Review: Il Volo Shines at 2014 Summer Tour

Forget everything that you think you know about the group Il Volo. The Italian pop-opera trio consisting of Piero Barone, Ignazio Boschetto and Gianluca Ginoble, just wrapped up a successful North American tour for the Summer of 2014. Not to be confused with Il Divo, this extremely talented trio is proving that power ballads and big voices aren’t just for a certain audience anymore.

Il Volo manages to do the unexpected — combine a setlist of power ballads, opera, pop, musical theatre and more, and conquer an audience of all ages. I’m talking a screaming and dedicated audience of all ages. If Andrea Bocelli, Frank Sinatra and David Archuleta had kids with the Jonas Brothers, the result would be Il Volo…and all in really cute vests.

I had the amazing opportunity to see Il Volo live at one of their last stops of their 2014 tour. I couldn’t be more grateful for it. I really had no idea what to expect walking in. I suppose I was expecting a show similar to that of Josh Groban or Michael Buble — but with an older audience. Looking closer at the crowds of people seated around me, I felt like I was experiencing Il Volo-Mania. Now, I’ve been to a Glee concert before. I know how those fans can act. But the passion and love I saw from the fans could only be matched by the extreme appreciation and love that Il Volo delivered right back at them.

As the show kicked off, the group announced they would be performing “The best of their repertoire”. Perfect! I couldn’t wait to see what they had in store for the audience. Fresh off their first win at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, this seemed like the perfect show to attend. The venue created both an intimate and special feel for the fans with a stadium-like reception.

All I needed to hear was the first note to realize that Il Volo probably isn’t human. What they do is deliver powerful, crisp, and pure vocals that normally can only be heard from a studio album after it has been put through all the bells and whistles. Il Volo doesn’t seem possible.

But they are. The combination of flawless vocals and a song genre for literally everyone in the building made for a perfect evening. And there really was a song for everyone. In the audience was everyone from little girls to older women in their 80s and 90s. I spent a lot of time observing these people and it was very obvious how touched each and every one of them were by the show that night.

Even better than that? I got the feeling that if they had the time and energy, Il Volo would have sat and talked to every single person in attendance that night. I mean, they certainly tried. It was not uncommon that night for one of the members (mostly Ignazio) to just drop what he was doing during the song and venture into the audience to meet with, chat, or serenade people.

And boy, was this reporter jealous! What’s a girl gotta do to get a serenade?

There was one particular instance when the cutest older woman got a song sung to her and I may or may not have teared up a bit. (Check that out below.)

Can You Feel The Love Tonight:

Performing a string of their own hits like “We Are Love” off of the 2012 album of the same name, Il Volo combined a batch of covers and standards that reinforced the notion that there really was something for everyone to enjoy.

The light-hearted atmosphere really made for a fun night and a great show to watch and listen to. The trio included plenty of playful banter onstage that was similar to a group of sibling brothers growing up and joking around. In between songs, it was a nice breath of fresh air from the usual shows I’m used to going to that can get very stale, very quickly.

They performed covers that included everything from The Lion King, Elvis, and Frank Sinatra, and each member of Il Volo got their own solos to perform.

Concert-goer Tatyana Nankina has some great video and pictures from that night and I couldn’t be happier to share them with you all.

“We Are Love“:

Cute banter before “Memory“:

Any fan of Il Volo would not be disappointed in buying a ticket for one of these shows. I can also guarantee you that if you are on the fence about attending in the future, you will leave the show as a fan. And maybe a little obsessed. Or is that just me?

I predict big things for Il Volo as they continue to conquer not only the North American market, but audiences all over the world. They manage to do the unthinkable with their powerhouse vocals and cute-as-a-button personalities. With that much talent, it would be an injustice for them not to get the recognition they deserve. With a little something for everyone, this is a show that is not to be missed.

Plus, they’re all super cute.

For now, only one question remains: When are they coming back?