Mammoth stage for Ramazzotti concert

The Eros Ramazzotti concert on June 29 promises to be a real tour de force as the popular Italian artist will perform on a stage having a surface area of 30 by 50 metres - probably the biggest stage ever set up for a touring singer in Malta.

At a press conference at the Hilton yesterday, NnG Promoters' Nigel Camilleri and Anton Attard said 90 people - including supporting crew, engineers and technicians - will accompany Ramazzotti and his band in Malta in order to set up the equipment that will be brought over from abroad.

Mr Camilleri said Ramazzotti was presently one of the most popular Italian singers in Malta and for this reason, NnG Promoters had chosen to hold the concert at the Luxol parade grounds in St Andrews, since the venue could take a large audience.

He said the venue was perhaps the most logical choice since the area is large enough for the big stage to be set up, with ample space for a huge audience.

Asked if he foresees any traffic inconveniences or problems of access such as those that cropped up before the Elton John concert last year, Mr Camilleri said: "Large crowds have gathered at Luxol for political meetings in the past and no real problems of access or traffic had been created".

NnG Promoters had been heavily criticised for having caused traffic problems in Valletta and Floriana before the Elton John concert last year.

Mr Attard said the Floriana granaries had been chosen as a concert venue because Sir Elton had requested a historical backdrop for his concert.

"However, the venue chosen for the Ramazzotti show this year should not create the problems of last year," he added.

Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech praised NnG Promoters for the initiative. NnG were part of the WelcomEurope consortium responsible for the organisation of EU accession celebrations in the Grand Harbour, an event that the minister defined as excellent.

"The Elton John concert last year, and others before it, placed Malta on the itinerary of internationally-acclaimed touring artists," he said.

Dr Zammit Dimech said the government was providing logistical help to the promoters in the form of stands and seating. He said the Malta Tourism Authority would also allocate a small amount of money to help in the organisation of the event, a sum he said was "small but symbolic".

NnG Promotions said tickets for the Eros Ramazzotti concert are already being sold fast. Four kinds of tickets are available: general standing tickets costing Lm15, that can be bought from all Maltapost outlets; tickets for general seating at Lm30, available from outlets of Franks, The Perfumery, in Sliema and Valletta; as well as VIP tickets (silver circle standing - Lm35 and golden circle seated - Lm50), which can be purchased from Sandro Azzopardi Gioielleria, Sliema and Valletta.