Piero Barone – Page 5

Il Volo in Concert ~ Boston September 2012

While this review is dated, it was the first live performance of Il Volo attended. The reaction is more of a character study than a musical review. These are my own first impressions of Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca.

Location: Bank of America Pavilion, Boston, Massachusetts

Date: 8 September 2012

Venue – The performance was at the Bank of America Pavilion on the waterfront Boston Harbor. The venue offers a view to a wide variety of boats and vessels sailing by. This could be fun; however, Logan International Airport is directly across the bay. And yes, outbound planes generally depart on the ½ hour at times roaring directly over the roof. The pavilion is a large tent structurally reinforced with moveable side curtains. There are seats outside of the tent and this arrangement gave the attendee an indoor/outdoor experience depending upon ticket selection. There is a good selection of foods and beverages including beer and wine with outdoor dining areas to enjoy the evening sea breeze. The attendee has a choice of driving into Boston or taking public transportation (MBTA). I choose to park at the T station at Riverside in Newton which is about 10 miles from the destination and took the Green line inbound. This proved to be a tricky journey as I had to transfer to the red line, continue to South Station, and eventually board a bus to arrive at the harbor.

I have to say that people watching can account for half the evening entertainment. I like to eavesdrop and tune in to the ambience. My seat was in the center section facing the stage in Row Y with an excellent view. This was my first time at the pavilion and we speculated that the side curtains would be lowered when the show started to create a more intimate atmosphere. Unfortunately, that did not happen and folks sitting along the edges were caught up in a wicked rain and wind storm that blew in half way through the show. I knew the storm was predicted and altered my travel plans. I live near Sturbridge which can be a two hour drive away and left at 2 p.m. amidst tornado watches, thunderstorm warnings and a dark stormy sky. I realized the risk but was prepared to make the best of it. The storm had power and I felt some of the rain drops in the middle of the room. Rain water came pouring down the left side walkway between the seating rows leading to the stage. Pity the sorry souls on the perimeter. The ticket clearly says Rain or Shine. This commotion was distracting to say the least. There must be a reason pavilion staff opted not to drop the side curtains. At one point in the show, Il Volo (IV) stopped and we were all looking around as to what to do. The artists and patrons need to be comfortable and we were not. Gianluca deftly started crooning, “I’m Singin’ in the Rain”.

The return trip home proved to be a bit of a nightmare. While the storm rocked us around at the harbor, it also tore down several trees onto the subway tracks. When the train went above ground, it ended up stopping part way to my destination. All the passengers were rerouted onto buses. It was a crazy, crazy ride home mixed up with Red Sox Fans from the game that was completed that night. Most of us were out-of-towners and at the mercy of our companions on the train for how to maneuver onto the right bus to end up where we wanted to be. It did take more than a few hours to get home.

If the management team needs a different venue for the next tour through Massachusetts, consider the Hanover Theater or Mechanics Hall in Worcester, MA.

Performance

I had only heard of IV in June when WGBH TV aired the PBS Detroit Opera House performance. I tuned into the program about midway through and had no idea who the artists were. A quick glance told me it might be three Italian tenors but something was different. I kept listening and it so happened that IV was in the Boston PBS Station Studio during the fund raiser call in portion of the show. Their English skill was basic and Piero took the lead in talking to Lo Hartnett, the host on the set. Lo obviously enjoyed their company and smoothed the communications helping the guys relax and speak with confidence. It was toward the end of the fundraising portion when I realized Piero was a ham. When he sorted out that the camera was on, he cheerfully puffed up and waved vigorously at the audience saying, Di Camera, Di Camera!

After some deliberation, I bought a ticket and planned out the trip. As I am a bit claustrophobic and somewhat averse to crowds, it was a complete leap of faith to go. While we were waiting for the show to start, somebody parted the curtain at the back of the stage but all I could see was a black outline of the doorway. Somebody was looking out so I waved. The guys were warmly welcomed by a mature audience and started the show with “Un’Amore Cosi Grande”. Everyone I met in the audience had seen the PBS program and, collectively, the spirit was we had to see this to believe it. Piero, Gianluca and Ignazio were as strong in voice in person as on the telly. The blend of energies, voices and charisma was sparkling. Unfortunately, the band too often overpowered the voices and if I may say, as good as they were, ought not to compete with the artists. I thought a band is supposed to enhance not interfere. There were times the show felt brisk as if they had to keep on a tight schedule. The guys clearly loved the spotlight and responded with their personal best.

