptional one with your gift of knowing the Italian language.
I’m so glad you had the courage to fly to Italy. You’re a real
winner. Thanks Maria for sharing your M & G with us.
Lydka that was a SUPER video. What amazing pictures of the guys. Honestly they are so handsome & getting handsomer every time I see them in a video. How can we not fall in love with these handsome men. I LOVE thqt song.Thank you
Hi Maria Leps I am so glad you had a spectacular time at the concert & meet & greet. Aren’t they special? And they treat everyone the same and I bet they appreciated that you spoke Italian to them. Hope your next concerts are amazing as well. I’m sure they will be.
Maria –
Thank you for this wonderful report. It’s so great there is time to walk around and talk to everyone after the concert. Hopefully, next m&g, I will be able to say something and not have a brain shutdown
Gina – I know how you feel.
Maria, the night was magical and Il Volo knows how deliver that for sure… These guys do not know how to be anything but fabulous on stage and so charming at the meet and greets… Thank you for sharing your evening with us… It lets us know we are in for the treat of a lifetime when we get to see them in concert…
Maria, this is a wonderful report! Thanks for sharing! I hope the rest of us have as good a time as you did!!
Maria, this is so great!! I am so happy for you. It sounded like the perfect night in every way! Makes me all the more excited for our upcoming time with them in Las Vegas!
Wonderful, Maria!!! So happy you had a great time!!! How nice you got to talk with Piero’s Papa!! I am hoping I’ll be able to meet the parents at one of the concerts!!! I want to thank them for sharing their sons with the World!!! Enjoy your Concerts!!! Ciao!
Thanks Maria! What a time you had! How lucky for you to meet all the others too. How great for them that you could speak to them in their own language. Like Jane, I’m even more anxious to see them for myself…SOON!
Maria thanks for sharing your “Meet & Greet”. The closer my concert date the more my inner self keeps telling me “get it together and charge”. I might talk brave but I have a cowardly streak as far as meeting strangers. I know the boys from six years of loving them and their music but meeting the LIVE model is scary.
Gina, can’t wait for the picture! 😉
Wow, you really had a great time. Could I borrow you for the
Oklahoma City concert? You would make a great M & G a really
exceptional one with your gift of knowing the Italian language.
I’m so glad you had the courage to fly to Italy. You’re a real
winner. Thanks Maria for sharing your M & G with us.
Il Tuo Sguardo Manca with English subtitles
Lydka that was a SUPER video. What amazing pictures of the guys. Honestly they are so handsome & getting handsomer every time I see them in a video. How can we not fall in love with these handsome men. I LOVE thqt song.Thank you
Lydka
This song is so amazing. I feel it all the way to my soul. Thanks for posting.
Linda,
it is the Italian version of the song Si me falta tu mirada, and I think, both versions are wonderful ! 🙂
How wonderful that you got to interact with some of the other people in the Guys’ lives; thanks for sharing those moments with us.
Sounds like you had a great night so exciting I hope you to get to see them again like you plan. so happy for you.
Hi Maria Leps I am so glad you had a spectacular time at the concert & meet & greet. Aren’t they special? And they treat everyone the same and I bet they appreciated that you spoke Italian to them. Hope your next concerts are amazing as well. I’m sure they will be.
Maria –
Thank you for this wonderful report. It’s so great there is time to walk around and talk to everyone after the concert. Hopefully, next m&g, I will be able to say something and not have a brain shutdown
Gina – I know how you feel.
Maria, the night was magical and Il Volo knows how deliver that for sure… These guys do not know how to be anything but fabulous on stage and so charming at the meet and greets… Thank you for sharing your evening with us… It lets us know we are in for the treat of a lifetime when we get to see them in concert…
Thanks, Maria, for a wonderful report. And thanks, Lydka, for your great video. I enjoyed them very, very much.
Maria, by the end of your article I was laughing and crying at the same time! Precious!
Lydka, I love the video – and the subtitles!
Thank you both!
~ Jeanine