Marco Mengoni announces 26-date Milan club residency priced up to 230 euros

Intimate residency at Teatro Principe

Italian singer Marco Mengoni has announced a 26-date concert residency titled Allo Sbagliato, scheduled to run from 5 November to 19 December at the former Teatro Principe in Milan. The series limits attendance to 500 spectators per night across four weekly performances. Mengoni will perform from the center of the venue surrounded by the crowd, accompanied by a 12-piece band. The residency structure represents a direct departure from stadium-scale productions, placing the audience into an immersive staging environment. Mengoni conceived the original concept seven years ago as a personal 30th birthday project before logistical delays postponed its implementation.

Mine is a residency, they pay me for two months and then I pass the baton to someone who will come after. It will be an offline club: there will be about 500 people a night, the stage is for the audience, and the artist is at the center of the construction site that could then be dismantled.

Offline format and unconventional setlist

The residency enforces a strict offline policy to prevent digital distractions inside the venue. Attendees must place their mobile phones into sealed pouches at the entrance, retaining possession of the devices but gaining access to them only in designated emergency areas. Artistically, the shows will dispense with fixed setlists and standard pop production cues. Mengoni confirmed that he will exclude his biggest hits, including "Due vite" and "L'essenziale", in favor of lesser-known catalog tracks, international covers, and spontaneous collaborations with guest musicians and comedians. Performances will adjust daily based on the mood of the performers, drawing inspiration from 1970s stage monitors and unscripted club dynamics.

Pricing tiers and audience pushback

Ticket sales for the residency prompted immediate criticism across social media platforms regarding affordability. Admission starts at 115 euros for standing access in the gallery or pit, rises to 172.50 euros for one of 71 seated spots beside or in front of the stage, and reaches 230 euros for honor seats situated directly behind the band. Mengoni defended the pricing structure by describing the event as a luxury offering, stating that the higher rates fund the extensive technical and backstage personnel involved in staging the club residency. Online commentators pushed back against the comparison to high-end dining, pointing out that ticket costs place the experience out of reach for working fans who face household tax obligations.

I see it as a dinner out that you do once a year: a special moment to experience without thinking about posting videos.

The broader turn to compact venues

Mengoni's move reflects a wider pattern among Italian and international recording artists seeking alternatives to massive arenas. Italian musicians including Francesco De Gregori, Cesare Cremonini, and Biagio Antonacci have scheduled acoustic or theatre tours in reduced spaces. Antonacci, who staged unplugged concerts at the Pompeii amphitheatre, described multi-night stadium routines as a psychological trap compared to residency formats. On 17 September, Ultimo performed an intimate club show in London following a 250,000-capacity concert at Tor Vergata. International precedents include Bruce Springsteen's Broadway residency, Madonna's 2019–2020 Madame X theatre tour, Ed Sheeran's Subtract tour, and device-free shows by Bob Dylan, Jack White, Bruno Mars, and Billie Eilish.

When you stop to sing for several days in the same city, you end up feeling more at home. A small community is created.