Cesare Cremonini sells out London concert with new album

Cesare Cremonini’s concert in London yesterday evening, which marked the first live presentation of the entire tracklist of his new album, Amateur, was a sold-out success.

The 46-year-old Bologna-born artist presents the rock-inspired album, which marks a break with his past, as both a challenge and “a new debut” — 27 years after his actual debut, when he was not yet 20, during the heyday of Lunapop, CE Report quotes ANSA.

The large Italian community in London and the audience at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, a historic venue in the west of the British capital that has previously hosted genuine global legends of British music, rose to the occasion.

Accompanied by a superb band of British and Italian musicians, led by saxophonist Donny McCaslin, who previously performed alongside David Bowie on his farewell album Blackstar, Cremonini delivered a show illuminated by music and the shimmering gold of the instruments.

He performed all 11 tracks from the new album. Three featured announced duets with guest stars: rappers Salmo and Fabri Fibra, respectively on Amateur and the single Paparazzi, and Malika Ayane, who joined him for the intimate musical dialogue of Cose molto piccole.

With her crystal-clear voice, Malika also returned for a second duet with Cesare during one of the two unplanned covers in the setlist: Walk on the Wild Side, a tribute to Lou Reed. Toward the end of the evening, Cremonini followed it with a tribute to John Lennon, performing an energetic version of Stand by Me.

Also on stage was Sig, a mysterious multi-instrumentalist and alter ego whose head is concealed by a golden skull, symbolising the visual identity of the new album.

The gallery also welcomed special guests and celebrity friends of the singer-songwriter from Emilia-Romagna, including Elisa, whom the audience greeted with loud applause as Cremonini thanked her for co-writing one of the songs on Amateur, entitled Cavalli da corsa.

Another guest was Valentino Rossi, who eagerly joined the audience in singing the refrain of Stand by Me at the top of his voice. During the song, Cremonini put down his piano and guitar and performed on the saxophone, almost as if making his debut on the instrument, alongside his musical mentor McCaslin.

Other sporting champions and prominent figures were also present, including Paolo Di Canio and Stefano Domenicali, head of Formula 1.

Photo: Instagram/cesarecremonini