There are various situations that can affect us in life, which we can find singular, rare or even unique. In 2009 happened, due to the combination of various factors, precisely one of these concentrations that not even elaborated by an expert alchemist would have been so perfect to create a union like the one that exists among the Il Volo boys.
One day, to go to a talent show in Rome, they left, completely unaware of what awaited them, two from Sicily and one from Abruzzo, more or less the same age, all three of provincial extraction, all three of modest families but respectable and respectful of the most important traditional values, and finally all three bearers of voices, although different, but of excellent quality for timbre, intonation and passion.
Precisely this exceptionality, this being different from all the others, immediately led them to a lightning career, something that never happened, an immediate contract with an American record company, triumphal tours around the world, applause and standing ovations. But this immediately involved a shared life for the three boys, who not only have three different voices, but also different personalities. As good as bread but sparkling Gianluca, funny and vibrant Ignazio, serious and perfectionist Piero.
A coexistence that could have been dangerous and even lead to a breakup, but having in common instead fundamental qualities such as the sense of duty, the kindness of soul and the ability to love, made possible for the three boys to find strength to stay together and gradually to esteem and amalgamate more and more, until they were united no longer by the need to travel and collaborate, but by a pure and disinterested friendship, completely free of rivalry and envy, by an ever deeper affection, to the point of no longer being friends, but brothers and to considering each other’s families as their own family.
In this they were also helped by the fact that the same type of collaboration, sincerity and affection had been established among their parents.
In short, a large family that found itself reunited in the greatest pain a few months ago when prematurely lost one of its members, Vito, Ignazio’s father. An Ignazio who, very courageous, in observance of the diktat “the show must go on”, wanted to participate in the Sanremo Festival, even in the days of deep mourning, in order not to harm his companions, even he metaphorized the pain presenting himself with his head almost completely shaved.
On that occasion, the brotherly love of Gian and Piero was evident to everyone’s eyes, their eyes did not leave their partner for a moment, ready to encourage him, to caress him, to make him feel their attention even with a simple touch of the hand.
The photo published here can be said to represent the allegory of this brotherly love, of this continuous attention: Piero, during the concert dedicated to Morricone, has just named Vito, to whom he dedicated, up there in Heaven, the historic concert they are concluding, Ignazio is deeply moved, tries to swallow tears, to mask his emotion with that sweet wonderful smile that is his habitual: his companions surround him, embrace him, make him feel their closeness, but what is surprising is that they too are breaking up in tears, Gian is about to burst, Piero in the photo is from behind, but if you have the patience to go and see the video, you can see how he too has his face in a crying attitude.
This is why at the beginning I was talking about a lucky situation, about a meeting desired by destiny : these guys had many blessings in their lives, their families first of all, then their voice and their beauty. But among them there is also this very positive character, the ability to be brothers, to rejoice and feel pain for the same things, in short, to love each other deeply.
Just a few reminders for those that read and post comments on our site.
Our site’s motto is “Share the Love.” Please remember that when you are posting comments about someone or something, please keep it respectful. If you are not sure, try replacing your name, in place of the person or thing you are referring to, and think if you would want your name published in that context for all the world to see?(in case you were wondering, the last post from June 5, has been viewed by 70 countries on all 6 continents!)
We don’t know for sure, but we have been told that family and friends of the guys read this site and maybe even on the RARE occasion, the guys themselves.
We’d like to maintain the high integrity this site is known for. We are not FaceBook (although we have a FaceBook page – your comments there, should reflect the same), or the latest tabloid news site.
We respect everyone’s opinion and know that not everyone will like everything, but let’s keep things friendly. It’s ok to disagree, but please keep it respectful.
We ask that you remember this for all future posts and the wonderful stories and translations we have coming to you from Daniela, Susan, Giovanna, and others!