The general impression was they do not compete with each other. And, there was no leader. Individually the confidence was matter of fact.

Still, the sexy male energy was not missed at least by me. How tight can your pants get! Italians superficially are generally revered for fashion, food and art. IV already have style and presence. These are young Italian men traveling about, it takes a bit of moxie to do this.

The horsing around on stage was at times confusing. Piero reminded me from the start of Toppo Gigio, a puppet character from the Ed Sullivan Show. When IV introduced themselves to the crowd, Gian and Ignazio called to Piero who had disappeared under the staging. When they called him to come out, he said, Ohh noooo Izza scared! In the same voice I remembered from the puppet. During the show he was constantly moving around humming, smiling, talking, looking and generally having a cheery good time all by himself. He often would float back to the band members and air play alongside. He loves the music. Piero and Ignazio interacted often with Gianluca resting and a few times sitting down watching them bop each other around. At one point when Piero was messing around with Ignazio’s wardrobe, he called out to GG to join him just like a kid in the schoolyard would. Come on! GG shook his head and rested on the sideline. It was in these moments I remembered they are still teenagers and this is what guys do at home. Bop each other around.

Musically, every review is similar, brilliant, time of my life, have to see this again. How on earth do they sustain that level of performance show after show! Gianluca was impressive. He is slight in stature, photogenic and rarely smiled. He opened the show and it was very exciting to see Piero and Ignazio in shadow waiting for their turn to sing. It struck me at that moment how young he was and how gutsy it is to stand out there in front of a large crowd and sing the first note. He is quite an unusual young man.

Ignazio came across as Mr. Congeniality. He felt like a person in transition. Someone described him to me as a young man in a grown man’s body. He fussed with his ear piece often pulling at his hair.

Piero struck me as a whole different kind of cat. He was lean, sleek and a frisky faun with a lot of charisma. The star quality of “look at me” is strong. What a voice!! Unfortunately, he sang his second solo in the middle of the rain torrent and I got distracted by wondering if the roof will stay on as he sang the old theme song from “Love Story”. I have to hear this again. At the end of the show, Piero’s expression changed and he looked out with an unusually warm gaze as we cheered their performance. He made several gestures speaking in Sicilian sign language? He put his hands together in a heart shape and raised them to his heart, extending it out to us. I think he was saying, the heart is open, here is a channel for the love: I give and receive. He used his right hand to pat himself on the left shoulder again and again gazing out with a bashful, warm smile and glittering expressive eyes as if to say thank you, it’s too much, too much, gratitude to the audience. I never saw anything like it before. In other words, I had the time of my life. On the bus ride out Boston, many of us had come directly from the show and we were gushing with joy. We all saw something different. We agreed that the first song or two, they were tense or nervous, but must have picked up our delight and sailed forward on that collective feeling.

The indirect influence of Il Volo is that my Conversational Italian class starts Wednesday of this week and I started the savings account for a trip to Italy. It’s been an all Italian summer for me with cooking, reading and more. Not to pile on the pressure, but they are ambassadors for Italy.

Bravi! Grazie mille! Viva Il Volo.

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Reflection on Boston Marathon Bombing: Recovery and Renewal

This is a reflection on the events of April 15^th, 2013. As a resident of Massachusetts, I was shaken by the occurrence of a terrorist bombing in the city of Boston. This is what it is like to go about the day at the moment, during and afterward. This is one experience.

On April 15^th 2013, Patriot’s Day, the 117^th Boston Marathon was interrupted by the detonation of two (2) shrapnel filled bombs placed near the finish line of the prestigious race. Three (3) people died as a result of the blast and countless others have been injured for life. Their injuries included the loss of one or more limbs, auditory damage and shrapnel wounds.

The annual marathon, to a lifelong resident, is part of what it means to be from Massachusetts. For years, I have harbored a secret ambition someday to run it as well. The entire race is a festival for the runners and the spectators in the numerous cities and towns they pass through.

Traditionally, the Red Sox open the baseball season with a home game on what is known here as Patriot’s Day. This holiday is special to us as the American revolution began in Concord. We hold this day sacred and honor it in many different ways.

