A sold-out London debut

Cesare Cremonini presented the full tracklist of his album Amateur live for the first time on the evening of 20 October, at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire in London. ANSA described the concert as sold out, with a large Italian community in the audience. The 46-year-old singer-songwriter from Bologna performed all 11 songs on the record, which he presents as both a challenge and a new debut. Amateur is a rock-leaning album, and it arrives 27 years after the start of his career with Lunapop, when he was not yet 20.

The venue was a deliberate choice. Adnkronos notes that the theatre opened in 1903 and has hosted David Bowie, Prince, Bob Dylan, Coldplay and Amy Winehouse. The album was also shaped in London, which is part of why Cremonini wanted to present it there.

Band, guests and audience

Cremonini was backed by an international band that included saxophonist Donny McCaslin, who had played alongside David Bowie on the Blackstar farewell, and drummer Zach Danziger. Three songs featured guests: Salmo on the song Amateur, Fabri Fibra on the single 'Paparazzi' and Malika Ayane on 'Cose molto piccole'. Ayane also joined him for a cover of Lou Reed's 'Walk on the wild side', and Cremonini closed the night with a version of John Lennon's 'Stand by me'. Sig, a multi-instrumentalist whose head is hidden inside a golden skull, also appeared on stage.

The audience included Elisa, who co-wrote the track 'Cavalli da corsa' and was cheered when thanked from the stage. Valentino Rossi sang along to the chorus of 'Stand by me'. ANSA also lists Paolo Di Canio and Stefano Domenicali, whom it describes as the head of Formula 1, while Il Fatto Quotidiano names Edoardo Bove, Davide Petrella and Federico Ravaglia among the friends in the theatre.

Cremonini on the record

Cremonini said the album took about six months to write and record, while he usually takes two years to make one. He described the record as a challenge to a music market that, in his view, is shaped by the algorithm. He made the remark with a half-smile, and the album is described as highly listenable with strong live potential.

“I am almost convinced it will be the biggest failure of my career, perhaps of Italian music.”

The songs move across three themes: love that is hurt and then found again, psychological fragility told with dark irony, and social and artistic critique, from the paparazzi in 'Paparazzi' to the bourgeois script of 'Mega Linz'. Morgan contributed to 'Il giardino dei sassofoni' but did not want to appear in the credits. Cremonini also explained why London mattered to him.

“London was necessary, because in London I am nobody. I am an Italian singer presenting an album.”

The recording used studios in Bologna and studios in London founded by Damon Albarn in 1999.

Release and tour dates

Amateur, the tenth album of original material in his career, is set for release on 23 October. Italian concert dates begin on 24 November, and five concerts at the Forum in Milan close the run shortly before Christmas. The London concert was the first time he performed the full record live on stage.