17th February is the National Saving Energy Day, “M’illumino di meno” which is held each year in Italy when people try out various systems that visibly show that they are attempting to save energy. The campaign was launched by the Italian radio programme Caterpillar in 2005 and seeks to reduce private and public energy use. During its annual awareness-raising day, individuals and organisations are asked to make a symbolic gesture of support by switching off lights and all other non-vital electrical devices powered by non-renewable energy sources. This year, the campaign also encourages switching on lights from renewable sources.
The lights that normally illuminate many national monuments in Rome and Milano will be switched off to “highlight” this attempt at saving energy on a large scale.
Here in Barga, for the sixth year running, Aristo’s bar will be joining in and switching off the lights for the evening and instead turning to candle power to keep the dark at bay. Each year there has been live music performed in Aristo’s by the musicians who regularly use the bar. Readers to the giornaledibarganews will know that the group, Emma e gli Aristodemo’s started their musical career in the bar and it is effectively, their spiritual home (more articles here) so it will come as no surprise that when the group learnt that it would be possible this year to take part in a competition for a new theme tune for the radio program, M’illumino di meno, they jumped at the chance.
All the members of the group lent a hand in writing the words to their new theme song, along with many regulars of the bar who put forward their own ideas and recommendations.
Yesterday evening in the recording studio of the guitarist Luca Giovacchini in Lucca, they recorded the song and today it can be found online on the “M’illumino di meno” site.
All fingers are now crossed to see which song the producers of the radio program will choose to be their new theme. Will it be the Emma and gli Aristodemo’s version ? We wait to see. In the mean time, click on the link below to hear the song.
Emma e gli Aristodemos by minolodenmi
Genre: Swing
Members: Emma Morton (cantante / singer), Keane (percussioni / percussion), Leo Gnesi (Contro Basso / Double Bass), Alessandro Rizzardi (Mandolino / Madolin and Sax), Fabio Guazzelli (chitarra / guitar), Luca Giovacchini (chitarra / guitar)This Band came together when local musicians Alessandro Rizzardi (mandolino), Keane (Percussioni), Fabio Guazzelli (chitarra), Leo Gnesi (contro bass), Luca Giovacchini (chitarra) and Emma Morton (cantante) found each other in Aristo’s enoteca, with instruments in hand, and exciting ideas in mind and of course, passion in heart. A new type of swing group was born. Focusing mainly on forgotten swing Italiano from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s, Emma e gli Aristodemos welcome you to jump back in time and into their salotto.
Each concert is a piece of live theatre: a typical 40’s lounge is recreated in each performance space and the audience can witness the musicians play as a family… you may even get an invite into their ‘little home’ for tea!
M’illumino di meno | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
Per il sesto anno consecutivo è tornata a Barga l’iniziativa M’illumino di Meno, la giornata promossa dalla trasmissione radiofonica caterpillar (Radio Due) tutta dedicata al risparmio energetico.
Così, come ormai da tradizione, anche dal Casciani in piazza Salvi si è simbolicamente risparmiata energia illuminando il locale solo con candele e festeggiando con musica rigorosamente acustica, a cura di Emma e gli Aristodemo’s che si sono alternati alla fisarmonica di Giuliano Nardi.
Anche il Comune ha fatto la sua parte, così come tanti enti pubblici su e giù per l’Italia, spegnendo alcune luci pubbliche alle sei in punto, l’ora in cui in tutta la penisola è iniziata l’edizione 2012 di M’illumino di Meno
