Lamezia Terme (Italy). On 5 November 2023, Francesco, Domenico, and Lorenzo, aka “The Toones”, three boys from Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, aged only 19, 17, and 10, united by the same great passion for music, were among the protagonists of the final “Cantagiro Band 2023”, held in Rome at the local Stazione Birra. They went up to the podium amidst the applause and ovation of all those present, winning the “Opportunity Award” with the published song “Feeling good” and the unpublished song “Gioco di Ruolo” (Role Play).
The evening is part of the most important musical event that has given voice and space to emerging music since 1962, bringing to the fore unknown artists with great artistic potential, including some of the biggest names in Italian music such as Gianni Morandi, Adriano Celentano, Domenico Modugno, Rita Pavone.
The event was entrusted to Giulia Carla De Carlo, daughter of Patron Enzo De Carlo, on the jury for the occasion together with the General Director Elvino Echeoni and this year’s President of the Jury, Ricky Portera, the well-known founding guitarist with Gaetano Curreri of Stadio, historic collaborator of Lucio Dalla and other artists such as Ron, Eugenio Finardi, Luca Carboni, Loredana Bertè.
The boys, with their band The Toones, stood out in a competition that turned out to be a real show, in which 11 other bands from all over Italy and with different musical genres performed with extraordinary skill. Francesco, 19 years old, on bass; Domenico, 17, voice and guitar; and Lorenzo, just 10 years old, on drums, amazed the audience and the jurors with their artistic abilities, already so marked despite their very young age.
Friends forever, band by chance for less than a year, as they themselves said in the presentation video, the boys began to share their love for music in the parish of San Raffaele Arcangelo in Lamezia Terme, supported by the parish priest, Fr. Giuseppe Montano, and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians of Our Lady of Good Council Province (IMR), Sister Pia Caso and Sister Angela Lopardo, who immediately made the garage of their house available for the rehearsals.
Simple young people, with sound principles, actively engaged in the parish environment, materialized the idea of being a group especially after the encouragement of Sister Ausilia De Siena, General Councilor for Communication of the FMA Institute, to participate in the talent show “Young Talents” organized for years by Mary Help of Christians Institute of Soverato. Ranking second on 9 June 2023, The Toones did not go unnoticed by the jury chaired by the Patron of the Cantagiro, Enzo De Carlo, who invited them directly to the Cantagiro Band final held in Rome on 5 November.
With a musical genre inspired by rock, but completely revisited by their self-expression and their originality, the Toones speak with their music of what they are, what they live and, like them, also other youth of their age. In fact, their first unreleased song “Gioco di Ruolo”, transmits by pressing with voice and instruments until it explodes, as a denunciation, the fear for the future that all young people have in common, generating anxiety, but also the desire to fight so as not to let themselves be overwhelmed by a looming threat.
And it is precisely with this audacity and determination that the young Calabrian artists dominated the stage of Stazione Birra, location of the musical show, leaving everyone breathless and earning their place in the Cantagiro Honor Roll.
For the band that already has other songs in the pipeline, the wish is that it may be able to continue to cultivate and take care of this musical passion with commitment and dedication, and that their enthusiasm and fervor may really play always and tirelessly notes of OPPORTUNITY for them and for those who believe in what is beautiful.
