Rock In Roma 2013

Rome has finally managed to become one of the key hubs for live events in Italy, after years in which it suffered because of its geographical position, which too often left it cut off from the major European tours of the biggest names in music. This has also been made possible thanks to the giant "Postepay Rock In Roma", which continues to prove itself capable of bringing top-tier acts to the capital.

The 2013 edition closed with a positive outcome and thrilling results, especially given the general economic crisis: almost two months of memorable concerts, twenty major events and over two hundred thousand attendees overall. Postepay Rock In Roma is proving to be a fundamental upgrade in innovation and prestige for Italy and for the capital, thanks to the steady growth of its artistic lineup: this year, from Green Day to Korn, from Atoms For Peace right through to the return of Neil Young after 30 years away from Rome. The festival also inaugurated its third concert area, the White Stage, which hosted the memorable performance by Bruce Springsteen, unanimously ranked among the finest of his long and illustrious career.

Hi Max, thanks so much for your time. Where and with whom did the idea originate to finally give Rome such an imposing music festival?

The idea came from me and my partner Sergio Giuliani. As fans of this musical genre, the idea of organizing a large-scale rock festival had always been on our minds.

Personally, back in 2005 I was already producing concerts in arenas, stadiums and clubs throughout Central Italy, but mainly in Rome. Around 2007 the project, though still in its embryonic stage, began to take shape: I wanted a festival in the capital that would be different from the others, one that could last at least two months and become an international point of reference for all music lovers.

Meeting Sergio laid the definitive groundwork for turning this format into reality; it debuted in 2009 and has been refined further with each passing year.

How difficult was it to secure such a vast area as that of the Ippodromo delle Capannelle?

It wasn't really that hard: even back with the 2012 edition, we had already sensed the real possibility of expanding into the whole vast area of the Ippodromo. With Radiohead in September 2012 we "tested" the second arena, with a 30,000-person capacity, and struck by that success we planned the 2013 edition around three areas with different capacities and features. From July 8 to 13 we simultaneously hosted Mark Knopfler, Arctic Monkeys, Rammstein and Bruce Springsteen, who inaugurated the White Stage, the most imposing arena of the whole area.

The 2013 edition has just wrapped up: time to take stock…

Yes, this year's results are absolutely positive, the numbers have been thrilling, especially in light of the general economic crisis that's dragging down every sector. We put on almost two months of concerts featuring top-tier names, some of whom had never played Rome before and others who hadn't been back in many years. Total attendance was over two hundred thousand, figures that hold their own against the biggest international festivals. Postepay Rock In Roma is proving to be an essential upgrade in innovation and prestige for Italy and for the capital. It was announced just these past few days that Neil Young will release a live DVD recorded right here at the Rome date. What a coup!

Further proof of how well it all went is the fact that the day after the festival closed, we already told our audience to save the date for 2014, which we're already working on.

We're happy and proud just to be able to announce that it will happen at all.

Looking back, which years have left you most satisfied from an organizational standpoint?

Definitely the 2011 edition, and of course the one that just wrapped up.

You and Sergio have had more or less direct contact with internationally renowned artists: tell us a juicy anecdote, maybe some star's diva moment…

On the morning of July 11, at noon, Bruce Springsteen's manager called me — Bruce was set to perform at the festival that evening — to ask me to suggest a place where Bruce could rehearse a song he would play exclusively at Rock in Roma. It was "New York City Serenade", a track that, despite having been released in the early '70s, had never been performed live in Europe until then, due to the complexity of the arrangement.

Very few people may still be unaware of this, but Rock in Roma also has a wonderful club in Ciampino, the Orion, where My Bloody Valentine performed this year.

I suggested to his agent that they take Bruce to check the place out, and as soon as we walked in he exclaimed: "It's perfect!". Shortly after, Springsteen started rehearsing: you can find a few shots of those unforgettable moments online.

That remark and that intimate moment, on top of the unforgettable, packed evening show, gave me indescribable satisfaction, a huge rush of emotion: in that case a star's "diva moment" (which in this instance could also be read as an urgent need) turned into one of the best things that could have happened.

When it comes to actual diva moments, though, I'd rather not list them so as not to make enemies of any artists (he smiles, ed.), but in any case we always make an effort to be patient, understanding and attentive with musicians, since they're the true soul of the festival.

Give us a Top Five of the concerts you've organized.

If we're talking exclusively about Rock In Roma shows, the first names that come to mind, in a row, are Bruce Springsteen, Cure, Chemical Brothers, Slash and Neil Young.

How difficult is it to organize an event the size of Rock In Roma in Rome? What are the biggest obstacles to overcome? What mechanisms need to be set in motion to guarantee its full success?

