Anche quest’anno Barga – come molte altre località della valle del Serchio e d’Italia – si è illuminata di meno, aderendo alla campagna di sensibilizzazione lanciata dal programma radiofonico Caterpillar.
La ricetta barghigiana è ormai consolidata ed è entrata di diritto nelle manifestazioni che fanno parte delle tradizioni della cittadina: luci spente nel palazzo comunale e nell’attigua piazza Salvi così come in Duomo e festa, rigorosamente a lume di candela, alla mescita del Casciani, nel cuore del centro storico.
Oltre alla luce delle candele, anche per questa edizione, qualche kilowatt è stato prodotto dai volenterosi che hanno pedalato per alimentare il fanale di una bicicletta, inforcata, per dare il buon esempio, anche dal sindaco Marco Bonini e dall’assessore Gianpiero Passini.
Dal Casciani però non c’è festa senza musica, e a questo proposito hanno provveduto Emma e gli Aristodemos a rendere frizzante l’atmosfera con il loro swing anni ’30, ’40 e ’50, soprattutto con l’inedito M’illumino di meno, il brano scritto appositamente per partecipare al contest lanciato da Caterpillar per selezionare il “m’illumin Inno”, la colonna sonora della giornata dedicata al risparmio energetico.
“M’illumino, m’illumino, m’illumino di meno / ma se vuoi puoi brillare anche tu…” sono le parole del refrain di Emma e gli Aristodemos che, assieme agli altri brani del repertorio, sono state cantate in acustica, amplificate solo da un megafono di latta in assoluta osservanza all’invito di spegnere, tra le 18.00 e le 19.30 luci, dispositivi elettrici e tutto quanto funzioni a corrente per imparare a risparmiare e/o utilizzare energie alternative.
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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 joined in and switched off the lights for the evening and instead turned 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)
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This year something new was tried -- bicycle powered music. A bicycle with dynamos attached to the rear wheel was connected up to a red light over the heads of Emma e gli Aristodemo’s.
If somebody mounted the bike and pedalled, the red light came on …. and the band played. If the cyclist stopped, the red light went out and the music stopped. A very simple mechanism which kept the band on its toes all evening as a constant stream of ready and willing volunteers jumped on the bike to keep the music flowing starting with the Mayor of Barga, Marco Bonini and assessore Gianpiero Passini.
Emma e gli Aristodemo’s -- Genre: Swing -- (more article about the band here)
Members: Emma Morton (cantante / singer), Keane (percussioni / percussion), Leo Gnesi (Contro Basso / Double Bass), Alessandro Rizzardi (Mandolino / Mandolin 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!