"Viva Live": great live music from April to December. All the upcoming events.
After the lights of the Sanremo festival have dimmed, three associations dedicated to new artistic productions and supporting young talents in Sardinia such as Sardegna Concerti with the Academy of Pop, Jazz in Sardegna, and Jazzino, along with the Festival del Parco dei Suoni, are gearing up for the upcoming summer season events. They invite the audience to rediscover the thrill of live music. This invitation stems from a concerned analysis of the attendance data in theaters and music venues compared to other established genres.
With the desire to authentically retrace the exciting musical experiences of the past which have led to major cultural transformations in the second half of the last century, these associations have decided to launch a powerful event called 'Viva Live'. Starting from April 15th and running until December 29th, 2025, 35 extraordinary concerts will take place in theaters, clubs, and arenas across Sardinia featuring 18 of the most acclaimed international music acts. A mix of experience and tribute bands from around the world will be showcased.
'What does live music lack to emancipate itself from being merely entertainment and take on an active, recognizable, and acknowledged role in the production of contemporary culture?' questions Alberto Sanna, singer-songwriter, historic rocker, and keen observer of music events. 'Perhaps a repertoire of classics, to which historical dignity can be accorded. Other performing arts such as theater, opera, and classical music have always drawn inspiration from their repertoire - from Shakespeare to Goldoni, from Verdi to Rossini, from Beethoven to Tchaikovsky - without losing credibility. This has created a fundamental foundation for innovation and experimentation while maintaining contact and continuity with their history and evolution.'
While it is well established that live performances serve as a significant driver for cultural tourism across Italy ('With 24 million spectators and over 36,000 concerts, the pre-pandemic numbers of 2019 have doubled,' stated Carlo Parodi, president of Assomusica), in Sardinia, the task of filling stadiums, squares, and arenas of big or small cities seems to be inevitably influenced by the inherent flattening effect of television productions. This reality lacks the social characteristics typical of live event engagement and is destined to leave no lasting impact.
However, various music genres over the years have shaped and influenced entire generations, turning live concerts into collective rituals and fostering a deep artistic sensibility. Rock 'n' roll, with Elvis Presley as its iconic figure, paved the way for future phenomena in the USA and around the world, leading to the rock and pop revolution in Britain. 'In simple terms, we could say that we are all children of the blues,' states music producer Michele Palmas. The meeting of blues with various musical traditions in the United States through migration patterns has generated a multitude of musical trends in a continuous and uninterrupted dialogue with their British counterparts. This era gave rise to Jazz, Rock, Beat, Funk, Psychedelic, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Prog, Punk, Reggae, Pop, New Wave, Pop-swing. These phenomena continue to serve as indispensable references for music and are certainly the most engaging, thrilling, and enlightening experiences one can imagine for any live event.
The rich lineup of 'Viva Live', set in acoustically and technically suitable venues such as Teatro Massimo, In Out Music Club, Arena Estiva della Fiera di Cagliari, and Parco dei Suoni in Riola Sardo, will celebrate some of the most iconic and revolutionary figures in music culture of all time, from Stevie Wonder to Michael Jackson, passing through Fleetwood Mac, The Clash, Amy Winehouse, and Supertramp. Many of these giants no longer perform, and many have left us. This new festival will offer the opportunity to relive the emotions and engagement of the most authentic live performances with some of the most famous tribute bands from around the world, and in some cases, with some of the unforgettable protagonists of those legendary experiences.
