A Very Special Evening with Alterium – Live at “Festa dell’Unicorno” in Vinci
- Evgeny Rygin
- Jul 16
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 17
A personal report by Evgeny Rygin (Nicoletta’s website administrator)
For over a year now, I’ve been supporting Nicoletta behind the scenes in different things technical. But until this summer, I’d never had the chance to meet her or her bandmates in person – nor had I ever seen her perform live on stage. So it was definitely time to change that!
On July 12, 2025, the moment finally arrived: I attended the three-day festival Festa dell’Unicorno in Vinci, a small and charming town not far from Florence. With its medieval flair, Vinci is not only the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci but also the perfect setting for a festival full of fantasy and music.
A magical festival with a medieval soul
Festa dell’Unicorno is much more than a music event. It is a large-scale fantasy and cosplay festival with thousands of visitors dressed in elaborate costumes, wandering through winding alleys and immersing themselves in a world of role-playing, street food, and live entertainment. This year, hundreds of stalls once again offered a colorful selection of film, series, and gaming merchandise, along with plenty of regional delicacies.
Despite the remote location, getting to the festival was surprisingly easy. A free shuttle bus ran every 30 minutes between Empoli and Vinci, from 10 a.m. to midnight, with no ticket required – making access to the festival especially convenient.
My first concert – and what a night
Alterium’s performance was not only a highlight of the festival. It was also the first concert I’ve ever attended. And what can I say – it couldn’t have been a better introduction. The band was full of energy, delivered a captivating performance, and Nicoletta’s vocal brilliance live on stage was absolutely breathtaking!
Several hundred people had gathered in front of the stage, and everyone visibly enjoyed the performance. In addition to songs from their debut album Of War and Flames, Alterium also presented two new tracks from their upcoming EP Stormrage, which will be released on July 25: the title track Stormrage and Sui. Both were enthusiastically received by the audience.
An emotional highlight was the Kalidia song Frozen Throne, which will soon be removed from the setlist due to the royalties involved, allowing future shows to focus entirely on Alterium’s own repertoire. And of course, the popular Sabaton cover Bismarck was not missing either, delivering a great burst of energy.
With a runtime of about 1 hour and 15 minutes, this was also Alterium’s longest live show of the summer.
After the show, the band headed to the merch stand where fans could buy CDs, shirts, and vinyls, and also had the chance to get autographs and take personal souvenir photos. This was a truly special moment for me. I finally got to meet the entire band in person, exchange a few words, and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere a bit longer.
What stayed with me the most was not only the band members’ relaxed and approachable vibe but above all Nicoletta’s warm and genuine kindness, which truly touched me.
One thing is certain: this was definitely not my last Alterium concert. On August 29, 2025, I’ll be seeing the band again live at the Forest Metal Open Air in Bad Wörishofen, Germany – and I’m already looking forward to it immensely!
If you’d like to learn more about the band, you’ll find music, videos, and info right here on the official website of Nicoletta Rosellini in the Alterium section:
