Lucca Summer Festival

Bands and soloists of national and international fame have stood on these stages and offered a performance that has remained in the hearts of their fans. In particular, in 2009, a concert by the Dave Matthews Band lasting over three hours, the longest performance of their career, and which has become part of a record box. Concerts in Lucca, Italy at times, draws so many spectators that they force the organization to move the stage to the stadium of Porta Elisa or the Viareggio Pines stadium.

Do not underestimate the proximity of Viareggio and Versilia to Lucca and to the sea to take a refreshing dip on the day after the show! Just imagine this wonderful combination for your holiday: Lucca, summer, music, festival, sea, cycling, nature, art cities and the grand finale, Lucca concerts of great world-famous stars! It seems a perfect solution does it not?

During the Lucca, Italy summer festival, Lucca is full of young people who come to see one of the bands, eager fans of 70s music, tourists from afar and enthusiastic couples waiting to hear their favourite love song live. This Lucca festival in the summer will give you an unforgettable experience that only live music can do, do not miss the opportunity to see such an exciting show!

Just imagine the atmosphere that is created in expectation of one of the big names such as Dylan or the collective climate of memories that can evoke Italian artists such as De Gregori and Elisa. It is not uncommon that some singers unite to propose their own songs to revisit and share them: it is a unique opportunity to hear different versions of your favourite pieces!

These moments, along with the magic of Piazza Napoleone in Lucca, Italy and the presence of many unique dates in Italy, explain the success year after year of the Lucca Summer Festival. The concerts, in fact, reach the highest levels of presence of international public amongst the summer festivals. In fact, some of the previous editions were the one and only chance to see artists like the Eagles or Stevie Wonder, live in Italy.

Also, do not forget that the summer festival in Tuscany makes it much more attractive for people coming from outside. The sunny days, to stay by the sea or in the countryside, the villages that you can visit in and around Lucca, natural parks ... everything comes together to make this event in Lucca a real icing on the cake for your holiday!

Apart from the Luca summer festival, Lucca offers many interesting places to visit (monuments and churches), relaxing walks along the walls or biking through the streets of the centre. Please note that the most important concerts of the artists expect a large turnout already at the so-called 'opening of the gates'. If you also decide to take a central position or one in front of the stage you will have to arrive very early: bring a hat and good food in order not to lose your precious space! The view is certainly important, so if you want to take decent pictures you should look for a place around the stage, whereas the acoustics are best in the area where there is the mixer desk!

The younger generations will be interested to know that Arcade Fire, Ben Harper, Cat Power, The Killers and Sigur Ros all played at the summer festival in Lucca, Italy! Each year the expectation of who is performing is getting higher and higher ...

If you love the style of singer-songwriters, with their text rich in meanings, their political and social commitment and their soft melodies, you will be pleasantly surprised by what other names appeared on the line up for previous editions of the Lucca Summer Festival. For example a legend like Leonard Cohen - many consider him a poet for all purposes (author of Hallelujah) - a voice able to touch even the most resistant of the listeners. Another artist who has made school and played here is James Taylo. Do you remember the song from the Seventies 'You've got a friend' accompanied by the voice of Carole King? Some pieces are timeless. We must also mention Joan Baez, champion of justice and with an inimitable voice, Bonnie Raitt queen of country blues and theatre queen Liza Minnelli.

The presence of females at the summer music festival in Tuscany boasts artists such as Tracy Chapman, Alanis Morissette, Norah Jones and Alicia Keys. Lucca has had the honour of hosting the authors of the most listened songs of all time: Guccini, Cocciante, Battiato, Zucchero, Giorgia and Elisa.

In a week you can enjoy during the Lucca festival in summer a feast of music that will be enough for a year, and even more!

The unforgettable pearls of Lucca, Italy music festival concerts have included the show of the eclectic artist David Bowie, the blazing performances of Joe Cocker and Santana, acrobatics music by Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) and Elton John up to the evocative songs of Neil Young and Bob Dylan. For fans of jazz, this event has also hosted Keith Jarrett! Every year the program is filled with more and more diverse choices that will please you, your partner and your family.

