A week from today, I plan to be on a plane… 🙂

Below is the list from a few weeks ago.  Was there anyone else that planned to attend?

1. me – Jana VandeLaare – Michigan – soundcheck

2. Lorna Ste Marie – Michigan – soundcheck

3. Betty Young – Louisiana – soundcheck

4. Jeannette Giglio – Michigan

5. Daniela Perani – Italy – soundcheck

6. Rose Marie P. – Ohio – soundcheck

7. Bill T Kathy Nelson (Facebook)

8. Claudine D’haene (Facebook)

9. Marie Yome (Facebook)

10. Marlisse Porras (Facebook)

11. Eliso Veziropoulou (Facebook)

12. Alicja Leszczynska – Poland – soundcheck

13. Susan Tafanelli – soundcheck

14. Ann Marie Prior – Massachussetts – soundcheck

15. Janet Dong and her husband – soundcheck

16. JUDITH GRASSIAN – found her on a comment from the book post 🙂

I think we agreed that we should meet after the sound check – somewhere in the arena.

Per a comment from Daniela, the presentation of the book still has not been confirmed.  It’s literally 10 days away, so I hope they can finalize it soon.  🙂

If you will be in Verona, you can purchase the book from the Feltrinelli book store in the Porta Nuova train station.  Daniela said she is taking names and they will set aside a book for you. Contact Daniela on this post, or the book post from a few days ago.  Many are hoping it’s published in English.  She said if you go to their website and request it, and they get enough response, they may publish it in English as well.

NEED A TICKET!

SOS!  I know of someone that thought they had a ticket, but the site they thought they purchased it from, must have oversold and now she does not have a ticket to Verona!  If anyone knows of an available ticket, please contact me at jvandela524@gmail.com.  However, due to vision issues, she really needs a ticket in orchestra pit or very close in the first section.  Grazie Mille!!

Jana

P.S. all picture credits go to me – lol 🙂  

(Just a word about our Facebook page… we love that you are able to comment there and chat with the other Flight Crew members, however, if you’d like to comment specifically on one of our blog posts, we’d really like for you to comment on the blog post itself, and not in the Facebook comments.  We regret that we do not always have time to read Facebook and things get buried very quickly on there.  We thank everyone for their comments and all are important to us, so we don’t want to miss anyone’s thoughts!  Thank you, Flight Crew Admins)

Ok, the Verona concert is just about 3 weeks away now, but the guys will be visiting Mexico this next week!  So close, and yet so far….

Thank you to all of you that responded with comments and well wishes for everyone’s trips.  I loved hearing from everyone!

So, on that note, let’s see who’s going to Verona, soundcheck, and concert! (if you want the soundcheck passes, you need to be a member of the Il Volo fan club.  Membership is either about $20 or so for just digital, or it comes to about $32 if you want the membership card, including shipping – all benefits are the same.)

1. me – Jana VandeLaare – Michigan – soundcheck

2. Lorna Ste Marie – Michigan – soundcheck

3. Betty Young – Louisiana – soundcheck

4. Jeannette Giglio – Michigan

5. Daniela Perani – Italy – soundcheck

6. Rose Marie P. – Ohio – soundcheck

7. Bill T Kathy Nelson (Facebook)

8. Claudine D’haene (Facebook)

9. Marie Yome (Facebook)

10. Marlisse Porras (Facebook)

11. Eliso Veziropoulou (Facebook)

12. Alicja Leszczynska – Poland – soundcheck

13. Susan Tafanelli – soundcheck

14. Ann Marie Prior – Massachussetts – soundcheck

15. Janet Dong and her husband – soundcheck

16. Did I miss anyone?  🙂

Ok, as far as a meeting place, was discussing with Daniela and she could not think of anything.  I had heard of this before, but apparently we are trapped in the arena after the soundcheck!  Daniela expects the soundcheck to be around 5:30p.  I doubt it lasts longer than an hour (anyone have any idea?), concert is not until 9p, so we will have at least 2 -3 hours to kill.  Since it looks like a good majority of us will be at the soundcheck, I think that is our best option to meet.  How does that sound?  Perhaps we can decide on a meeting place, near one of the entrances or something?  I’ve already decided I am not going to have time to eat prior to the soundcheck, but I was assured there should be snack areas as well as beverage areas.  My question is, when and will they be open?

Our personal schedule will be very tight, as our train does not get into Verona until 1:37pm.  I thought we would have plenty of time until the 9p concert, not expecting the soundcheck to be so early, etc.  We also have to meet my other friend for the concert tickets, because I am sure we will not be able to get in the soundcheck without them!

