Tag Archives: John from CT

Concert Photos/Reviews, Il Volo Professional, Our Stories

Notte Magica 2017 – Three Voices. Two Hours. One Perfect Evening ~~ John From CT

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THREE VOICES. TWO HOURS. ONE PERFECT EVENING.

March 11, 2017. After thirteen months of dreaming, hoping, planning, saving, preparing, and studying, my second Il Volo concert had finally arrived. The 6000-seat MGM Grand Theater at the huge Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut is a fantastic venue for an Il Volo concert due to the exceptional sound quality and amenities that my entourage of TEN fans was able to enjoy. The 55-piece full orchestra was incredible, and absolutely necessary given the type of music involved; pre-recorded background music would not have been acceptable during this tour.  The crowd was visibly “older” than that of the Grande Amore tour, but that can probably be attributed to the fact that this was less “operatic-pop” and a step closer to “real” opera than previous concerts. Nevertheless, there were pockets of under-30 “youngsters” here and there. The cheering and applause and ovations were frequent and very intense, yet it was a different kind of “energy” that we’ve seen on the Italian, European, and Latin American tours. The staging was simple yet beautiful, comprised of elegant curtains illuminated in a variety of colors. I wish there had been backdrops recreating scenes of Italy, or at least the chandelier from the Florence concert, but oh well, maybe next time. My seat was in the third row from the stage, slightly to the left of center, which turned out to be perfect because “the guys” decided to spend almost the entire concert directly in front of me at a distance of about twenty-five feet! Needless to say, I was able to witness every motion, every gesture, every expression, every nuance of their performances. I was in heaven!

Heaven however, comes at a very high price, because in case you haven’t noticed, our favorite hobby is becoming more and more expensive as the years go by. In my previous review I established my IL VOLO Concert Rule#1: BUY THE BEST TICKETS THAT YOU CAN POSSIBLY AFFORD. That rule still stands, but now my third row Notte Magica VIP Meet & Greet ticket had a face value of $385, compared to $225 for last year’s almost identical ticket. Other members of my party had the VIP Merchandise Package with a face value of $170, versus $125 last year. Even considering the perks that one can take advantage of by being a member of the Official Fan Club, any two people considering a “VIP M&G” experience are now going to have to weigh a $770 price tag, and it can be even higher in larger U.S. cities. For me personally, I can justify and plan in advance for this cost but there are going to be some fans that are going to have to draw a line somewhere and potentially not be able to cross it.

Regarding my other “rules” from last year (Don’t waste time recording the concert with a smartphone, Learn some Italian, Prepare for your Meet & Greet, Make preliminary contact) – all of them came into good use this time as well. Although I appreciate the efforts of others posting concert video clips online, having the “Notte Magica” DVD permitted me to concentrate fully on absorbing their every word and movement; I gave them complete attention and concentration and because of this I was even able to distinguish variations between what I was experiencing live and what I had heard and seen on CD and DVD. Add to this my two years’ worth of studying Italian and the entire experience was magnified by having some understanding of the message that each song tried to convey. To top it all off I am a native Spanish speaker so the handful of Spanish selections came to life especially after reading and educating myself on the history of those as well. I cannot stress enough how having some knowledge of the languages and stories can add to the experience; for me, this concert was not just some kind of entertainment or pastime, it was in immersion into another culture. With each standing ovation I cheered and yelled and made eye contact and sent them my praise and appreciation in a way that only a true fan could express.

As for the performances themselves, I was afraid that I might experience some kind of “never as good as the first time” syndrome. To be honest, at my first concert I had no idea what to expect of a live performance, and even after hearing all their songs on CD and seeing all their videos and DVD’s, I could not possibly imagine that a live performance could be any better, but as you all know if you’ve seen them live these young men will blow right through the limits of any expectations you may have and will mesmerize you with their absolute talent. As for my second concert, I asked myself how could they possibly improve on the first especially since only thirteen months had passed since I had last seen them. Needless to say, they blew right through even those expectations by a factor of 2. There is no need for me to list all the songs. There is no need for me to describe Ignazio’s highs or Gianluca’s lows or Piero’s powerful projection or to mention their passion and execution and personality and professionalism. You’ve heard it all before and I can add little to that discussion. What I will tell you is that for me personally, I can sum it up as such:

THREE VOICES. TWO HOURS. ONE PERFECT EVENING.

