Just open the social networks and these days to understand that the world of music is no longer there. In a sector folded by more than two years of pandemic, with events blocked and then reopened with limited capacity, after a period of deafening but due silence, where a way was found to concentrate energies in charitable operations in favor of entertainment workers , with initiatives such as that of the Unita Scene which raised almost five million euros and after trying to request the necessary attention from a government that has thought of everything except culture with the polite but deafening demonstrations of Bauli in the square, nothing seems moved.
The summer was spent with a maximum of 1000 people per location, strictly outdoors, with spacing and mask, despite the long-awaited Green pass, the promise of a possible return to normality. Two hundred thousand people involved who have been waiting for more than two years to get back to doing their job, for those who resist. There are many small clubs that have not made it, as are the booking agencies, live, and the many freelancers in the sector.
Thanks to the images of Giuseppe Conte’s rally in Cosenza on 21 September, the artists have begun to raise their voices on social media. Primarily Fedez, who attacked the former premier to receive an answer on the irresponsibility of an event in which the crowd crowded under the stage, as if it were a concert that everyone wants back (but which is forbidden). And with him many others: da Calcutta, a Levante, Gaia, Ermal Meta, Jake La Furia, Alessandra Amoroso, Gianna Nannini, Rocco Hunt, Noemi, Takagi, Dardust, The Representative of the List, Cosmo just to name a few.
It is time to clamor for something to change and, while Minister Franceschini will meet with the CTS today to talk about capacities, it has already been announced a meeting with the press for September 24th, organized by the producers of live music and the trade associations of the sector, in which the proposals addressed to the government will be presented to get out of the great stalemate in which the whole live music sector in Italy finds itself. At San Siro, to send the message that it is time to return to fill in the spaces.
We talked with Riccardo Zanotti of the Nuclear Tactical Penguins who were the first to have to cancel a concert, at the outbreak of the first lockdown and who in these two years have already postponed their tour in the halls twice, at the moment without a new start date. Because you can no longer postpone and then have to move again.
Shall we start from Conte’s rally?
«We commented in an ironic way, because we have been waiting for months to have an answer to questions that have already received it elsewhere. It is not true that we are the only ones with limited spaces or capacity limits, but it is true that there are many sectors that are better placed than us. In Italy we are in an absurd and claustrophobic situation that is penalizing for our sector. Seeing certain images such as those of the rally in Cosenza makes your arms fall. Also because when this cursed pandemic occurred all of us in the music world, starting with those who have more visibility, we immediately helped the government to raise public awareness on the use of the mask, respect for distances, staying at home. . We were there, for the government, when we were asked to do our part. Now it seems that unfortunately there is an impassable wall on the other side. “
Conte replied to Fedez “It’s not good to bring the capacities to 80% we have to bring them to 100% we have to start again, we have to start strong again, we have to start all together again”.
“It seems that there is a lot of propensity for the slogan, it is clear that the moment photos come out in which half of Italy tells you that you have done something wrong you have to run for cover, the response to modi slogan is indicative of the fact that there is no another way of responding to such a remark. It is something absurd and wrong and you have no justification, especially at a time when you are already in the eye of the storm. I’m not just talking about Conte, I’m thinking about politics in general. Politics, on the other hand, must give answers on the direction to take, and certainly not done with wrong examples. “
Salmo, your colleague, also organized a concert in Olbia on 13 August which aroused the same kind of dismay.
«I followed the Psalm story, but I could not understand what the narration was. When you make a gesture that you define as political, of social disobedience, of disrespect to institutions, the narration you make of that event is very important. I have not seen any press releases in the previous days, there have not been. I follow him and respect him as an artist, but I have not seen any intention, I have not read about social disobedience that was about to take place. I read “there will be a concert” and clearly then when the photos and videos come out of how the evening is not done in the right way it is clear that an uproar is created. Maybe he really wanted to do something wrong and rebellious, but I don’t think it’s right because yese we’re all in the same boat you’re not doing your peers any good. I didn’t understand what he wanted to do. “
You played for the last time on September 16, 2019. Then you postponed your tour in the halls, but why not play in another way like other colleagues did?
«There are so many reasons… First of all, and perhaps the already trivial reason is that I have witnessed concepts in these modalities and for me they are not concerts at their maximum potential. Maybe I wouldn’t have become a musician if those were the concerts. Of course someone can say “better than nothing”. But as far as I’m concerned it’s the most important tour of our life and we have to live it to the fullest, it’s a live, reasoned and written for a huge arena. It consists of the large audience, the party atmosphere, jumping and having fun together. It would be like saying we make a comic film, but we can never say bad words. It becomes a contradiction. A second reason is that we could have adapted but it would have meant lowering the capacity, delaying the public on different dates, disuniting families, companies of friends. Could we have done another tour? For us it would have been a disrespectful sign to those who have already bought a ticket and are waiting patiently with us. Or even complaining, with us. It is a question of respect. We did not want to go in that direction even if there would have been an economic return, but we understand who did it, without blame. “
Are you angry? Sad? What is your predominant feeling?
“I try not to be sad or angry. Clearly there is a bit of anger, and also sadness, but we still try to be proactive, we try to find a dialogue. Clearly it is difficult, it almost seems that the European Union only serves when it suits, and when it is not convenient, it ignores itself. We do not look out of our backyard, it really seems that we cannot understand that the world is rising and we are the rear. We are trying, not only we Penguins, but all the artists, to make it clear, even using the weapon of visibility, that there is a political class that does not listen to us. And this for me is an extremely moderate, sober and just civil disobedience. “
Why are those concerts abroad without distancing there already and not in Italy?
“This is the theme. I went to Copenhagen this summer, of course they were the first to reopen everything, but when I was there I saw two concerts and it seemed to be 2019. When you hear about Germany, the riots in France and also in Spain not to mention the ‘Eastern Europe, where the Maneskins have already shown us how everything is in the pre-pandemic stage, one wonders why we don’t raise our heads. Perhaps because we are too worried, at the political class level, to seek propaganda among the election campaigns and we are forgetting a sector that was the first to close and will be the last to reopen. “
What happens now?
«I’m not one of those who just point the finger at, let’s say that we absolutely have to learn how to network, we artists, booking, organizers, promoters, everyone. If you manage to make a network you can make it clear that if all the voices sing together the same choir are stronger than one and that when you are all in the same sinking boat it is not worth rowing against. If we all row together and make our voices heard in a united way, someone has to listen to us. “
What is important to you?
«As regards the future, I trust that there will be less precariousness in our sector, from a contractual point of view. It is not a priority, at the moment we just have to start again, but if another catastrophe of this type should arrive, we will have to be ready. We will have to be able to make our voices heard as a sector and industry in the most precise and outlined way. On the other hand, they don’t listen to us, but we too must be more united ”.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
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