There are many difficulties, and almost all of them stem from the fact that ours is a private initiative: we don't have institutional support, which is also the case for the events we organize at the Stadio Olimpico. We had to work extremely hard to make sure our events didn't create inconvenience or problems for the city, for traffic, for public transport. It was tough work, but it paid off spectacularly - just consider that for the Springsteen concert, ten thousand people chose to use our supplementary train service, a genuinely significant number of people taken off the roads.

All the new initiatives we tested out during this edition were so successful that the City of Rome has offered to support us next year.

Why do you think Italy has never managed to build a major festival - I mean the kind packed into 3-4 days with two hundred names - with the same European scope as a Primavera Sound, a Glastonbury or a Sziget? They tried with Heineken, but it didn't last long...

I'm firmly convinced it's a cultural issue. Italians aren't ready yet for that kind of festival, which is why we've decided to stick with our own format, which keeps proving hugely successful regardless: this past edition was undoubtedly further proof of that.

The jobs crisis is weighing on almost every European economy: Rock In Roma's organizational machine seems to be running against the grain. How many positions (even if mostly seasonal) is it able to guarantee?

Our production is able to guarantee over 700 seasonal positions, with obvious fluctuations from concert to concert. The peak this year was naturally reached with Bruce Springsteen's show: that day 1,100 people were employed.

The "entertainment" sector and everything connected to it deserve more attention: what government policies would be desirable?

More than anything, what's needed is a proper law on entertainment, which currently doesn't exist. Our sector isn't protected, and that failure creates serious difficulties for anyone trying to do this job as well as possible.

Last year Radiohead and this year Bruce Springsteen were the standout names on the most recent lineups - can we venture any guesses for next year?

Absolutely, there are several options, but for obvious reasons I can't reveal them now!

Is there any artist who, after playing Rock In Roma, explicitly asked to come back?

First of all, those who have actually already come back, like Thom Yorke, last year with Radiohead and this year with his new project Atoms For Peace. But also Daniele Silvestri, Skunk Anansie, Ben Harper, and many other artists who will surely be back in the future.

Which names would you love to bring to this stage in the future? Any dreams you're still hoping to fulfil?

Yes, plenty, and we hope some of them will soon actually come true...

Besides Rock In Roma, you're also involved in organizing other major events: what's cooking for the autumn-winter season?

We've already announced Bob Dylan in concert at the Atlantico next November: undoubtedly the realization of a first major event. Staying in the rock area, we've announced Dream Theater for January, while on the Italian pop side we'll have Emma and Negramaro at the Palalottomatica, along with Disney's now hugely popular family shows over the Christmas period.

For the 2014 edition of Rock In Roma, when will the first names on the bill be revealed?

I can give you a preview: as early as September-October the first big names for the 2014 edition will be announced, and others will be added in the following months. We've already been working on planning the next edition for some time. Now we have three tested stages, and the range of opportunities widens considerably. And we have an excellent track record that lets us aim, without any reverential fear, for the biggest names on the international scene.

I'll throw out a name: Pearl Jam. There's a new album coming out, and they haven't played Rome since the "No Code" tour…

Very interesting name. I'll buy the album and listen to it…

All things considered, Postepay Rock In Roma is establishing itself as the summer festival bringing the essence of live rock back to Rome's large audience. Here's the complete list of events held this summer at the Ippodromo delle Capannelle:

May 29 – My Bloody Valentine (at the Orion Club in Ciampino)

June 5 – Green Day (support All Time Low)

11 giugno – The Killers (supporter Stereophonics)

June 21 – Toto

June 25 – Korn

4 luglio – Iggy Pop & The Stooges (supporter Rewild)

July 5 – Max Gazzé (support Il Cile + Ilaria Graziano & Francesco Forni + Iotatòla)

July 9 – Rammstein (support Dj Joe Letz)

10 luglio – Arctic Monkeys (supporter Miles Kane + The Vaccines)

11 luglio – Bruce Springsteen (special guest The Cyborgs)

July 13 – Mark Knopfler

14 luglio – Smashing Pumpkins (supporter Mark Lanegan + Beware Of Darkness)

July 16 – Atoms For Peace (support Owiny Sigoma Band)

July 18 – SKA-P (support Casino Royale)

July 22 – Deep Purple

July 24 – Zucchero

July 25 – Daniele Silvestri + Guests (supports Selton + Diodato)

July 26 – Neil Young & Crazy Horse (support Devendra Banhart)

July 28 – Sigur Rós

July 29 – Blur

July 31 – Negrita

Ride the wave of great music

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