The Meet & Greet was the standard “wait for an hour and chat for a minute affair” but it was memorable for me just as well. We have had numerous discussions on this site regarding different levels of fan appreciation and “love” for the guys and I thought I would make that a point of our chat. Following my own rule regarding M&G’s, I practiced and prepared because I knew from all of you that time would be short and excitement would be high. So this 205lb 6’2” tall guy with a military haircut looked them straight in the eyes and told them: “I love you guys, I love what you do for our youth, I love what you do for your fans, and I love your passion and professionalism in everything you do.” I commented on their decision regarding the presidential inauguration and told them that all my friends and I supported their concept that the artist should decide when and where and for whom to perform without regards to politics or the expectations of the public; they thanked ME for understanding – Piero in particular was very appreciative. We chatted about my other languages and the progress I was making with my Italian. I thanked them for transporting me to the Piazza Santa Croce in Florence for two hours and for giving me an incentive to learn their beautiful language and explore their incredible culture and pay tribute to those three tenors whom they admire so much. Finally, remember what I wrote about making eye contact? The three of them mentioned how at the end of each song they noticed that I would bolt up out of my seat with my arms in the air cheering for them during each standing ovation; they were looking into MY eyes and feeling MY passion! There were hugs and handshakes all around and after this one I almost lost it. It is hard to describe the feeling where for one brief moment you connect with someone in a very personal, profound, and passionate way that is impossible to duplicate in any other setting. This concert will be engraved in my mind forever.

So I had to pay $385 for this? Oh yes, and I will pay it again. For me, it was worth every single cent. What did I get for my $385?

THREE VOICES. TWO HOURS. ONE PERFECT EVENING.

 ~John

Gianluca, Ignazio, Il Volo, Our Stories, Piero

Today is the Day ~ John From CT

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Here is a comment from “John from CT” on the “Have a Magical Night” post on October 1st.  Didn’t want you to miss it.

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Today IS the day.

But before I comment about Il Volo, I want to tell you a bit about another of my favorite performers of all-time, Adele, the British superstar singer-songwriter. When I found out late last year that she was going to tour the U.S. this year, my heart soared with excitement and anticipation. Over 400,000 tickets were going to go on sale! But when I read that probably half the population of the United States was going to attempt to buy those tickets, my hopes faded quickly – there goes that chance of ever seeing her live in concert. Since I live in Connecticut, I had the option to drive up to Boston or down to New York City or take Amtrak to Philadelphia or Montreal. T-Day (Ticketmaster ticket sale day) finally arrived! I logged on to Ticketmaster at exactly 10:00am plus one second, selected Boston as it was the closest to my home, and to my complete surprise, I got a message that I had successfully gotten “in line” and that there would be an 11-minute wait to select and pay for my tickets! Was this for real? I had layouts of all the arenas so I could make a quick decision right away regarding the quality of the seats. As the minutes counted down, I grew nervous with anticipation and probable disappointment. And then – “Please select ticket category” !!! – Orchestra Platinum? All gone. Orchestra half-way back? All gone. Orchestra rear? All gone. Mid-range Loge towards the front? All gone. My heart was sinking fast as I could tell by now what the outcome was going to be. Mid-range Loge towards the center? TWO SEATS AVAILABLE! Checked the layouts – not bad at all! Price $145! Could this be real? Click “Buy”. Confirmed! Click “Visa”. Confirmed! Click “e-ticket via Ticketmaster” Confirmed! I WAS GOING TO SEE ADELE IN CONCERT!!! Later that day I found out that every single one of the 400,000 tickets sold out in less than an hour.

September 15. 805pm. I’m sitting at the TD Garden in Boston in my Mid-range Loge seats, half way back from the stage. Lights dim; 20,000 screaming fans with their eyes fixed on the stage – and nothing happens. Meanwhile, from the center of the orchestra floor, about 40 feet directly in front of me, a diamond shaped platform slowly rises from below the floor. Spotlights on! “Hello!” It’s Adele! She is standing about 40 feet directly in front of my face! I can see her eyelashes move! 20,000 bodies jump to their feet in ecstasy! After the first song she asked the crowd if they were there to have a good time and 20,000 fans roar “YES”! Then she announces, “well, unfortunately, most of my songs are so friggin depressing that you’re probably going to be in tears by the end of the night.” And you know what, she was right. Her heart-wrenching lyrics coupled with her genuine rapport with the audience made you feel like she was sitting at your kitchen table telling you about how devastated she was about her recent breakup. The emotions that this woman can pull out of your soul are incredible. She did a selection of her songs from that center stage giving many more fans the chance to see her up close. The rest of the songs she did from the main stage, all with great sound quality and videos and lighting effects (yes, lasers!). She would chat a bit between each song, telling the story about what it meant to her, about what she was going through at the time, about the message she was trying to convey. Her voice, her range, her talent are truly in the world-class league that her 100 million album sales reflect. Needless to say, it was an incredible concert. Adele provided me with 110% of the joy and emotion that any other artist could ever provide. Except for one. And that my friends, is a problem for me. Because no matter how much I enjoy an artist, or a performance, or ANYTHING in life, I will always be comparing the experience to you-know-who.

