Ultimo

In an interview given a few days ago, Ultimo revealed that as a child he often went to the Stadio Olimpico with his father to watch matches of his beloved team, Roma. It's easy, then, to imagine how special it must feel for him to now be the star performer on that very stage, set up inside the capital's most important sporting venue, nestled between the Tiber river and the hill of Monte Mario. Three consecutive nights at the Olimpico for one of the most successful tours of summer 2024, conceived to promote his recent album, “Altrove”: three shows, three sellouts. We attended the first one, on Saturday 22 June. Ultimo is regarded by his fans as the most authoritative singer-songwriter of his generation, with many of them going so far as to call him the natural heir to Vasco Rossi. Beyond the obvious enthusiasm of his supporters, Niccolò Moriconi – his real name – has undoubtedly built himself a solid reputation over the years, bolstered by his numerous appearances at the Sanremo Festival, a stage that guarantees a huge audience every time.

As soon as it's dark enough, at 9:23pm, Ultimo takes the stage, where he'll remain for about two hours and ten minutes, for one of the most eagerly awaited collective rituals of the Roman summer. The large stage is set up in front of one of the two stands, a choice that sacrifices some of the venue's potential capacity but makes the show more visible to everyone present. Niccolò is playing at home, and the concert kicks off with real energy, though as it unfolds he often makes room for more intimate moments, constantly shifting registers. There are moments to dance to (“Vieni nel mio cuore”), but also romantic dedications to his much-envied girlfriend Jacqueline, an influencer by profession and daughter of Heather Parisi: their images run across the big screens during the performance of “Quel filo che ci unisce”, though the announcement many in the crowd are hoping for – that of a pregnancy, which many consider likely – never comes.

Niccolò recalls the date of 4 July 2019, his first time at the Stadio Olimpico, before the pandemic arrived to halt what had seemed like an unstoppable rise. And when you find yourself for months on end unable to embrace your fans, a young man his age might well fear that everything could have vanished. Instead, the singer-songwriter uses the Rome date not only to remind everyone that it's far from over, but also to surprise the crowd with the announcement of a new stadium tour for 2025. Next summer, too, Ultimo will be playing Italy's biggest arenas to perform his songs. Tickets go on sale within hours, and behind the stage, gigantic letters reveal six dates and the names of six Italian cities:

29 June – Lignano Sabbiadoro – Stadio Teghil

2 July – Ancona – Stadio del Conero

5 July – Milan – Stadio San Siro

10 July – Rome – Stadio Olimpico

18 July – Messina – Stadio San Filippo

23 July – Bari – Stadio San Nicola

We're ready to bet that more dates will be added along the way. Back to the show: one of its most intense moments comes when Niccolò sits down at the piano to treat the sixty thousand fans at the Olimpico to some of his most beloved songs, including “I tuoi particolari”, “La stella più fragile dell'universo” and “Giusy”. During “Pianeti”, the whole stadium sings the chorus in unison: it was Ultimo's first big hit, and the emotion is entirely warranted. But there are also moments dedicated to reflection, and during the performance of “Alba”, harrowing images of war flash by, tragic snapshots from the Gaza Strip, so that the music is not just entertainment but also a form of protest. Several notable figures are spotted in the stands, including, some claim, Rome's mayor Roberto Gualtieri. He too must surely have applauded when the closing “Sogni appesi” sees the capital's sky lit up with fireworks.

Two more Rome dates follow, on 23 and 24 June, after which Ultimo will play the Stadio San Filippo in Messina on 28 June and the Stadio Euganeo in Padua on 6 July.

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