If you have a concern, please feel free to send it to our ilvoloflightcrew@gmail.com address. This email is not public and is usually only read by me. 🙂
I’ve been getting a lot of questions on this from our US and Canadian fans. This is what I know….
Detroit PBS will NOTbe live streaming their concert. There will be a “special pledge event” that is scheduled for 11:00pm EST in Detroit on June 5, and again on Sunday. I am sure this will be their hurried cut take of the concert. Unfortunately, I don’t believe anyone else in the country will be able to view it.
I’ve been told by a few folks that have called their local PBS stations regarding this concert that you will need to call your local PBS station and request that they buy this special event program from Detroit PBS.
Others have also said that their station has told them there may be a pledge event some time in December, where you may be able to see it in your area.
Personally, I’m hoping it will again appear on Amazon at some point. Their last Matera concert was available with both CD/DVD for around $25 or so on Amazon until recently and I directed a few folks to its purchase, earlier this year.
I’ve read the scheduled time is about 9:15p Italy time, so whatever that translates for everyone…. Italy is 6 hours ahead of Detroit time…. so we plan on tuning in no later than about 3p…..
So, folks – this is it – what we’ve been waiting for, for a long time! I’m planning a little party with some of the Il Volo girls here on Saturday to watch the concert. 🙂
Congratulations to those that will be able to be there in person – Daniela, Deborah, and many others! I’m sure they will convey the spirit of all of the Ilvololovers and Flight Crew Fans, from all over the globe! I told them to wave – we will be watching! 🙂
Spring is in full swing just about everywhere! Here in Detroit, spring came several weeks earlier than expected and many of our flowering trees are already starting to fade, where they are usually in full bloom, just about Mother’s Day! The grass is green and has already been cut a few times in our complex. But that’s ok I’ll take any warmth we can get right now!
It’s the time of year where headlines read to do some spring cleaning, clean out the clutter, organize your mind to a clearer you!
Ok, so you decide to listen to them. You’ve stared at all your clutter during this pandemic, and it only seems to get worse. You have no motivation – it will be there tomorrow, what is the point? However, as the clutter piles up, it just makes you more anxious and you are longing for the day you can add another picture of the guys to your collection. 🙂
How many times have we thought – “I’m going to clean out that junk drawer today!” Only to go through each item, handle it lovingly and put it back in the drawer, but now it is at least organized a little bit, so you can shut the drawer more easily now? 🙂 And why, is this? It is because every little thing you picked up, held a memory. Whether it was that lost button you always meant to sew on, a marble you found on a walk in the woods, a small little trinket your grandchild gave you – or even, some little souvenir you bought at an Il Volo concert; that one precious ticket stub from Verona, or Taormina, or New York! It’s silly and childish, but you can’t throw it out. Because everything you picked up, held a memory; best of all – it made you smile. 🙂
You keep those memories hidden in a drawer and every time you decide to clean, all of these wonderful memories come flooding back. The way you felt when you first saw them. The memory of the anticipation of the first meet and greet. Your first front row seat. These are just priceless treasures we cannot throw out. We recall happier times and we all certainly need this right now. Some folks have a memory box to keep things in, just like your special drawer. As we get older, we are afraid we will lose our memories, and unfortunately, some of us will – but we will be instantly reminded of these moments. Those precious seconds and moments that make up our lives. How can we throw this stuff out? How do we explain to our children, spouse, or grandchildren what this means? It’s like throwing out our lives.
So, I encourage you to keep all of these memories, in hopes of making new memories – hopefully soon! Take more pictures to remember it by and add them to the drawer, or your phone albums.
I challenged each of you a while back to organize your memories and send us a picture! Rose Marie in Ohio, took me up on this challenge and the cover picture is one of the pictures she sent me!
Below is the other one! She bought a special bookcase of shelves, just to show off her precious memories!
It doesn’t have to be that elaborate, just something simple. I think most craft stores still sell those shadow boxes? Get a few of those and make one for each concert you attended, or each tour, if you went to more than one concert! The possibilities are endless!
