“To work for peace”. After two years without an audience, the Concertone of May 1st is back with a hymn against the war, against the Russian invasion in Ukraine and with Ambra Angiolini who, moved to its fifth conduction (this time with Bugo), thanks Piazza San Giovanni who “She has come back to life”, to remind us that “freedom and work” belong to everyone. Then, a two and three and everyone shouts: “Peace”. “But the bombs – adds the presenter on stage – are not only those that kill on the job”.
Over fifty artists in the lineup of the long marathon organized by the confederal unions, from Bandabardò with Cisco to Marco Mengoni, making his debut at the Concertone. From the Lista representative in Barbarossa with Extraliscio, to Valerio Lundini with I VazzaNikki. And then Le Vibrazioni, Ornella Vanoni, Carmen Consoli with Marina Rei. CGIL, CISL and UIL underline that “the Concert of May 1st 2022 takes on a symbolic and profound meaning: confronting the present to face the future with responsibility, vision and hope. A sort of collective story, a narrative crossed by a lot of music, but also by shared words and emotions “. The entrance entrances were closed because the expected maximum capacity was reached (yesterday the unions had spoken of 300 thousand people).
It’s up to Go-A to open, the Kiev band that represented Ukraine last year at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021. They sing «Imagine», the timeless piece by John Lennon that has become the anthem of the anti-war movement. The beginning of the song was preceded by the words of the text spoken in different languages.
Valerio Lundini pretends phone call with Putin: “Thanks to you I’ll stop with war”
On the stage in Piazza San Giovanni comes the surreal comedy of Valerio Lundini who plays with I VazzaNikki. “Only music can save us from the imminent outbreak of the World War, with these words, these poems we stopped the artillery.” The song stops and a fake Putin announces that thanks to their words he is convinced to say enough with the war. “Sorry I’m calling from the Russian Federation, I’m the president, it’s important, it’s news.” “Who are you?” Asks Lundini. “I think I have already said that, the president of the Russian Federation, and I suppose the song you sang was addressed to me.” “Yes, as far as you are doing in Ukraine.” “I have heard your very original words and concepts. Thanks to you I have chosen to stop the war ». “We didn’t believe it but, guys, we did it, so it’s true that something can be done with the songs.”
Riccardo Iacona tells Sting’s “Russians”
“It was 1985 and after 10 years of détente between the US and the USSR the tension had grown again, we were talking about war again and Sting communicated everyone’s concern with that song, he wondered how to keep his son away from all this. “. The journalist Riccardo Iacona takes the stage on May 1st to the notes of “Russian” and remembers the period in which the song was born, then he talks about today: “War is not the answer, war cannot be won and if they say don’t believe it. The answer is in being human and in loving one’s children. Gino Strada said that the only truth of the war are the victims. The Pope called war a sacrilegious scandal against God. We must work for peace before a war breaks out, not after it, and after it has broken out we must work for a ceasefire: this is our job these days, this is the work of Europe. Either he succeeds or Europe will be defeated forever ».
Ornella Vanoni sings Chico De Buarque about the white dead
On the stage in Piazza San Giovanni, Ornella Vanoni went up for the first time: «It had been a long time that I wanted to come to May 1st, but they always said to me: ‘It’s not for you’. So I brought a Chico Buarque de Hollanda song about a white death, certainly not exciting, it’s not rock or funk, but surely this is an important song. Since the beginning of the year 200 workers have died, now everything has to be done quickly, life has no value anymore, the scaffolding is made without care and collapsing like the one that a few days ago crushed a boy. And then the workers have terrible working hours. At the end of this song about dying people you won’t applaud me like when you listen to songs you like, but it’s a wonderful song. ”
Mengoni and the homage to Bob Dylan
He was one of the most anticipated artists. Marco mengoni arrived at the Concertone with a set of pieces by him and a surprise: «When I thought that I would come to May 1st, this song immediately came to mind. An important song for everyone ». It’s “Blowin ‘in the wind”, Bob Dylan’s pacifist manifesto. “Hoping – he says – that one day wars can be carried away by the wind.”