Ten years ago, I went to Boston in the hopes of being at Fenway Park for Opening Day. There were no more tickets at the box office for the ball game, so I wandered around, and ended up at the finish line for the marathon. The run concludes on Boylston Street in front of the Public Library. I had been across the street a decade ago from the very spot where one of the bombs went off.

That the bombs went off took everyone by surprise. The level of security on the marathon route is relatively strong and especially formidable at the finish line. That someone had the audacity to do so was bold, reckless and taunting. I had spent the greater part of this day outside in my garden. I thought about the race all day and said to myself, okay, the wheelchair crowd is done; here comes the Kenyan or Ethiopian to win the race. There is nothing finer to watch than an elite runner coming down the street. The winner is generally spry, almost birdlike in physique. It is a beautiful event to witness.

Hell on Earth

I turned on TV around six o’clock that evening curious to see who won. What I found was a scene of chaos and killing. We had an unfiltered view from within the state. The pictures and sounds coming over the live feed were stunning as we saw victim after victim being taken to the medical tents. The blood on the streets and sight of people with torn bodies, bleeding to death is hard to look at but hard to look away from. We rarely see scenes from actual battlefields and can only wonder at what happens. This was a war zone. An enemy did the best they could to take out as many people as possible while the cameras were rolling. The blasts struck the heart of every patriot. As a community, we moved fast to aid the victims while looking over our shoulder to see what was coming next.

The news services tried to cover the event in real time with factual information. There were rumors of three (3) more devices in the area. One of the major hospitals in Boston was being watched carefully for suspicious activity. Meanwhile, the runners in the race had to quickly comprehend that they could not finish and were essentially stranded without the ability to reach the finish line and their support teams. The support team may be family and friends who have their backpack ready with water, nutrients and clothing to assist the runner. It is a mighty effort to complete the 26 mile marathon. But, the blasts, and fear of more bombs created a confused scene that had to be sorted out. The Westin Hotel was evacuated for a suspicious package. Many of the runners were staying at the hotel and could not go in. Members of the Boston Athletic Association and local residents stepped in to give shelter to runners and families for several days.

The next few days were a confusing blur of fear. Massachusetts is a small state. Whoever exploded the bombs did not identify themselves. It was impossible to understand who they were and if more bombings were to come. As an ordinary citizen, I did my best to understand what was happening and felt the old fears of terrorism lurking around the corner. I work in a large city and suddenly, the day to day landscape became predatory. I work adjacent to a large court house and police station. These are excellent targets for terrorists. The mobility of our highway and rail system is good for commuters and terrorists alike. It would be too easy for the bombers to slip in and out of town virtually unnoticed. The idea that the person could be standing right next to me was uppermost in my mind.

Support from Without

I am a fan of the trio of singers known as: Il Volo. Modern social media and the singers willingness to chatter directly with their fans make for a terrific opportunity to join the community at large and be a part of it all. As I was early on fascinated by the voice and youth of Piero Barone, I selected him as the one to follow on Twitter sometime in September of 2012. It’s fun to read his comments. He is generally charming and somewhat homespun in his style of chatter. So, I had a sense of him as a person who enjoyed a connection to people. I checked Twitter as I typically do that Tuesday morning and read from Piero a message about a new tweet. When I opened the picture, there was a heart wrapped around a map of our community. The words said Pray for Boston. Il Volo had been in the city in June of 2012 as part of the PBS fund raising efforts that year. I attended their concert performance in September of 2012. I was still on edge from the events of the day before and replied to Piero that I lived in Massachusetts and if people wanted to help, plan to give blood today. Well, didn’t Piero reply back within an hour or two wearing a Red Sox sweatshirt posting: Boston I am with you 100%.

Every Day

On Tuesday, the hunt was on for the bomber. At one point, there was a scare at the Federal Court House that cleared the building. There was a rumor of a suspect in hand. On Wednesday, President Obama and other dignitaries arrived to say grace. As much as the support was welcomed, it was disturbing as the bomber was still at large. Every hour brought more and more suspense. On Thursday evening, the suspects pictures appeared on television. Over and over again, we were shown who they were and what to look for. The situation was extremely dangerous. There was some comfort in seeing the enemy and residents rallied to find the bombers. Being so close to the event, it is hard to know what the rest of the country sees or thinks. I have lived through two (2) natural weather events that were ominous and created a different awareness with reality. When you are in the middle of the storm, it’s hard to see anything but the immediate environment. You just try to get through the day, worry, fret but carry on.

