They say that vintage never goes out of fashion. Could this be why the Rai New Year’s Eve 2026 was created on the basis of what controversy defined as “a huge déjà-vu”? In the Piazzale Maestri del Lavoro in Catanzaro, the artistic direction of “The Year to Come” certainly brought 12 thousand people to celebrate New Year’s Eve, while 5 million 204 thousand viewers tuned in to Rai 1 with a 35.5% share. At the stroke of midnight, over half of the television audience – 7 million 897 thousand viewers, equal to 51.64% share – were tuned to Rai 1.
On Canale 5 the program “New Year’s Eve in music” attracted an average of 3 million 601 thousand viewers, equal to a 28.18% share. But certainly, even though a national show of this level has never landed in the Calabrian capital, much more was expected artistically. And there was no shortage of criticism on social media.
Serena Brancale opened the evening. An opening that gave rise to hope for a prelude of novelty and energy: in her first participation in the program, Brancale brought great strength and vitality to the stage with her best-known hits. From then on, host Marco Liorni’s announcement about the evening’s guests, defined as “people we have all known forever”, anticipated the exclusive presence of a completely aged cast with a succession of flat performances. From Orietta Berti, to Cristiano Malgioglio, Donatella Rettore, Anna Oxa, Ivan Cattaneo, Patty Pravo, Cugini di Campagna, Rosanna Fratello, Cecilia Gayle, Rai has dusted off the line-up of some Sanremos from the 80s. Also because some of the “new recruits” had to immediately leave the stage to go to other concerts: Brancale in Naples; Rocco Hunt, one of the few to warm up the square together with Clementino with a mash-up of Pino Daniele’s songs, immediately left the scene to go to Reggio Calabria.
There were small interventions of music suitable for the new generations with Nina Zilli, who also had the role of co-host and narrated the beauties of the Calabrian territory; Clementino, who confirmed his total propensity for engaging and enthralling rap; September, Samurai Jay, Ice Mc who had small and marginal spaces compared to their colleagues in vogue who performed over and over again. An example is Sal Da Vinci: his continuous presence on stage has sparked harsh comments on social media such as «Sal Da Vinci sings random things», «Cover evening for Sal Da Vinci» or «Piano-bar moment». Yet, there are those who have demonstrated what the difference is between obsolete and vintage. With a career spanning over 60 years, Massimo Ranieri’s music was the pinnacle of the evening, confirming that it is not a question of age, but of talent, skill, professionalism. His live performance (one of the few) represents what is actually expected from those who have always graced the big stages. And his wish for peace reminds us that war, as well as foolishness, unfortunately never go out of fashion.
Cosenza welcomed the arrival of the new year with a big New Year’s concert that will remain in the city’s memory for a long time. The absolute protagonist of the evening was Brunori Sas, who returned to his homeland for a free event in Piazza dei Bruzi in the heart of the city. According to estimates provided by the organizers, over 20 thousand people crowded the city center, braving the biting cold to attend the live performance of the singer-songwriter from Cosenza, fresh from a year of success. A fact also confirmed by the images of the packed square.
The evening began before midnight with a long sequence of performances: Calabrian artists took turns on stage, including DJ Franco Siciliano, Francesco Servidio (Speedy) and the very nice quartet of Cinghios Group, very popular on social media and capable of involving the public with irony and Cosenza dialect.
A few minutes after the stroke of midnight, Brunori Sas took to the stage accompanied by his historic band. The concert, which lasted over an hour and a half, covered the most beloved songs from his repertoire: from “Guardia ’82” to “Kurt Cobain”, passing through “Song against fear”. There was no shortage of moments of strong emotional intensity, such as the dedication to the father and the thought addressed to those who are forced to leave Calabria for work, themes that deeply touched the audience present. The concert also had a civil and solidarity dimension. Brunori has in fact chosen to donate his fee to local associations, a gesture appreciated by the community and highlighted several times during the evening. The event was also accompanied by an impressive technical apparatus: audio-light towers, maxi screens and a large stage guaranteed a scenic performance that lived up to expectations, thanks to the coordinated work of the Administration and the technical structures involved.
On the safety front, the organizational machine functioned without critical issues. The police forces, together with the Civil Protection volunteers, managed the flows in an orderly manner, allowing a regular flow even at the end of the concert. No significant incidents were reported. Mayor Franz Caruso, who took to the stage for a brief institutional greeting, defined the evening as “a moment of community and identity”, underlining how Brunori’s return to his city represents “a cultural and symbolic value for all of Calabria”.
The Cosenza New Year thus ends with an extremely positive outcome: great participation, artistic quality and a strong sense of belonging. A start to the year which, thanks to the music of Brunori Sas, was able to unite different generations in a night of celebration which marked the beginning of 2026.