The time has also come for the new show on RAI1: DA GRANDE, hosted by Alessandro Cattelan.

I must tell you right away that you will see Il Volo in an unusual guise. Together with Alessandro, they will re-propose the hits of the most famous boy bands. There will also be disguises.

It will all be in a very fun way. You will see.

But let’s go in order.

Cattelan’s show aims to propose something different from what is generally expected, a new format of two episodes and Il Volo is one of the guests of the first episode.

Cattelan has been a presenter for 20 years, but it is his first show on RAI 1, the most important Italian national television.

Of course, no one thinks that Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca can propose themselves in such a different way, so this is the news, so forget to hear their beautiful voices as you usually hear them, and try to understand the purpose of this participation.

The day after the show, Cattelan posted this comment:

Thanks to the guys from @ilvolomusic… because it takes guts to listen to me!

And here is the entire performance of the evening:

CATTELAN = I would like to start my evening, DA GRANDE, by retracing the history of boy bands.

To do this, I would like to ask for the help, as well as yours, of the greatest Italian boy band ever, give a big round of applause to Il Volo!

I come to meet you too !! (Hugs )

PIERO = A little foam.

CATTELAN = I still have a little foam on my head but isn’t it soap. (shortly before, he was sprinkled with fake foam snow).

IGNAZIO = Yes, we took it off.

P + I + G = Good.

CATTELAN: IL VOLO

PIERO = Hello everyone.

GIANLUCA = How are you?

CATTELAN = So, guys, how am I doing? Still do not know.

IGNAZIO =  Well then, good evening. (and he starts to leave, even Piero and Gian signal to follow him)

CATTELAN = I need your help, come here !!

GIANLUCA = We thought we were greeting “on the fly” (they joke about the pun with their name)

CATTELAN = No, no, I clearly need you now, to tell the story of boy bands to the whole world. You asked me how I am, how you want me to be, it’s my first time …..

IGNAZIO = Ah, it’s your first time on RAI.

CATTELAN = Yes, yes, thanks for being here.

GIAN = Are you excited?

CATTELAN = Yes, you can see it !!

GIAN = But you are number one !!

CATTELAN = You guys too, thank you very much, grazie mille!

So obviously when you have the friendship of a group like Il Volo available, you have to sing, okay?

IGNAZIO = Absolutely.

CATTELAN = So we sing, we retrace the history of boy bands, together with you, we do them, as they come to us, as they come to us …

PIERO = Natural

CATTELAN. Naturally, as it comes to us …

GIAN = With humility

CATTELAN = With the humility that distinguishes us, ok? Let’s just make a path ….

PIERO = And with dignity!

CATTELAN = Hopefully.
Let’s take a path, let’s start with the first great boy band in history, which were, I think it’s not offensive to say, THE BEATLES.

IGNAZIO = Absolutely.

CATTELAN = The Beatles were the first great boy band in history, we took this cover of HELP as a reference, we put 4 trunks on stage, inside these trunks there are some changes, it will be our task, to try to get into the shoes ….

IGNAZIO = To resemble us a little, that is to lower ourselves a little in the part.

CATTELAN = Yes, try to get into the role of The Beatles.

GIAN = Something amazing is happening, people here at home, they don’t realize yet …

CATTELAN = What are you about to see …

GIAN = I don’t know if you are ready.

CATTELAN = So, let’s start the gearbox, guys !!

IGNAZIO = Go! Let’s go let’s go. (and they go to the trunks for the first change of clothes)

CATTELAN = (from behind the trunk) Here we are, then guys, let’s all go out together.

GIAN = I am there.

IGNAZIO = Not me, wait.

PIERO = Hello, but sorry guys …..

CATTELAN = Don’t go out, don’t go out Piero, wait.

PIERO = But like that, they don’t let me go home anymore.

GIAN = Are you ready to see the four sexiest men on earth? We are almost there.

CATTELAN = The longest is me guys, wait, wait.

PIERO = Can we go straight out the back guys? (he wants to escape) I’m not going there.

CATTELAN = We have to go out guys, let’s count to three: One, two, three, good evening (and they come out disguised as the Beatles)

PIERO = Good evening! Hello, hello, thank you very much.

GIAN = It’s good to see you, good evening everyone.

CATTELAN = Sorry, I’m so in the part that I forgot the microphone behind. You are John? (to Gian)

GIAN = I am Paul.

CATTELAN = I’m Paul, because I speak English tight, tight.
So, guys, we are clearly the fab four, we are disarmingly beautiful, I think you are seeing it with your own eyes.

PIERO = Sorry mom! It won’t happen again.

