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