Tag Archives: Gianluca

Concert Photos/Reviews, Gianluca, Ignazio, Il Volo, Our Stories, Piero

The Adventures of an 80 Year-old in Dallas ~ Gina

April 7, 2016 mariecrider 16 Comments

ACT ONE -I can not remember who e-mailed me the link in 2009 to check out some ‘young boys’. I am forever grateful to that person.

The minute I saw all three singing together I became Ignazio’s protector. I loved all. Gianluca and Piero, on sight but felt that since Ignazio was a little chubby he might get hurt by uncaring people because of his weight.

SO THE JOURNEY BEGAN.

In the first few years I was a ‘check in’ and see if everything was going OK fan because I had many family issues to keep me busy. Then a few years later I woke up one morning and I saw the “light” and became a passionate fan. Soon after I discovered “The Flight Crew” and my life changed.

So after a long wait they finally were coming to Texas and so close to me. I live 100 miles from Austin and 100 miles from Dallas. San Antonio is about 190 miles.

When the word came out about their USA Tour and everyone got excited and started the ‘Ticket fever” I got in line and the minute the tickets opened for sale my daughter clicked the computer and we got our tickets to the Majestic in Dallas. Being newcomers to a live concert we had no idea about the tickets but knew we were close to the stage.

WELL I had to march all the way down the theatre to get to the “Orchestra Pit”. There were only two rows and we were in the second row four seats from the walkway on the right.

The minute we sat down we noticed a lady and her daughter sitting next to my friend Jewell from Houston. The mom was holding a rose. We soon discovered that she was a member of the “Flight Crew”. Her name is Liz and she was from Garland, TX. She and her daughter had gone to the concert in San Antonio a few days before and sat in the first row. Guess what? Ignazio picked her to do the dance. She is a very brave lady and went to the stage in Dallas and gave Ignazio the rose.

ACT TWO – The theatre was small seating about 2200. To our estimation it was a full house. The band and the local young people’s orchestra started setting up.

SUDDENLY the lights came on and the musicians started checking their instruments. A funny feeling starting in my heart. THE MOMENT. Gianluca came out and the long awaited dream of seeing the boys live came true.
For me is was surreal. Six years of watching videos and hundreds of pictures the live person stood in front of me. It was like watching a train arrive and a person you had not seen in years steps out. Like a picture postcard coming to life.
I had to rearrange my mind about the images I had of the boys from the videos to the live, breathing and moving persons.

IS STARING IMPOLITE? well that is what I did the rest of the concert. I wanted to familiarize myself with their live images so that when I have to go back to watching Videos I still had the live picture.

Happy to tell you that the Dallas audience was great. They had some young fans, some Italians, some Spanish speaking, some serious music lovers and the grey haired ladies. There was ‘shouting’, clapping and many standing ovations.

ACT THREE – The theatre manger was a comic talking at rapid speed. We had to wait in the theatre till everybody left and after a time some young ladies came and got us to go to the balcony open lounge area. We were seated at the back of the theatre waiting so we were summoned first and therefore did not have to wait long to go to see the boys.

Our comic manager told us that he preferred no one used their private phones for pictures and promised good photos. He took them.

The boys came out soon after and the line went fast. Since the manager was rushing everyone I told my daughter to stand between Gianluca and Piero and I went next to Ignazio and said I needed to make Marie jealous and get a picture with you. MISS Coward here just put her arms around Ignazio’s waist and blanked out. Did I smile or looked petrified? Then we took a picture with the other two friends. IT WAS OVER.
On the way out I saw Barbara and went and shook her hand and asked if I could have a picture. She was very sweet. She told me that the parents preferred not to be asked for pictures. Gianluca’s mom and Piero’s dad were sitting in a corner and Ignazio’s mom stood by a pillar.

THE NON BELIEVERS – My daughter and two friends were “non believers”, Especially my friend from Houston. When we finally got into a LIFT car they all said it was a GREAT CONCERT. Later when we had breakfast on Sunday with my Dallas Daughter they talked and relived the concert. THAT was an accomplishment with these ladies. I know they would go again if the opportunity came.

PS – THERE WERE MANY MOMENTS THAT OCCURRED DURING THE CONCERT BUT IT WOULD TAKE MANY MORE CHAPTERS. I AM SURE THERE WERE OTHER “FLIGHT CREW” MEMBERS THERE AND THEY COULD SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES.

Since I am 80 this might be my one and only live concert so I will finish and go and relive the moment I MET THE BOYS.

Gina

Concert Photos/Reviews, Gianluca, Ignazio, Il Volo, Myron's Music Notes, Piero

Fan Faire Photo’s

April 6, 2016 mariecrider 7 Comments

Here are a few photo’s of the Fan Faire taken by David Heaton. For more go to ⇒ https://www.facebook.com/jeannette.giglio

Remember…You can click on photo’s to enlarge.

What a great time we had! Thank you David and Thank You once again, Myron and Jeannette!

~Marie

Concert Photos/Reviews, Editorials, Gianluca, Ignazio, Il Volo, Piero

What Does Italy Think About Our Il Volo Tour?

April 6, 2016 mariecrider 11 Comments

Here, translated for you (as well as Bing can), is how an Italian Newspaper views Il Volo’s North American Tour.
Thanks LynnK

Home / Entertainment and Television / Italian artists abroad, the flight arrives in Florida and is sold out

03/11/2016 | 15:12:18
All filled theaters

Italian artists abroad, Il Volo arrives in Florida and is sold out

Five dates in Florida, in seven days, from Jacksonville to Orlando, via Miami, Tampa and Ft. Myers.