IGNAZIO = You know that he looks a lot like his mother! (laughs)😁😁

PIERO = Sorry, I’m not going home anymore.

CATTELAN = What is the name of Piero’s mother?

IGNAZIO = Eleonora

CATTELAN = So guys, if you want you are ready, let’s start with the first piece that characterized the history of boy bands, okay?
Street (the band), are you ready? When you want, we are ready.
(they start singing HELP).

CATTELAN = This was beautiful.

IGNAZIO = Do you know who I look like?

CATTELAN = Willy Wonka

IGNAZIO = No, do you remember Jumanji (movie), that hunter always with a rifle who wanted to kill everyone?

CATTELAN = Actually, a little bit, yes, you remember him.

If that’s okay with you, I would quit the role of The Beatles, to go to the next step, to the next boy band that broke hearts ….

PIERO = It would be home, the next step.

CATTELAN = We should, but maybe we won’t have one anymore, as you said before, Piero.

The next step in the history of boy bands is Take That, they are already more of our era, of our generation … change

(from behind the trunks) if you don’t mind, if you don’t mind guys, I’d wear the fake rabbit hat.

IGNAZIO = Can I keep the wig ??

CATTELAN = That’s your choice, you can decide.

IGNAZIO = I take it off.

PIERO = (he is ready and comes out of the trunk) This is cool, I would also wear this to go out.

CATTELAN = So you can also go out, you are a fairy tale. Who are you?

PIERO = Mark, no Gary (two components from Take That)

GIAN = I am Gary.

CATTELAN = Now let’s not fight over who Gary is!
E from Russia:

IGNAZIO = Hi everyone, I’m Robbie Williams from Moscow. (laughs) 😁😁

CATTELAN = The Russian version of Robbie Williams. I can’t tell you what’s sweating to me, right now. (he has a fur hat)
Let’s try Take That.

Guys (to the band), whenever you want! (music starts) This is intense, this one makes you fall in love. Wait, wait (stop the band). This music is difficult and you (at Il Volo) who are familiar with falsetto (singing with an altered high voice).

PIERO = Do as when you have a stomach ache. Perfect.

IGNAZIO = When you do that part do this movement, it helps you !! (he makes a movement with his leg)

CATTELAN = Ok, let’s get started.

GIAN = This is romantic, this one makes you fall in love. (Back for Good by Take That begins)

CATTELAN = Mamma mia, exceptional!

IGNAZIO = Now who is there, how many other boy bands are there?

CATTELAN = Now everything is easier. Let’s see what the next boy band is. (to audience) How are these going, do you like them?

PIERO = I’m not worried about the song, I’m worried about looking like them.

CATTELAN = Who would you like to be?

PIERO = The second on the left, doesn’t it look like Lewis Hamilton, the Formula 1 driver?

CATTELAN = Yes, a little yes.
I would like by right in law, I have already ridiculed myself before showing my photo, (before Il Volo arrived, he showed his photo at 16 and he had a blonde bob hairstyle), I would like to be that blonde with the parting in the middle, also to have a moment of revival.

Okay, Nick Carter, (he is the blond singer) to feel young again.

Are we going to change? (and they go after the trunks)

IGNAZIO = But it’s hot !!

PIERO = I have a good assistant.

CATTELAN = Open or closed jacket?

IGNAZIO = Open.

PIERO = The lady (he points in the audience) wants a pistachio and strawberry ice cream, then she wants chocolate (he jokes because they are dressed like ice cream makers).

CATTELAN = We bring it to him. Sooner or later we’ll bring it to you lady.

He waits for us to do something we tried during rehearsals (he and Gian flip up the microphone and catch it) Mouth-watering stuff. (Idiom, when one thing is okay).

So, Backstreet Boys, all easy, all right, we can try to do it. (Ignazio and Piero talk to each other)

GIAN = They’re jealous because we did the microphone one.

CATTELAN = Come on, try it too, if you can ….

IGNAZIO = I do it to you with the triple  jump …

PIERO = Do you want to see? Can you prepare a spare microphone?
(Ignazio and Piero also successfully launch the microphone).

GIAN = Better to sing.

CATTELAN = (He pretends to throw the microphone very high). So, are we there? Go, Backstreet Boys, let’s do it. (Begins I WANT IT THAT WAY by Backstreet Boys, sung with the names of Il Volo)

IGNAZIO = No, I don’t like it

PIERO = Was I wrong?

IGNAZIO = No, it’s just that I wanted to make it a little more romantic (and so repeat the ending)

CATTELAN = Incredibles. I’ve never felt so good as with Il Volo, guys.