Consider, also, the opportunity to make an original gift, by buying some Lucca summer festival tickets to celebrate in the most beautiful way, an important date or a birthday! By doing so, you will also be happy and you will find an excuse to further visit the Tuscany in summer! The proposed timetable each year reflects the tastes of lovers of pop music as well as those who prefer a more sustained rock rhythm to reach fans of electronics (with a concert by Prodigy, for example).

The atmosphere of this Tuscan town can influence and attract the greatest artists on the international scene, it is not by chance that their concerts in Lucca are always considered special and with an unforgettable performance! Just think that Mark Knopfler has played in more than one edition and the same goes for Elton John!

The choices of Lucca Summer Festival are also an opportunity to discover artists who you do not know or to approach a musical style different from that to which you are accustomed. If you have children, it can be a special way and most direct way to bring them closer to the discovery of the music of your songs or when you were young. The beauty of concerts is that you can let yourself be surprised by an immediate art capable of completely changing our mood and thoughts!

The Lucca, Italy music events reflect the marked interest on the part of this Tuscan city for concerts, and, in general, for music. Culture and creativity in Lucca are famous all over the world starting from the figure of Giacomo Puccini, from where the Summer Festival in Torre del Lago is derived, not far from Lucca. Concerts and cultural events are organized with efficiency thanks to the experience that the city has acquired over the years. Not forgetting that in the autumn the famous Lucca Comics takes place.

The city was home to composers such as Francesco Barsanti, Luigi Boccherini, Alfredo Catalani and the famous violinist Filippo Manfredi. The city, until the second half of the 19th century, was the capital of an independent state and musical events in the social and religious life of Lucca were very important, thus the tradition laid the foundations for a common feeling tied to music. Music education, for example, was considered of primary importance in the formation of young people, so much so that in 1842 the Musical Institute was created which was later dedicated to Luigi Boccherini, who became a reference point for the entire region.

Hence, the Lucca Summer Festival has become a central moment in the political life of Lucca: the music is the driving culture of the town and goes back to a centuries-old tradition. Behind the scenes, the preparation of this great event exudes the desire to experience music in all its nuances.

In the summer, Lucca is transformed to accommodate the stars who have made the history of rock and to present to the audience different musical genres in the same edition. The goal, year after year, is to offer unexpected surprises and a view that can attract different generations under one stage. For this reason, you will find legends of the past along with the bands of the moment! The Lucca festival in summer is not just a series of concerts separated and placed in the city without a specific artistic line up! Lucca, through a synergy between the municipality and the organization of the festival, led by Mimmo D'Alessandro, provides for the creation of a different space and free expression. The festival wants to pay homage to live music in its role as a unifying social elements and a unique moment of a common feeling. Emotions during a concert may vary between moments of great enthusiasm with sadness tied to the past or can evoke periods of carefree youth or give an extra boost to the future. If you are with your best friend it will be a memory to share that will tighten even more your friendship, if you are with the person you like you can show them the more compelling side of your character dancing to the rhythm of your favourite songs!

CURIOSITY The organization also provides a Lucca Winter & Summer festival, with two annual editions and winter can be full of interesting surprises like the Lucca summer concerts. The Winter Festival concerts take place in Lucca Teatro del Giglio and often host songwriters like Fossati, De Gregori and Marianne Faithfull. The reputation and quality of the Lucca Summer Festival has expanded to the point of creating an event outside of Tuscany: the Brescia Summer Festival. During the month of July, in collaboration with the Lucca event, there are concerts with exceptional artists in Piazza Duomo and Piazza della Loggia in Brescia.

In recent years, the enjoyment of the music festival with the entry of Spotify has expanded further. This music platform works with the Lucca, Italy Summer Festival proposing special playlist for guests of the current edition and by flying notes beyond the walls of Lucca! The spectators of the Summer Festival are invited to send their 'dream playlist' to the web awaiting the start of the concert. In short, you can even get technologically involved!

USEFUL INFORMATION Please note that the entrance to Lucca Summer Festival is free for persons with disabilities as well as children under six years of age (with regard to areas with unnumbered seats).

If you arrive in Lucca by car we suggest you park in areas outside the Walls. The city centre is connected by transportation from these areas and the train station.

The Lucca, Italy music events and the artists are waiting to give you unique emotions. Make the most of this opportunity so obtain your Lucca summer festival concert tickets soon. ... As Neil Young sings: Keep on rockin' in the free world!