I think Pat said she was close in finishing hers? 🙂 Ok, Pat – the challenge is on!
Hello folks! I originally wrote this nearly 4 years ago, back in April of 2017! I believe Lorna and I (and many others) had just returned from their “last” US concert for their Notte Magica tour in Atlanta. It was recently brought to my attention again and I reread it, personally amazed that I even wrote something this amazing! Haha! Hope you enjoy it again, or for some, for the first time! 🙂 With everything going on, I felt we all needed an extra innoculation to help with the current vaccine going around!
This post got a lot of nice comments the first time around – grazie mille! 🙂
(just a “word or two” of warning – this is quite long…. 🙂 )
State of being sad when Il Volo leaves your country
Symptoms:
Feeling of hopelessness of not knowing when they will return
Excessive sleeping, hoping you will dreamabout them one more time
Condition of feeling lostwithout their touch, hugs, or smiles
Loneliness one is left with after seeing them too many times in a matter of a few months
The desire to follow themto their next concert no matter where it is
Your “no-limit” credit card is suddenly your best friend and you try to figure out how many mileage points you need for a free, or at least discounted trip to Italy – even if they won’t be there!
Avoiding social media and looking at their pictures, or even listening to their music, because it just hurts too much (this is a very severe symptom, that must be dealt with ASAP!)
If given the Rorschach test, no matter what blob you see, you say either Piero, Gianluca, Ignazio, or all three!
There are likely more symptoms than those indicated above, however those stated are ones observed most often in recent concert-goersduring the first leg of their Notte Magica tour in the United States.
Causes:
Buying tickets with meet/greetsfor as many concerts you can afford
Seeing them three or more timesin a matter of a few weeks
Tracking them downat their hotel, and hoping to catch a glimpse of them on the street
Having awesome meet/greets, making you want to go back and have another and another!
Knowing they have a new album coming outand just sitting there, frozen, until you hear their new music
Some causes are unknown…as they may be personal to each individual, and have not yet been documented.
Cures:
There are no known curesfor this, which is similar to Ilvoloitis. IVD is often a side-effect of Ilvoloitis, happening most often during their world tours. Ilvoloitis and IVD are especially dangerous for newbie Ilvolovers. Although Ilvoloitis and IVD are extremely contagious, no one really seems to want a real cure, however, there is the desire to learn to cope with the somewhat serious side-effects and symptomsof this condition.
Let’s see if we can adapt some of their suggestions to IVD.
The helpguide.orghad 6 tips for overcoming depression:
Tip #1 – Reach out and stay connected
As the old AT&T catchphrase goes – “reach out, reach out and touch someone….reach out and just say ciao!” Ok, we can’t reach out and touch the guys at this time, but we can reach out and touch, and call, other local Ivolovers. Who doesn’t want to hear from a fellow fan and talk into the wee hours of the morning, all about their concerts, meet/greets, and fantasies of meeting them again on the street, or at their hotel? With recent technology, you could start a group text (however, I caution you with this one, be careful that those in your group will not be upset, or need to get up in the morning!)
This is also a good time to find more Ivolovers in your area. Plan a party with your current group. Get together to celebrate their birthdays – Piero’s is next on June 24.Check out the various FaceBook pages – there may be some fellow fans lurking closer than you think!
If you can’t get together personally, plan a Skype party. I think you can have up to 24 or so people on one site. Find someone that has a big screen TV and hook up!
Tip #2 – Do things that make you feel good
One thing they suggest is volunteering. Why not do something in the “name of Il Volo?”Donate to your favorite charity. Spend time at a homeless shelter, soup kitchen, animal shelter, or spend time with those with special needs. All the while, you can share your love of the guys by sharing their music and introducing new fans. Remember, not all things contagious are bad?
This is also a good time to get in touch with your local PBS station and start volunteering. You may get the inside news on the next time they are coming back to town!