IGNAZIO = And I’ve never seen a man uglier than you (referring to Cattelan who has a blonde wig, laughter).😁😁

CATTELAN =  Because we didn’t know us when I was 15, otherwise it would have been a dejavu. Do not worry.

Another change, but let’s go back to Italy. If I tell you Italian boy band who comes to your mind?

IGNAZIO = Il Volo

CATTELAN = Apart from Il Volo, you are the present.

GIAN = Modest aside, of course.

CATTELAN = Who comes to your mind, Italian boy band.

IGNAZIO = I CAMALEONTI (an Italian group from the 70s)

CATTELAN = The DIK DIK? (other Italian group) No.

GIAN = There are many

CATTELAN = Not even the I RAGAZZI ITALIANI (Italian group)

GIAN = I POOH (Italian group)

CATTELAN = They too could have ….

GIAN = I CUGINI DI CAMPAGNA (Italian group)

CATTELAN = NO.

I NERI PER CASO!!! (Italian group that sang without instruments, imitating sounds with their mouths)  Another exchange, it won’t be difficult. (And they go to change clothes again.)

GIAN = How we entered before. The same.

PIERO = Excuse me, take a close-up of the two of us, (he and Gian) kindly, don’t frame Alessandro, don’t frame him. Please, first floor: I must finally apologize to all the people who are watching this program right now, for what will happen in 10 seconds, can you please frame Alessandro Cattelan now?

GIAN = Only Alessandro Cattelan can do this !! Only Ale can do it.

PIERO = (to the audience) I humbly ask your forgiveness.

CATTELAN = (from behind the trunk), Guys, please can you say: “Gonzalo, where are you?”

GIAN = Gonzalo donde estas, hermano! (Cattelan comes out with a long black wig. One of the members of I Neri Per Caso had long black hair, his name is Gonzalo).

CATTELAN = Here I am, here I am. I think I’m Gonzalo, I wouldn’t want to be disrespectful but it seems to me that his name was Gonzalo, (he turns to look at Ignazio) well, you look great Igna, you are really very well.

PIERO = Do you know who it looks like? The hair is by Orietta Berti (good Italian singer today she is 78 and still sings with great success).

CATTELAN = Yes, the short cut maybe.

IGNAZIO = But do you know that it doesn’t hurt me? Can you show me? Give me a close up ………… that’s cool !!

CATTELAN = You mean you wouldn’t think about it, as a hypothetical new look?

So, NERI PER CASO, also their winners of Sanremo, in short, great success, let’s do their highlight!

IGNAZIO = Do you start?

CATTELAN = Yes, GO!  (the song begins: Le ragazze, by NERI PER CASO.)

(at the end Ignazio holds a long note)

CATTELAN = Mamma mia, what lungs you guys have, you are putting me in trouble.

Ok, NERI PER CASO, facts, let’s see what the next boy band is, there are still a couple left: ONE DIRECTION.

Let’s go to the exchange.

Let’s go there, they (One Direction) are the youngest of all, they are the coolest.

IGNAZIO = (from the back of the trunk) I can leave the wig.

CATTELAN = The wig is always a choice. It depends on how you are. I just tell you that I am going here almost bare-chested.

Here we are? One Direction, they dare, they dare, they are young, they are not afraid of judgments, they are young.

PIERO = (referring to Cattelan) You do Harry, how nice. (Harry Styles, singer)

CATTELAN = Maybe I have a button fastened too many, I don’t know you tell me.

IGNAZIO = No, you are fine.

CATTELAN = I don’t know if Harry has chest hair, I don’t know, I’ve never checked.

PIERO = I don’t know, but he is less sweaty than you. 😁😁

CATTELAN = I have ointments coming out of my pores.

GIAN = (lifts the right sleeve of Ignazio’s shirt and shows the last big tattoo) Look how wild he is, look!

CATTELAN = Mamma mia, guys, you are really bad boys. (Ignazio covers the tattoo).

So, do we propose with these ONE DIRECTION? But how many boy bands are there? Aren’t there a little too many?

IGNAZIO = I don’t insure anything here. (Live While We’re Young by ONE DIRECTION begins)

CATTELAN = I know what you are thinking, which is the ending.

No way!! We still have some, it was not the end even for a joke, we apologize to Harry Styles (throws his hat) ….. camera in full, 2000 euros of damage, okay !!

So, let’s see the next one, now we have arrived at the present day, now we are, let’s see the last boy band: BTS (a very famous Korean boy band), other space hotties.

PIERO = Forgive me, we are on RAI 1 ……

IGNAZIO = Your first time on RAI 1…….

CATTELAN = Yes, by the way, thanks again.

