The Open Mic arrives in Cilento

Originally conceived as an event to promote comedy acts in London and New York, over time the Open Mic has transformed and become a platform for various forms of artistic expression, particularly in the realm of music.

Just like what the NZIRIA Association organized in Cilento, an Open Mic Summer rock event for the presentation of new unreleased acoustic rock music. The venue: Camping Maddalena in Palinuro, which hosted the event. The date: August 24, 2023, with a mission to promote original and unconventional music.

It all began with the construction of a wooden stage platform, initially intended for disposal or beach bonfires. Next, a call for participation was published on the NZIRIA social magazine. Four projects were selected, all strictly rock: Stellar Knights from London, Chiara White from Florence, Vincent Vitale and Salottica from Salerno.

The bands met and got to know each other during a pre-event organizational meeting on the same day as the event, complete with a tasting of local pizza and NZIRIA beer, which sponsored the evening along with the NZIRIA card.

The evening started slightly late, with concerns about the worst-case scenario: the absence and skepticism of both the campground guests and external attendees, all with free entry and optional subscription to the NZIRIA Association.

Suddenly, at 9:30 PM, there were 50 attendees, not bad for an event featuring original rock music for the first time in a campground accustomed to reggaeton and Neapolitan neomelodic music.

Changing music is sometimes like changing one’s appearance, and changing appearance is a target of interest for those who observe closely and seek to understand a message beyond stereotypes. In fact, what the NZIRIA Association achieved through this event was to launch a new message through the lyrics and music of artists who often, even if extremely talented, are not considered by national and international media. The idea was precisely to provide a showcase event, in this case, focused on rock and roll, and to repeat it!