Big Mama’s bositive body
“They screamed at me fat, but look how cool I am.” Music can help fight bullying, BigMama, one of the most popular female Italian rap voices, takes advantage of her participation in the May Day Concert to carry on her battle against discrimination. “If I, as a young girl, had had a rapper, a singer, with my same physical form who didn’t give a damn about everything they said to her, maybe I would have given a damn too.” 22 years old, Marianna Mammone at the registry office, has decided to fight with a healthy dose of humor, «For me it is fundamental, I was born self-deprecating and I will die like this. It has always served me – she continues – as a child I used it as self-defense, I teased myself before being teased. Today I use it as a provocation and also because I believe that sunny, funny people are the best people and I want to be a nice person. And for her, the audience sings the song by Loredana Bertè in chorus: “You are beautiful”.
The design wheelchair for the fight against multiple sclerosis
«My will for the future of young people is to have a little lightness. We are often afraid of what will happen to us tomorrow. It also happens that we do not fully live our today. So I would like a little lightness to deal with all the bad things that can happen to us “. The singer-songwriter Mille, winner of the 1MNext contest, said this after sitting in the backstage of the Concertone in Piazza San Giovanni, on the WillChair, the design chair created by designer Derek Castiglioni starting from the recycling of a wheelchair. The presence of the chair in the backstage of the Concertone is part of an awareness campaign on the fight against multiple sclerosis, carried out by Novartis in collaboration with AISM – Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association Onlus.
Mr. Rain on suicides
Before singing “Crisalidi”, Mattia Balardi, aka Mr. Rain, recalled three boys: «Matteo, Aron, Chantal. These three guys have one thing in common: they succumbed to the weight of depression and decided to take their own lives. The bad thing about fighting with ourselves and our fears is that no matter how much we sink, we always believe we can do it alone. But fighting alone is like trying to get out into quicksand, the more you try to escape, the more you sink. Mental health is just as important as physical health. And from personal experience, do not be afraid, asking for help does not make you weak, it is an act of strength. Asking for help is an act of courage, not cowardice. “
Fedez’s irony: My invitation got lost
«Happy May 1st and happy Concertone to all». Fedez sent a birthday greeting and then made fun of his Instagram stories referring to his participation in the 2021 edition of the concert on May 1st accompanied by a flood of controversy: “I would have liked to be there but I think my invitation was lost”.
The artists on the stage in Piazza San Giovanni
GO_A
BANDABARDÒ with CISCO
GERO RICCIO, winner of the ANAS Contest
SINKRO
GIORGIENESS, winner of the 1M NEXT 2022
MIRA, winner of the 1M NEXT 2022
Mille, winner of the 1M NEXT 2022
RAMONA FLOWERS
MOBRICI
BIGMAMA
CLAVER GOLD
HU
OAK
VV
ANGELINA MANGO
MR. RAIN
PHASMA
DEDDY with CAFFELLATTE
MECNA
BRESH
Grudge
PSYCHOLOGISTS
VENERUS
COMA_COSE
THE VIBRATIONS
VALERIO LUNDINI AND THE VAZZANIKKI
THE LIST REPRESENTATIVE
MAX PEZZALI
ARIES
COEZ
ORNELLA VANONI
NOTRE DAME DE PARIS WITH RICCARDO COCCIANTE
MARCO MENGONI
CARMEN CONSOLI
THOMAS PARADISE
RKOMI
LUCHÈ
LUCA BARBAROSSA with EXTRALISCIO
MARA SATTEI
GAZZELLE
FABRIZIO MORO
ENRICO RUGGERI
THE VIBRATIONS
ACE with JOAN THIELE, VENERUS, GEMITAIZ and COLAPESCE
