It was 11 when yesterday morning during the presentation of the Mahmood concert scheduled for next 31 July, the mayor of Iglesias Mauro Usai officially activated the digital platform through which it would be possible to book a free event destined to host over 7 thousand people.

Within three hours, the show sold out ; at 3.15 pm the system announced the deadline for registrations for the maximum achievement of the foreseen places. The “concertomahmoodiglesias2022.com” portal was literally stormed, exhausting the availability of reservations in such a short period of time that it left the organization itself stunned.

The artist

A milestone that certifies the scope of an event that aspires to the scepter of the musical event among the most relevant in the panorama of summer shows in the entire region, because numbers in hand, the 30-year-old Alessandro Mahmoud, aka Mahmood, born in Milan from his mother Sardinian and Egyptian father, he is the artist capable of exhibiting 21 platinum and 12 gold discs (sold in Italy and abroad). His latest winning song of the Sanremo festival "Broglie", boasts the record of the most listened to song ever in a single day, on one of the best known music platforms (almost 3.5 million streams) and all the stages of his tour "Ghettolimpo" have long been in "sold out" mode.

Viability and parking

The city of Iglesias is ready to host the artist's only date in Sardinia and, as for any self-respecting big event, it will have to prepare to shape itself around it, redesigning the roads for the occasion , making a large area only pedestrian , ensuring an deployment of law enforcement agencies to protect safety and making public transport available to remedy the criticality of any traffic congestion. The center of the scene will be the Monteponi sports field: « A satellite system of parking lots around the stadium and a well-detailed plan on the road network - explains the mayor Mauro Usai - will make it possible not to clog the nearby historic center. Furthermore, to allow for the large influx of people who will pour in from all parts of the territory, we have entered into an agreement with Trenitalia that will allow them to arrive in the city and leave again, for Cagliari and Carbonia, with a last run at one in the morning ".

Arrival and departure in complete safety for those who do not want to venture out with their own vehicle. Spaces in any case also guaranteed by an area (in front of the Magistral Institute) which will be used to accommodate 2000 cars : "In addition, an important deployment of figures (including volunteers) in charge of monitoring roadblocks - continues Usai - will be available for any indication useful". A work on logistics started last February, when the municipal administration from the range of options among the singers to contact, opted for Mahmood: "We had few doubts - reveals the municipal councilor Matteo Demartis - it was decided to reward the band of age that more than any other has suffered the consequences caused by the restrictions ».

The desire to host a show of this magnitude for free has a very specific reason: « To give the community a great event in a period of severe economic and social crisis - explains the councilor for Culture Claudia Sanna -. It was necessary to give a strong signal to restart, to give a few hours of that serenity and light-heartedness that we have inevitably lost for some time ». Mauro Usai explains how it was possible to be able to afford an artist of international standing who requires a significant financial sacrifice and yet be able to continue to invest in peace of mind in other events and be sure to sleep peacefully.

Free show

The show of the singer originally from Orosei will cost around 225 thousand euros : «All this was possible thanks to the obtaining of extra-tax resources in 2021 and the large financial resources derived from the management of the mining sites. In recent years Porto Flavia, before all the others, has raised even more the image of our territory in terms of cultural, archaeological and tourist enhancement. The decision to take over the former mining areas starts from a policy implemented since 2018 and which has proved to be extremely successful and fundamental, because it allows not to burden the pockets of citizens. When you study a well-defined program that marries culture and tourism, you are part of a virtuous circuit that cannot do anything other than generate benefits ».

The concert

And while Mahmood himself with a message (" hello Iglesias , 31 July municipal stadium of Monteponi, see you there ") invites and greets his audience through a video posted on one of his social profiles, mayor Mauro Usai launches an appeal to the artist's fans: "Please do not come to the concert venue without the reservation ticket required for entry, the capacity is reduced to just the football field, the grandstand and the stands are not accessible for reasons related to safety". For those who do not have the opportunity to attend the concert, a walk in the historic center of the city would remain as an alternative: "To be enjoyed strictly on foot", advises the mayor.

Adriano Secci

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