PIERO = Fantastic audience.

CATTELAN = Yes

PIERO = Transversal, everyone looks at it, of all ages, but I was wondering …… my aunt, looking at BTS wonders: “BTS, what are they?” ☺

CATTELAN = So, you have to explain, that’s right.

IGNAZIO = I would explain it ….. you know when you see unicorns? Here are BTS.

CATTELAN = All a little adorable, all beautifully colored, they are unicorns. Right now they are the biggest boy band on the planet.
Thousands of views, they are very good, they are young, modern.

IGNAZIO = They are the most famous mash mallons in the world.

CATTELAN = Yes, they are the most famous in the world, do you feel like imitating them?

PIERO = Let’s get dressed first. (and they go after the trunks)

CATTELAN = (looks at Ignazio) Pippo, Pippo doesn’t know, but when he passes by, the whole city laughs (it’s a phrase from a well-known Italian song and is used to say that everyone laughs at you).

GIAN = It is coordinated.

CATTELAN = Yes, right

IGNAZIO = It’s a new fashion, shorts over trousers.

CATTELAN = I was thinking now of something, you rightly said that there is a small problem, your aunt at home and maybe even my grandmother, who is watching me, they don’t really know who BTS is.

There is also another theme, now I ask you, because it is you who have a world career, when I leave Piedmont (the  Italian region where Cattelan lives), nobody recognizes me, but it is you who go around the world, go to Asia ….. maybe there is a problem of cultural appropriation, that is, you know, they are Asian, we are not, so a certain school of thought thinks that we shouldn’t do this exhibition. (of course he’s kidding)

PIERO = Sorry, let’s talk for a moment between us.

CATTELAN = Then if we don’t do it it’s worse. That is, for us it is a tribute, they are very cool.

GIAN = Sorry, let’s Italianize BTS at this point.

CATTELAN = That is, we make them, but keeping our culture?

GIAN = Yes, our diction, our culture (they gather in a circle to decide ….. of course it’s all a joke)
(He ask the band to do the chorus of the BTS song)

Let’s improvise !!

CATTELAN = Let’s see what happens.

IGNAZIO = Let’s get Piero to do the rap part 😁

CATTELAN = So, okay, BTS, without getting into controversy, OK?

GIAN = We have found the solution.

CATTELAN = It is not cultural appropriation, we do it by maintaining our culture which at the moment is mainly Abruzzo.

GIAN = Absolutely.

PIERO = What did he say??? 😁

IGNAZIO = I sincerely like “arrosticini” ☺ (they are typical meat sticks from Abruzzo)

GIAN = We do it in the Abruzzese language.

PIERO = And the text? …..

CATTELAN =  All new !! Okay, BTS, the way we do it. Guys whenever you want, I follow you, because I have no idea where you are going. (the music of the BTS song begins but performed with the words of Grande Amore, and finally , they connect the chorus of Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees with the words in the Abruzzese language.)

CATTELAN = Ladies and gentlemen, give a big round of applause for Il Volo !!

GIAN = What sweaty guys.

PIERO = We wanted to wish a very big good luck to the great Alessandro Cattelan, a great friend.

GIAN = Great Ale!

CATTELAN = Thanks guys !!

PIERO = Welcome Alessandro, we will leave you in good hands.

IGNAZIO = I wanted to make a serious speech. (To the band) Stop it, you’ve been playing up to now, stop it, just a minute. I wanted to make a serious speech, we have been following Alessandro for many years, Alessandro is a wonderful guy, one of the best professionals, presenters in Italy, and we are honored to be here tonight to celebrate your first time in RAI. Thanks for inviting us. Thank you very much.

CATTELAN = Thanks guys, I love you, again a big round of applause at Il Volo !! (hugs and final gags)

More photos of the show

My comment is this:

I appreciated that Il Volo really put a lot on the line for this show.

It wasn’t they who were supposed to shine, but the new presenter, and so they acted as a “shoulder”, I don’t know how many singers at the level of Il Volo, would have agreed to do this.

The live show showed great sound problems, at the beginning during the Beatles, the voice of Piero Ignazio and Gianluca, could not be heard ….. in the video it was improved, but the top is expected from RAI, even in technical matters.

I noted with pleasure, a great interaction and a sincere friendship between Il Volo and Cattelan and I believe that Cattelan did not know them before, and had never spoken about them, so, as usual, those who know them, then appreciate them a lot. .

I also noticed that Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca had a lot of fun on this show, a very different thing from what they usually do, and this makes me happy.

Now I await your opinions.

Daniela

 

Credit to owners of all photos and videos.