Which brings us to today.

I left work early, rushed home, threw the car keys on the kitchen counter, and ran to my Mac so I could purchase Notte Magica on iTunes to tide me over until my physical CD & DVD’s arrived. I have a pretty elaborate sound system which lets me send the music to almost any room in my home. The anticipation builds. Heart rate up. I’ve had this feeling many times before. Breathing heavier now. It was happening again. New music. Il Volo. Pull the shades. Kick off my shoes. Make myself comfortable. Soft lighting. Glass of wine. Eyes closed. Press play.

Immediately, I am in Florence. The first instrumental piece begins. Placido is right in front of me conducting. Dusk dissolves into night. The first strains of “Nessun Dorma”. Their voices fill my living room. Each of their notes bounce off my walls. I know this one by heart. I’ve been studying it for months. I am following along in Italian. I am thinking in Italian. I am feeling in Italian. My heart soars in Italian. Memories of my trips to Italy come flooding back. Feelings of love not meant to be race back and forth through my mind. The piece nears its end. “Vincero!” (I will win!)

For one hour and thirty-two minutes, they did it to me again. In Italian. And in Spanish. And in English. They moved me again. With a full range of emotions, both high and low that you cannot possibly imagine that any one artist could provoke. With perfect execution. With that intense love and effort and talent that only our guys can provide. Gianluca. Ignazio, Piero. You’ve done it again.

~~John

 

 

Editorials, Gianluca, Ignazio, Il Volo, Piero

“LOVE” by John from CT (pulled from comments)

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“Love” is a very powerful word. It has many different meanings to just as many different people. It has many shades and provokes a world of intense feelings. Do I “Love” the guys? Yes I do. In several ways.

Some of us on this site “love” the guys in a very personal, physical, romantic way (cough cough Marie cough cough)….. For me, there’s an “aspirational” love, as in wow, would I have loved to be any one of these three when I was 22 years old. At their current ages, I was taking accounting classes in college and working part-time as a supervisor in a department store. For comparison:

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Watch Gianluca singing “Anema e core” on the Pompeii video – when he sang that song at my concert in Connecticut all the women around me looked like they were going to dissolve into their seat cushions in ecstasy. This quintessential crooner and heartthrob is able to do this time after time, with such incredible ease and emotion – what man would not want to be in his shoes?

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Look at Ignazio kicking the ball on the soccer field or belting out the high notes at the piano while everyone in the audience is hanging on his every word in astonishment. A charmer supreme – sometimes goofy, sometimes “hunky”, always giving you the sensation that it just would be so much FUN to be hanging out with him – who would not want to be in his place?

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And then there’s Piero, the ultimate polished, sophisticated professional – an Italian James Bond with an operatic voice that keeps his fans in awe. Google “2016 Maserati GT”. Imagine him standing beside that car and announcing “I am Piero Barone and I drive a Maserati. You should too.” I would sell my house and run to nearest dealer because I too, would want to be just like Piero.

We all share a deep “love” for their humanity. Their humility. Their love of family, friends, and fans. Their interactions with children and with those less fortunate than they are; it never seems staged for a photo-op; it just comes across as so genuine and meaningful because it truly is. Their desire to share their love for their unique style of music with the rest of us. Yes, they zip around the world from one exotic location to another, screaming fans in adoration, bringing people to tears with their songs – both tears of joy and of sentimental sadness. But it’s a lot of hard work. It’s tiring. They are at the mercy of their schedules, their deadlines, their tour promoters, and their desire for perfection. They are away from home for months at a time. It really is a sacrifice that most of us cannot even begin to comprehend. And we “love” them for it.

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And finally, we all “love” their talent. Their voices, their recordings, their concerts, their ability to make the words and notes just fly out of their mouths with such force and emotion that they leave us speechless. Time after time. Performance after performance. Year after year. They’ve shared their love with all of us; and for that, we have to love them back. Forever.

– John