Zucchero launches stadium tour, calls Eurovision 'crap' and backs De Martino's Sanremo split
The Italian bluesman began his 'Baila' 25th anniversary tour in Bologna, announcing a San Siro finale in 2027 and a Verona residency, while weighing in on Sanremo, De Gregori, and the Nobel Peace Prize.
Tour launch and anniversary plans
Zucchero opened his "BAILA (Sexy Thing) 25th - Under the Moonlight" tour at Udine's Bluenergy Stadium on 4 July and Bologna's Stadio Dall'Ara on 6 July, drawing 26,000 fans in Bologna. The tour marks 25 years of the hit "Baila" and will continue to Lucca's historic walls on 16 July before heading across Europe and the world. Manager Ferdinando Salzano confirmed the finale at Milan's San Siro on 10 June 2027, three years after Zucchero's last appearance there. The 2027 calendar also includes a 40th-anniversary celebration of the album "Blues" with ten concerts at Verona's Arena in September, around the singer's 25 September birthday, and another ten dates in 2028.
- Tour opens at Udine's Bluenergy Stadium
- Bologna concert at Stadio Dall'Ara (26,000 attendees)
- Lucca concert at Mura Storiche
- Tour finale at San Siro, Milan
- 10 concerts at Arena di Verona for 'Blues' 40th anniversary
- Additional 10 concerts at Arena di Verona
Eurovision and Sanremo
Speaking to reporters before the Bologna show, Zucchero praised Stefano De Martino's decision to separate the Sanremo winner from the Eurovision representative. He did not hold back on the contest itself.
Eurovision is crap. Apart from Måneskin, whoever won disappeared. Remember the bearded one with women's tits?
He urged artists to focus on singing and bringing good songs.
On De Gregori and political statements
Asked about Francesco De Gregori's criticism of artists who make political declarations, Zucchero said he would not contradict his colleague in public. He recalled De Gregori quoting Walt Whitman's "I contain multitudes" and noted that Bob Dylan's song of the same name was inspired by Whitman, something he didn't know at first but found fantastic. On the Nobel Peace Prize for the people of Lampedusa, he added: "Fine, as long as they don't give it to Trump."
The live music boom and young artists
Zucchero, who turned 70, observed that post-Covid demand for live music has surged. He described young stadium-fillers as "great communicators" who use social media effectively, but added: "They do dances, wiggle their butts, sing little but get by. I don't understand a damn thing about social media." His own band features international musicians including former Santana and Springsteen bassist Polo Jones and ex-Jethro Tull keyboardist Peter Vettese.
