Platinum wonder to sing in Riga and Vilnius

  • 2010-04-01
  • By Mihai Bica

CHART TOPPER: Eros Ramazzotti continues with his own style of singing as he manages to avoid 21st century influences.

VILNIUS - After last year’s postponement of his Nov. 5 concert in the Latvian capital, Riga, Eros Ramazzotti is soon to be seen on the stage of two of the Baltic States’ capitals: in Riga on April 4 and in the Vilnius Siemens Arena on April 6. It’s been a long wait. His latest album is called “Ali e Radici” (also known as “Ales y raices” in its equally popular Spanish version), and means “Wings and Roots.” This is the artist’s first album in the past 4 years, not taking into account his “Best Of” album released two years ago.

Great sales, among other things, have proved this album’s worth, with over one million copies sold to date and multiple Gold and Platinum awards in numerous countries, giving it top positions in international charts. This fact does not come as a surprise - Ramazzotti has sold over 40 million albums in his 25 year career as a guitarist, singer and songwriter, and by the way things are going, there are many more to come. His fame has surpassed borders a long time ago, a few years after his establishment as a well known artist across Italy, his country of origin. Anyone who knows a thing or two about the artist’s life - and his 320 page biography, which he released not long after the divorce from his Swiss ex-supermodel wife Michelle Hunziker in 2002, has surely a lot of interesting stories to tell. One definitely can not remain unimpressed with the achievements of this Roman who started playing the guitar at the age of 7 and who would become one of the modern symbols of Italy, a voice that can be recognized by hundreds of millions of fans around the world.

The artist’s latest album already has two well known singles, “Parla con me” and “Controvento,” both insightful of the singer’s feelings. The album doesn’t choose a new path, it just continues logically with Ramazzotti’s well known style of singing, remarkably holding back from all the influences in the new 21st century styles of music, while remaining both timely and pleasant.

The “Ali e Radici World Tour” started in late October 2009, in Rimini, and is planned to continue until June 19, 2010, in Bergamo, Italy. One of the tour’s ideas is to cover as many large, Italian cities as possible, stopping on the way in major locations in Europe, such as Benelux, Scandinavia, the Baltic countries, major cities in France, Germany, Russia and others, but going far beyond this in Miami and South America, where the singer is beloved for his talent and disposition for singing his songs in Spanish, just like he did with this last album, with its double version, in both Italian and Spanish.

Siemens Arena in Vilnius is happy to be once again the center of entertainment, as it has been since its beginnings in 2004. It has opened its doors to countless world famous artists ever since, like The Prodigy, Depeche Mode, Simple Minds, Linkin Park or Julio Iglesias, allowing audiences to profit from the estimated 20,000 m2 interior space. As always, Eros Ramazzotti, through his caliber and reputation, promises an unforgettable evening, with live interpretations of  all 11 songs on the album and other well-known hits, a surprise stage setup and a musical arrangement that would make any artist proud - Mike Landau (guitar), Gary Novak (drums), Vergati and Falconi (vocals) and others.

Barely two weeks after the official release of the fourth single from the album, “Bucave,” Lithuanians will finally have the chance to see Ramazzotti perform just before his departure for America.
Ticket prices for the “Ali e Radici” show in Paris were in the range of 50-70 euros, so the range of prices of 135-260 litas (39 – 75 euros) for a ticket in Siemens Arena is only fair. It is also worth mentioning that the entrance for children under the age of 6 is free of charge, and the large number of sites offering self-printed tickets online is not to be forgotten either, although you should hurry up to catch the last available seats.

Just like in any other of the countries where “Ali e Radici” concerts have taken place, organizers are sure to be expecting a full house on the night of the concert, and are ready to make sure everything is taken care of for the 2 hour show by the number 1 Italian pop-star!