They also suggest getting in touch with your creative side… now is the time to sit down and write some prose – that meaningful poem you’ve been waiting to write, or now is the time for that fan fiction short storyyou always wanted to write. How about a little drawing or painting? Remember, we are not all DaVinci’s, but no one can duplicate what you are feeling in your heart. It will come through on the blank canvas or piece of paper. The hardest part is that first stroke or word…
If you haven’t already, clear a space in your house – a bookshelf area is a great place and fill it with all things Il Volo. We know everyone has saved every ticket, meet/greet lanyard, CDs, DVDs, VIP gifts, pictures, etc. that we don’t know what to do with. This is your opportunity to put it on display for everyone to see. I plan to do this, but just haven’t gotten the chance yet. You could even make a few shadow boxes with little Il Volo souvenirs and memorabilia. Get to the craft store and use your coupons!
You could also get together with some of your friends and share some pictures and make a scrapbookof all of your adventures and concerts together!
Also, getting some exercise or listening to music– or doing both at the same time!! How often do we see Piero or Ignazio walking away on the tread millwith their ear buds in? Go outside and get some good ol’ “O Sole Mio!” See, just seeing the sunshine will remind you of the guys and their first signature song.
Tip #3 – Move vigorously
Ok, that may seem too difficult, but there’s nothing wrong with looking at a few “nice” pictures to at least get our hearts racing? If not our feet! However, as above, a little walk in the sunshine is wonderful. Maybe put on one of their peppier tunes and walk to the beat of the music. I bet you won’t even realize how fast you are walking. Volare is a great one to walk to!
Tip #4 – Eat a healthy, mood-boosting diet!
Of course, eating healthier will make you feel better. Most Italian food is healthy for you if you limit your cheese and alcohol and eat pasta in properly portioned amounts. Unless you are Piero and can walk 10 miles on the treadmill, I don’t think I’d recommend a plate of pasta every day. But mix that pasta with extra virgin olive oil and garlic and that’s a great treat for your heart and maybe a little red wine on the side.Can’t forget a little gelato for dessert. Some gelato actually has less calories than ice cream.
It’s also a great time to go on that diet and lose those 10 poundswe all want to lose – who knows, maybe it will turn into more. Every time we reach for that cookie, we can think – “what would Piero do?”
Tip #5 – Get more sunlight(we went over this one already….)
Tip #6 – Challenge negative thinking
You are thinking – “I will never see them again!”Do not think that, you WILLsee them again, we just don’t know when. Until we see them again, refer to tips one through five! Or, you may think… I just can’t afford it! But this is the best time ever because they might not be back for over a year – we have time to save up for it now! Even if you can afford only ten or twenty dollars a week, or less, it adds up pretty quickly – at least enough for a ticket, and maybe even a meet/greet. (sure hope they don’t raise those prices anymore – or I may not be able to afford it either!)
Here are some personal tips from me!
This may be difficult, but think back to when you first discovered them. How did you feel? The smile that slowly, or quickly grew on your face. The feeling that you just had to tell everyone you knew about the greatest discovery you ever found on PBS. How many people did you call?
The time you saw them and decided you just HAD to see them in concert, no matter what, where, or when? For me, it was when I saw them for the 2nd time on PBS, about late August in 2013, during their We Are Love tour. I specifically knew the time because their next show was at the Fox on Sept 5 and it was my mom’s birthday. But it was during their rendition of Beautiful Day and Ignazio’s solo part that just took me in and I was an immediate goner and luckily, I was able to see them the following June in 2014.
When did you become an official Ilvololver? Meaning, you suddenly could just not get enough of them? For me, it was after seeing them at Freedom Hill that late spring of 2014. When I got home, I feverishly combed the Internet each evening, soaking up every song, every interview and every video I could find of them for the remainder of the summer. Grabbing at each and every tidbit of info I could find, until I finally stumbled upon the Flight Crew site! I knew I had found my solace here, when I started reading all of the stories and comments from the readers. I was no longer alone in my quest, but felt at home.