One other thing I found out… were any of you contacted by Patrizia for contributing to the book that will be given to the guys?  If so, per Daniela, they will be presenting it to them in a special meeting sometime early afternoon before the soundcheck.  Rose Marie and I, along with Daniela are in the book.  If you are in the book, you get to attend!  🙂  So, I will be running all over Verona.  I hope it is right before the soundcheck and close to the arena.

Daniela also said the book will be available for sale at some area bookstores in Verona, as well as at one of the train stations.  I guess you can get it on Amazon.it, but shipping is more than the book!  I plan to get a few copies while I am over there.  🙂  Book is 18 euros. 

Ok, Labor Day and the Guys on PBS….

I did not watch too many of the clips from the Matera concert, so I will be surprised.  🙂

Chris and I are looking forward to being in the same room with the guys, even if we only see them from behind.  🙂  The phones sometimes tend to go crazy and it’s hard to hear in the room and we often miss a lot of what they are saying – those blasted donors lol!  But I’m sure their presence will fill the room with Il Volo joy and laughter.  It appeared that Il Volo Music was making posts on Instagram and Twitter about them appearing on PBS on Labor Day, which only confused many fans. We had several comments on this site as well, as people commenting on  the Twitter/Instagram sites.  I posted on a few Instagram sites that this taping was for Detroit only and that afterwards, it would be sent to the various PBS stations across the country and likely shown at their next major pledge drives.  I also found out that they decided to limit the tickets to 30, instead of the original 50.  I’m sorry about that, I know one of you emailed me with your disappointment.  Maybe they will get a whole 2 minutes with them!  🙂  That would make it just about an hour or so for their meet/greet time.

HURRICANE DORIAN

We can’t let this post go without a mention of our friends and loved ones in Florida and those on the eastern coast of the United States.  Was nearly 3 years ago that the last hurricane hit, very close to this same time.  Luckily, the west coast of Florida will seem to be spared, as the storm is making the north eastern turn, however, there are still many folks in the new path of the storm, including our beloved Marie, with her sister, in Myrtle Beach. I have not been in contact with her since the storm was predicted.  I will likely text her today.  I read they had orders to evacuate…  Our thoughts and prayers go out to the many affected fans, and those with friends and loved ones that will be affected by this storm.

PLEASE HAVE A SAFE, HAPPY, AND VIGILANT LABOR DAY!

Jana

P.S. all picture credits go to me – lol 🙂  (except PBS one…)

Can you believe it?  Just 4 weeks away now for those of us lucky enough to visit Verona again!  I have to say, I really didn’t think I’d be able to go back again.  As many of you know, it’s been a really rough past year and a half for me for many reasons, but I am feeling much better and finally looking forward to going to Italy again to see the guys. 🙂

I am lucky again to go with my dear friend Lorna.  We will also be joined by Rose Marie from Ohio, and Betty from New Orleans!   Our itinerary includes Roma this time, in fact, we will eat our way through Roma, after the Vatican, of course.  Lol!  We also plan to visit Lake Garda for a day, after the Verona concert, then back to Roma, and home.  Will be a quick trip, but hopefully a more relaxing one than last time.

So, who’s going to Verona??  Each day, I find that there is another person that will be joining the many hundreds of fans at their last official concert in Italy – at the Arena di Verona!  Alas, we don’t have front row, but do have meet/greets.  Front row will have to wait for Detroit, and hopefully Chicago.

In the comments, please let me know who is going to Verona, for starters, it will be myself, Lorna, Betty, Rose Marie, Daniela P (of course 🙂 ), a few others I am aware of from the States, as well.  Also, my other friend Veronica from Italy, and her friends.

I know many do not like to “join the throngs of the crowd” and that’s ok, but if anyone would like to join our group for a pre-concert gathering somewhere near the arena, please note it in the comments.  If you’d like, you can email me directly at:

jvandela524@gmail.com 

We also have our tickets to the soundcheck!  Yay!  Maybe we could plan something before or after that?  Lorna, Rose Marie and I are staying at DiMoras House – about a 10-minute walk or so to the arena.  We are taking the train from Roma to Verona that morning of the 24th.

I look forward to your comments and suggestions!  🙂

On another note…. I’m sure many of you have seen (and cringed) at the PBS announcement of the guys being in Detroit again on Labor Day September 2.  Looks like they’ve really outpriced themselves this time as it was initially a “big secret” – now they are having trouble selling the tickets.  I believe I heard there were 50 tickets and as of this writing, they still have some left.  Tickets are $500 for meet/greet & Wine/Dine.  Here is the link, if anyone is still interested in going… https://www.pledgecart.org/pledgeCart3/?campaign=38B55A20-6C5C-4849-B794-175DAF95CB7A&source=#/home?cmpgn=DPTVExp2

P.S. all picture credits go to me – lol 🙂  (except PBS one…)