Archives for “Music” tag

Rock in Rome is a music festival born in 2002 in the Ippodromo delle Capelle, the horse racing venue of Rome, and since then it’s getting better and better every year. I think that one year this festival will become one of the most important music festivals in Europe.

I would not call it a proper music festival because there aren’t many acts per day but usually there is a headliner plus other important supporting acts. Some people might dislike this but on the other hand all the artists will do a complete set.

This year the schedule is more than amazing : Green Day, the Killers, Smashing Pumpkins, Bruce Springsteen, Arctic Monkeys and many more…. check the site for the complete concerts list and dates. This Festival will start on the 5th of June with Green Day and will end on the 29th of July. 

WHERE TO BUY TICKETS: Ticketone

Remember that if the event is not sold-out you can buy your ticket there directly.

Getting there: METRO A stop at Colli Albani and then bus 664. The return can be complicated with public transport but this year there is a bus shuttle service. You can book your seats here.

I don’t have enough words to describe how cool this place is. Let’s start with the location because it is very close to the ruins of the Roman aqueduct and the murales at the entrance made by the amazing Roman street-artist Alice Pasquini (check her works) are incredible.

What Circolo degli Artisti is? I don’t even know how to categorize this place because every single day there is something different and new going on: it’s a live club, it’s a 2 floors disco, it’s a place where you can just relax in their amazing and big garden sipping a beer or a cocktail or doing an “aperitivo” during the spring, it’s a place where you can have a pizza in their restaurant and much more.

In the end it’s a place for many different events that can range from an art exhibition to a vintage market. So check their site or their facebook to see what’s goin’ on. And it’s a place for everyone, frequented by a great crowd: No one cares if you are dressed shabby or super-chic for example. Feel totally free to be yourself there.

Apart from concerts my favourite event is the Screamadelica on Saturday for some Rock’n Roll music. (€ 5 if you enter after 22:30, before it’s free) but there are other disco types such as the Loretta Night on Friday which is a gayfriendly night.

I think that this place best embraces the philosophy: ‘When in Rome do as the Romans do and the Romans do the circolo!’

Pride Pub is a great pub in the San Giovanni/Furio Camillo zone. I love going there for many reasons, because of its traditionally English style furnishings (there is even a red telephone booth inside), for its large selection of spill beers, for its location (because it’s in the area where I live), but more probably for their live music. Every single night there is a live-band entertaning the customers. All kinds of music are played here: pop, blues, rock, jazz, tribute bands and some back to the 50′s music.

Many choices of food are available from typical English pub food to Italian classics like pasta and pizza without forgetting some tex-mex style food too.

Here you can see the schedule.

Getting there is pretty easy too: Metro A Furio Camillo stop. If the subway is closed don’t worry just take the night bus N1 that does all the A line metro stops. 

Auditorium Parco della Musica is a large multi-functional public music complex in Rome, completed in 2002 by the Italian architect Renzo Piano and according to newspapers is the biggest and most visited music venue of Europe with over a million visitors per year.

The complex is formed by three main music halls that remind people of different shapes: they were called beetles, scarabs, turtles or even computer mouses. Different styles of music are played in these halls. Everyday there is something going on so check the site for event schedules.

Even if it’s basically focused on music here there are different kinds of manifestations such as the International film festival of Rome in November or literary events. During Christmas time there is also a Christmas market and an Ice skating rink.

Eating or shopping are possible because there are some bars/restaurants, a big book/music store and an art gallery too.

Getting there: Take the Metro A stop at Flaminio and then tram 2 stop at Apollodoro

Feltrinelli is definitely my favorite book supplier in Rome. First of all, it is a very handy shop, easily reachable and quite close to all the major attractions of the town centre.

The shop itself is divided in three main floors. The underground one, sells mostly cooking and gardening books. But if you think it’s a tiny little floor, think again and discover how fussy we are about food. There are thousands of paper and hardbacks on this topic. The ground floor instead, sells mainly travel guides, author books as well as mother tongue books and DVD’s. The first floor has its own little cozy caffe, never too busy and has quite a good range of international music and always a sale section, books for kids and also musical instruments.

The place is very well furnished and big enough to get lost inside. If you have some time for it, wander around its shelves.