My source for media information came mostly from a program on PBS called Greater Boston, on WGBH TV. I have been a fan of the news and public affairs program for well over ten years. Emily Rooney is the host. She is the daughter of the late journalist and commentator Andy Rooney and has a similar streak of pugnacious, pragmatic but compassionate journalism. She is a realist and keeps the audience informed. The program is on weeknights at 7 p.m. Every evening that week, Emily, along with reporters Jared Bowen and Adam Reilly, would speak directly to the audience giving up to date news on the day’s events but also personal reflection of the danger and weariness. We began quickly to absorb the names of the victims both living and dead. Of particular note, is the Richard Family, Martin Richard was killed at the scene, his sister lost a leg, mother and father suffered terrible injuries. There is video from the event showing one view of Martin standing up against the protective fencing and another view a few moments later of the bag with the kettle bomb at his feet. The person that did this had to have looked right at the family. The bag was placed and the trigger detonated from a safe distance. This haunts me. The coldblooded action of the bomber defies understanding.

Capture

Early Friday morning, I heard my telephone chime with a text message. The Boston branch of the school I work for had closed for the day. No other reason was given. Something was terribly wrong. I turned on the TV and was surprised to see replay of a midnight shootout in Watertown MA. The amount of gun fire was perilous. Apparently, the suspects panicked and with the police in pursuit, began to throw kettle bombs and grenades out the windows in an attempt to evade capture. The cars stopped and a face off took place with one of the bombers dying at the scene. The second bomber eventually escaped on foot. The panic in the streets was due to the first bomber being wired. He had explosives strapped to his upper body preventing medical aid at the scene. Considering this, the quick impression was the second bomber was wired. The speculation was, he may have friends or other bombs planted anywhere around the city. The threat to public safety was at the highest level.

Despite all this drama, I did report to work as usual and carried on. Governor Patrick took great pains to secure the safety of the residents. He shut down portions of the city and for a greater part of the day, Watertown was searched house to house for the suspect. The Twitter sphere was my premier source of by-the-second information. Various news sources and regular citizens were sending out pictures and text of activity during the search. The end of the day brought the suspect into custody. The Minutemen of old must have stood up and cheered when a wary resident noticed something peculiar about the condition of his winterized boat. The suspect was hiding in the boat and survived the events of the day. He awaits trial in a Federal Prison. Unfortunately, cameras are barred from Federal Court. There is a great argument here for allowing those who want to see and understand have access to the direct testimony of all parties involved.

Recovery and Renewal

Life goes on and we all went about coping with the awareness of being in the presence of great danger. The recovery and discussion over the events continues with focused attention on the survivors. The media reports on the surviving suspect and attempts to pull together the events. The best reporting to date has been done by Phillip Martin of PBS, WGBH Boston. For detailed coverage of the day to day, even hour by hour actions of that week, I would recommend turning to Mr. Martin for further information. Here is a link to his page on WGBH Boston Public Radio.

Earlier, I mentioned Piero Barone of Il Volo, I am a fan of their classical-operatic pop musical style. When the “We Are Love” Special Edition CD arrived at my doorstep in late May, I put it in my CD player as I tidied up my kitchen that evening. Little did I know what was coming; when the song changed to “Angel”, I was surprised and recognized the song as a sad but previous favorite of mine composed by Sarah McLachlan. The voice of the singer on the second verse confused me, the soft gentle words and emotional tone I did not at first recognize. I looked at the liner notes and realized it was Piero. His voice and range of emotion along with the blend of the same from Gianluca and Ignazio caught me right in the heart. Listening to the lyrics, I became overwhelmed with the emotions of grief, anxiety and was once again back there with the families and runners in a great deal of pain. My heart felt weary, heavy and hurt. The line, “…you are pulled from the wreckage…” was particularly poignant. It wasn’t a little cry but a gush of sensations with visions of the event in my mind’s eye. I felt the loss of life and grieved. Every day, I listened to this song and over the course of several days, the healing began to happen. By the power of positive energies, the worst memories lifted.

