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Concerts and festivals to watch in Tuscany for a summer in the name of the greatest international music
If you were wondering where the great live summer concerts were in our beautiful country, Tuscany is one of them. With mountains, hills, good food and fabulous wine, this land in this magical hot season has an enviable series of world-class musical events. Here are names and dates. We start in Florence on Wednesday June 14, Visarno Arena, Radiohead. If the name is not enough here is some info: over 30 million records sold, 3 Grammy Awards, creators of fabulous live concerts, where rock is at its most contemporary. Opening the concert, James Blake. Same date for the opening live concert of the 20th edition of the Lucca Summer Festival, raising the curtain with Green Day, and with them on stage Rancid, another ‘90’s punk-rock band.
As for rock. In Florence, a festival dedicated to this called Firenze Rocks will Bring to the stage of the Visarno Arena the likes of Placebo (June 23rd), Eddie Vedder (June 24) and System of a Down (June 25). Then to Pistoia for the everlasting Pistoia Blues on Wednesday June 28 in the heart of Piazza Duomo, a fascinating journey into the music of Maestro Franco Battiato accompanied by the Royal Philarmonic Concert Orchestra. On Thursday, July 6, in Pistoia, it’s the Editors, an iconic modern British rock band, accompanied by the historic Cult. It’s non-stop; on Saturday July 8, the Florentine Visarno Arena hosts The XX, the internationally renowned indie cult trio, headliners at major international festivals, just after releasing their highly acclaimed album “I see you”. Same date, July 8, for a great soul pair at the Lucca Summer Festival for its twenty-year edition: Lauryn Hill’s voice with jazz star Kamasi Washington. On Sunday, July 9, in the same Lucca location, a unique musical event. Ennio Morricone and his “The 60 years music world tour”. Let’s go back to Florence, for an exciting dive into dance. On stage at the Visarno Arena on Tuesday, July 11, Jamiroquai, lead by the exiting modern-electro-funk king, Jay Kay. It’s on to Lucca for two dates not to be missed: LP Tuesday, July 11th and the only Italian show of the queens of black music Erykah Badu and Mary J. Blige, Wednesday, July 12th. Artemio Franchi Stadium, Saturday, July 15th. Have you already guessed? After the overwhelming success of 2015, Tiziano Ferro returns to Florence with “Il Mestiere della Vita Tour 2017” for an unforgettable live show. Still a great symbol of world pop, this time in Lucca. Get ready, Saturday, July 15, for Robbie Williams’s “The Heavy Entertainment Show Tour 2017”. Are you busy for Wednesday, July 18? Because our Florence marks the return of the Canadian band that conquered the world: The Arcade Fire, live at the Visarno Arena. We conclude with the majestic beauty of a symbol of Italian song in the world: Paolo Conte in concert in the amazing Piazza Santissima Annunziata on Thursday, July 20, part of Musart Festival 2017. A small jump in time (just in time to indulge in a few weeks of deserved relaxation) leads us to the musical event of the year. No, we’re not exaggerating: on Saturday, September 23, in the sensational setting of the Lucca’s Historic Walls, the only Italian date for the “Stones - No Filter” tour. We’re talking about the Rolling Stones.