Piero Barone, Ignazio Boschetto and Gianluca Ginoble. Who does not know them in America? They are Il Volo and each tour is a success, even that of 2016, perhaps, if possible, even more than the previous. The three singers fact left Italy on 29 January with the concert in Milan, they are immediately thrown on America. February 5 debut in 2016, stars and stripes, with a recital in Buffalo, New York. Then a jump in Canada, including Orilla and Montreal, before returning to the States, in Boston. A series of sold out, sold out, which has spared no theater or arena.

Il Volo has now infected all Americans. Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Jersey, then again New York, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. In Washington DC they are stopped at the JFK Center for Performance Arts, and Pennsylvania and Ohio. Not even a presidential candidate, Hillary Trump or it may be, has an agenda so full. Illinois and Michigan have closed February, while the temple of American music, Nashville, Tennessee, welcomed them on 1 March. Five dates in Florida, in seven days, from Jacksonville to Orlando, via Miami, Tampa and Ft. Myers.

A phenomenon of such a large scale that there is no time to rest. Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, then again Oklahoma, Colorado and Arizona, Las Vegas, only stage in Nevada and then California with five rounds. But there is not only the tour in the States, because once closed with America, on April 2, a week later it starts with Central and South America, you end up on May 14, in Acapulco, then return to Europe, May 21 in Madrid, it begins again.

Yep! We’re “infected” alright! No antibiotics please.
~Marie

Concert Photos/Reviews, Gianluca, Ignazio, Il Volo, Our Stories, Piero

Las Vegas ~ My Story ~ Marie

April 5, 2016 mariecrider 43 Comments

You’ve read Myron’s professional and personal take on these events. Now here’s mine. Ok, there’s absolutely nothing professional about this review.

Click on photo’s to enlarge.

Their pictures were all over the Palms Casino.

The Fan Faire:
An event many of us had been waiting for for a long time. What a pleasure to meet so many of you! Some of whom I’ve “known” for as long as 4 years. So great to finally see faces that go with the names! It was an honor for me to acknowledge Kelly’s hard work and to point out the contributions of Jane, Mary Bohling, Jana and Ann Scavo who were there.

You don’t know this, because we wanted to surprise Jeannette and Myron, but we gave them pillows and a big thank you from all of us on the Crew for their organization of the Fan Faire.

As you know the Guys showed up (was that fear in their eyes?) to greet such dedicated, excited fans!

The Concert:

Our Boys are in love. In fact during the concert Gianluca asked Ignazio if he was in love. He responded with a resounding, “Yes!” Gianluca admitted the same at another performance. Piero…who knows? It looks good on them.

The Concert at the Pearl Theater was Fabulous! Wish I knew better adjectives. Either I cannot remember the brilliance of IL Volo during each performance or they truly get better, with richer, fuller more powerful voices and are more exciting every time!

First song Piero pointed at me and I pointed back. To someone other than us crazy Ilvolovers that little gesture may be unimportant, but to me that sweet moment of recognition meant a lot. That was the second time he has done that. Can’t wait to see if there’s a third!

The Meet & Greet:
I had been saving a sad but sweet story to tell them when I had a chance. I finally did. They were moved, in fact Gianluca was so moved he practically jumped on me with a bear hug. No sweeter person exists than that young man. When he finally let go I stepped back right into the wooden backdrop almost knocking it over. Fortunately Piero was on my left and Gianluca on my right. Both grabbed an arm and saved me and the set. One of them said, “Uh-oh”. So then what do you suppose they did? Why of course, they broke out in song. I Don’t remember what song, but someone told me it was an Italian “Uh-oh” song.

Piero asked Gianluca, “Do you know who she is?” Gianluca said, “yes.” (I think he was only being nice). Then Piero said show him your tattoo”. So I did. I have no idea what Gianluca said after that (come on brain!) I would have bet anything that the picture the photographer took had Piero on my left and Gianluca on my right. That’s what I remember, but in the picture I’m between Ignazio and Piero. I have no idea how that happened. I must have blanked out.

That’s me, the one in the middle with the stupid look on her face. My dentist is the only one who will love the picture! We were still laughing at their singing when the photographer took this one.

I normally stay away from Ignazio, in case you haven’t noticed. In the gym last year I took his photo while standing on the other side of the gym. In Miami a few weeks ago, at the Meet & Greet, I quickly shook his hand and moved away. In Ft Myers, at the hotel when Leelee and Ineke spoke to him, I was the one taking photos from across the room. I am, in fact, a coward. I greet Gianluca sanely and Piero as a friend but when it comes to Ignazio I stand way back. I would have a conversation with him, but it would sound something like, “blub libba and I gleen you. You are flanang all niebber” (if someone recognizes that as a real language let me know). So now you all know that I am actually a 16-year-old star-struck, blubbering idiot.

Knowing this would be my last chance for what may be a long time, if I couldn’t buy a vowel at least this time I was determined to kiss a dimple off his face. I did. So if you notice one missing it’s all my fault. I have it…it’s mine.

What a month! Flew Ohio to Florida, flew Florida to Ohio, drove Ohio to New York, drove New York to Ohio, Rode a 2 day train to Las Vegas, flew Las Vegas to Ohio.

Sleeping.. DO NOT DISTURB!