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The land of song... well, almost Long Live Live Music!
[Richard Sherwood]
Italy is 'the land of song' but unfortunately nowadays it’s rather hard to hear someone singing or performing in public, and to find live music in Florence is not easy. Not because there are no musicians - there are plenty, and very capable as well - but unfortunately places where they can play in Florence are few and far between. The reasons for this are many but primarily the problem lies in the fact that for a bar or any public establishment to put on ‘live entertainment’ the owner must have many permissions and fulfil all sorts of requisites from the local authorities which are very hard to obtain. This applies to both classical and alternative styles of music. It is a great pity that the town council, not just of Florence but in most Italian cities, has this policy towards live music: for it is not just the musicians who suffer from not being able to perform, but it renders the town void of much of its musical culture.There are though a few places where live music can be heard on a regular basis whilst having a drink with friends on a night out. Loonies (Via Porta Rossa) is probably one of the best places to listen to amplified ‘cover-bands’ for those who want to rock'n'roll; the Red Garter (Via Verdi) has a resident musician who plays standards and more; however there is a cover-charge. The Be-Bop (Via dei Servi) is a very old establishment where music is programmed regularly; the drinks are quite expensive though.
Perhaps the best venue in Florence for rock and other concerts, is the Omni Club (at Osmannoro, just a little out of town). This is a venue where one can drink and dance to good live music in a friendly atmosphere and it is also very reasonably priced. The Astor Cafe (Piazza Duomo) is a very ‘Florentine’ hangout where music is often performed: make sure you wear your best shoes!! A very 'simpatico' and alternative club is the Eskimo (Via Canacci) a late-night small and smoky bar where singer-songwriter guitarists often play.
The Fiddlers-Elbow (Piazza Santa Maria Novella) often has live music in the back room, evoking the old tradition of 'folk club' nights, where various genres of music are played.
Last but not least, for jazz enthusiasts there is the Jazz Club (Via Nova de' Caccini) the one and only jazz club in the center of Florence.
There are often 'big' concerts, of international artists, programmed in the Tenax (Via Pratese), the Flog Auditorium (Via Mercati) and the Saschall (Lungarno Aldo Moro). These bigger establishments often advertise their events in the local papers or through posters in the city, so keep your eyes open if you want some big-time music.
The classical music scene is rather more active, however restricted to three main organizations. The Teatro Comunale is home of the symphonic orchestra Maggio Musicale Fiorentino; the Teatro Verdi is where the ORT (regional orchestra of Tuscany) and others perform; the Teatro della Pergola that often programmes chamber music. All three of these theatres have seasonal programmes where one can usually buy a ticket for an individual performance; however the performances are often sold out to those who have pre-paid for season membership.
One can also often find sporadic performances of classical music set in the many museums and churches of Florence. The EVENTS section of Vivifirenze (see links in the culumn here on the left) provides constantly updated listings of concerts of all music genres.
In the summer months the music scene of Florence becomes very active, and many concerts of all genres of music can be found in and around the city in the piazzas and parks. This perhaps pardons the lack of musical 'happenings' in the town during the winter months and gives both the Florentine and the visitor a unique experience, to be able to listen to music on a warm summer evening in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Good listening!
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