Mayor Luca Vecchi, the season ended Saturday at the Rcf Arena with a Nuclear Tactical Penguins concert. What did you see new in this latest event?
“I think the organizational aspect worked better than Harry Styles, obviously with 20,000 fewer people. The only limitation is the influx and outflow, which, however, has a theme: the vast majority of the public arrived in the last hour. I must say that the outflow after 2 and a half hours is satisfactory.”
What did the guys in the band say to you in the dressing room?
“To be honest, I was also embarrassed, given that there was an hour left before the concert, and they asked me to say hello to them. They are very modest guys. And they thanked me, because in these 2 minutes they broke the anxiety,” said Riccardo. Me: “Two years ago we didn’t know if music could be our job, and now there are 80 thousand of us here. They know how to convey the effort of travel and the feeling of success.”
What do the organizers think about the Arena?
“In the early stages of 2022, promoters were very cautious about the Arena’s sustainability, and that’s understandable. Now I am convinced that this is an ideal site with unique technological, sound and logistical characteristics.”
Will Rcf Arena have a Mediapadana effect? Will it exceed expectations?
“I agree with the comparison with Mediopadana. There has been talk about the risk of a deserted cathedral to high-speed rail, but ten years later the benefits are being counted. The music arena has been plagued by similar debates. But now it’s nothing more than an occasional event on the lawn, it’s permanent theater. It is estimated that the activities involved cost several million euros each time.”
So can we expect to see more international artists in 2024?
“I have an agreement with those who organize the events: they inform me, but not much in advance. However, I know that they are already working on more events than this year. There will be something even greater. I hope there is the right balance between national and international because the Harry Styles event made us discover a new world.”
What can be done to improve further? We have winter ahead of us to intervene.
“I see no problem in using the eastern part of Campovolo, that is, Villa Curta, for entry and exit, even with the new bridge over the Rhone. We can also do a better job of developing camping on the Chimurri slope. Organizers say this will allow them to think about hypothetical festivals lasting several days.”
Are there any figures for the season?
“2022 was the year of inauguration, 23 was the year of dedication. If difficulties arose, we could have faced reputational damage, but that was not the case. At seven concerts we had more than half a million paying people, with “80% from outside the region, almost 20 thousand foreigners. We have the most important public entertainment structure that Reggio has ever had. This leads to a huge leap in territorial promotion. We “We are faced with a new historical fact. The arena is a great source of joy and good humor. And it also creates great intimacy and closeness to the city.”
Of course, we must put an end to speculation. There are few structures with exorbitant prices.
“Objectively, we have to be careful not to slip on a banana peel in front of the whole world. Because everyone knows that some rooms usually cost 70 euros, and then Styles comes and they go for 400 euros. We need accountability, our reputation is at stake.” I have received emails complaining about this. The risk of transition from an attractive effect to a repulsive one.”
Saverio Migliari