I attended the Il Volo concert in Boston on September 14, 2013. I was jittery about the long commute into the city and had some doubt about attending at all. My energy was out of balance and uncertainty reigned. The show was remarkable for its artistry and energy. I recorded Angel that night and readers can click on this link to hear it. At the end of the show, I was able to shake hands with Piero at the edge of the stage. I am fairly certain he had no idea who I was. However, in the middle of the program, they stopped the music and addressed the audience directly. They spoke about the event and sang a cappella the National Anthem. The irony is significant. Here were the gracious, strong voices of three young men at about the same age as the bomber, one person tried to destroy us with a black heart, and Piero, Gianluca and Ignazio reached out with the strength of heart to bring a sense of serene love to the audience.

I think the bombers underestimated the people of Massachusetts. This is the birthplace of Paul Revere, Robert Gould Shaw and John F. Kennedy. When it is necessary, we know how to fight and will but not as a first choice.

In the words of Shaw, “In theory it may seem all right to some, but when it comes to being made the instrument of the Lord’s vengeance, I myself don’t like it.”

This is also the place where Henry David Thoreau gave credence to “Civil Disobedience.” If you have an objection, there are ways in a civilized society to present them. We were hit without warning and I am deeply disturbed that is was not a fair fight. To this day, I do not understand why such cruelty was brought onto innocent people. The fact that on Monday we experienced hell on earth and by Friday, an ordinary citizen had aided in the capture of the bomber was as brilliant as it was bold. To see the best and worst of people all at once is overwhelming.

I hope to never experience such a state of fear again, however, I have some doubt about that. The wounded continue to tell their stories in different ways and continue to heal their broken bodies. The runners prepare daily for the next marathon. There are 80 days or so until the next race. The Boston Athletic Association reports as of January 21, 46 Elite Athletes from 13 Countries Invited for 118th Running on April 21.

Piero Barone’s Spirit Animal ~ The Mighty Macaw!

Human + Animal Connection

In the greater order of things, creatures of air, sea and land came before humanity. Each is unique and possesses qualities that enable it to live and thrive in its environment.

All living creatures that fly, crawl or walk have an inherent instinctive way that takes on a spirit of being.

People of all nations demonstrate a tendency to identify their collective cultural spirit through that of birds or animals. They take pride in being a member of the flock or tribe. Consider the White Eagle of Poland, Vicuña of Peru, Lion of the Netherlands, etc…

So too, the ordinary person may display something in their behavior that suggests something else. They may have a certain look, habit of speech or pattern of dance that directly brings to mind the energy of an animal or bird.

Spirit Animal + Piero Barone

A friend matched the Macaw with Piero Barone of IL Volo. What followers know of Barone is largely drawn from social media posts, responses and discussions in interviews and his performance on stage. At first glance, it appears that his initial quality is a love of communication, love of family and love of song.

The Mighty Macaw

A Macaw is native to the tropical regions of the Americas. They are large, brilliant birds within the jungle canopy. They are great talkers within their habitat keeping up a chatter that is often termed noisome. Physically they have strong feet and a powerful beak. They prefer a steady diet of seeds, nuts and fruit but are omnivores by nature. They are extraordinarily loyal, have a high need for social contact and mate for life. And, naturally feel at home in a flock. It is not uncommon for a bird to live to 100 years old. As a spirit animal, Foxfeather R. Ženková describes the macaw as empowering the person with the qualities of “intelligence, beauty, and inventiveness. Loud, self-confident and active, macaws are the symbol of creative intelligence, inspiration, and freedom. Macaw people are often artistic, whether their talent is in visual art, music, or dance.”

The Brilliant Barone

And, Barone? He is well-known for his ability to hold the long musical note and go up and down several octaves in a breath. His dramatic voice calls attention to him for its beauty and complexity. His intelligence and quick ability with acquiring new language skills delights fans around the world.

Barone is from the Mediterranean island of Sicily with palm trees and an active volcano. He loves the color red. His nature is affectionate and charming with a look at me personae. Many fans comment on his strut across the stage. He is known for his confidence and habit of studying the crowd. At times, it appears he is as curious about us as we are about him. He loves his food, especially the Sicilian specialty: frutta del mare.

Barone sings “Where do I begin?”

He shows a high need to belong and be remembered. He is clever and often surprises the fans with behaviors, gestures or activities. His solo video of “Where Do I Begin” was unusual in its inventiveness, he formed his own one-man band (flock) to share the moment. One can easily say of Barone, he is never dull. He has a powerful spirited presence and delights countless fans with his higher qualities.

Buona fortuna Piero! Si canta bene!