Do you remember that feeling you got when you found out you were going to meet them for the first time? I remember the giddiness of a schoolgirl, when us Detroit gals were putting 2 + 2 together and coming up with 4, figuring out they were coming to PBS to promote their Pompeii album. After I found out I was also volunteering that same night, I just could not sit still. I remember walking around the block and literally skipping along thinking, “I’m going to meet them, I’m going to meet them! OMG, what am I going to say, wear, etc.?” I knew others had met them before, but like many things, the first time is always the most special.
Do you remember the first time you had front row seats? I felt guilty, but I turned in my PBS tickets for the last two front row seats at the Fox. I got front row, I got front row, I screamed to myself. It was at the end of the day at work and I could not sit still – good thing it was almost time to go home. I could not wait to tell someone who cared and my dear friend Ginny who was the lucky recipient of the other ticket!
Do you remember that often dazed feeling you got after meeting them at a meet/greet after a concert? You are barely coherent and hardly remember anything because you are still in a hypnotic state after hearing their incredible voices.
And last, but not least, the feeling you had and will never forget, of seeing them perform not, once, but twice in their homeland of Italy. Under the beautiful evening air, the feeling was magical both times.
Think of all of the new friends you have made in the last several years – all over the world.Think of all of the new places you have seen and never would have seen, had it not been for Il Volo. Think of some of your talents that may have been hidden, that have blossomed forth all because of them. Think of all of the new techie things you have learned on the computer and your phone.
Think of all things Italianyou now care about, if you didn’t already.
Think of all the love, joy, and passion you have given and received – all in the name of Il Volo. When we think of that, how could we possibly be depressed? How many of us have healed ourselves through their music and bonding with each other over this love of these 3 men? They have touched our lives in ways we never thought possible, nor existed. They have touched our lives in ways they will never know, no matter how much we tell them. Men and women; young and old, from all over the world.
Even though there is no known cure, I hope that coming to the “Flight Crew – Share the Love” site each and every morning fills at least a small part of this void in your life. Just reading the comments everyone makes, even while I’m at work, will put a smile on my face. Our fearless Editor-in-Chief, Marie, along with Kelly,Leelee, Mary, Jane, Daniela, Dani, and all of the other contributors from around the globetake time out of their busy days to keep us all informed the best they can of where the guys are. I think we need a new category – “where in the world are the guys now?” I know I feel better now, having written this. Just remembering all of those things, makes you happy. Although they are as fleeting as a beautiful sunrise or sunset, the memory of them remains in your heart and soul, just as their voices lift us to incredible highs, so we can deal with some of the worst lows. It is such a joy and honor to know all of you! I feel truly blessed to have you and Il Volo in my life!
In the words of Charlie Chaplin… “Smile….! Life is still worthwhile, if you just smile… (and think of Il Volo!)”
So, we want to hear from you! What tips do you have to get you through the day without the guys? For those new to this site, tell us your story! Do you have a favorite CD or concert you watch? If you like sushi, does it remind you of the guys when you eat it?
All photo credits to Judy Thurman from the last concert in Atlanta. Edits are mine. 🙂
and to Marie, for the inspiration to write this – I texted her complaining of IVD and she said the more you see them, the worse it becomes…
Ciao – Jana
p.s. this is my new Il Volo shrine!! Be sure to click on it to see the larger view! 🙂
Come in and share the love of life, friends and Il Volo!
24. 
meet/greet lanyard, CDs, DVDs, VIP gifts, pictures, etc. that we don’t know what to do with. This is your opportunity to put it on display for everyone to see. I plan to do this, but just haven’t gotten the chance yet. You could even make a few shadow boxes with little Il Volo souvenirs and memorabilia. 
their ear buds in? Go outside and 
