Rockin’1000: The Heart of Rock Beats a Thousand Times

Foto ReD Photographic Agency Bologna Italy - A Decade of Rockin’1000: When Music Rewrites History. In the vibrant heart of Romagna, Cesena transformed into a sonic cathedral to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Rockin’1000, the largest rock band in the world. A visionary project born in 2015 from the brilliant idea of Fabio Zaffagnini, who brought together a thousand musicians to play Foo Fighters’ Learn to Fly with one goal: to bring the band to town. What seemed like an impossible feat sparked a flame that now burns across the globe.

Ten years later, that dream has become legend. We at Foto ReD Photographic Agency, together with ReD Magazine, had the honor of visually witnessing this extraordinary event. Photographers Roberta Reggiani and Franco Bentivoglio captured emotions, solos, and astonished gazes in a human symphony that words alone cannot describe: it’s the power of a community that chose music as its universal language.

An Orchestra of Ageless Souls In Cesena, life is played through music — by artists aged 7 to 78, united by contagious energy, moving dedication, and a passion that becomes pure professionalism. Rockin’1000 is more than a band: it’s friendship, inclusion, and the breaking of boundaries, as Fabio Zaffagnini reminds us in a heartfelt message: “Ten years ago we recorded the video of our song. My heart was bursting with joy and gratitude: we had planted the seed of brotherhood. I don’t know how we managed to do all this… we just did it. When I look into the eyes of these musicians, I feel a physical sensation of rightness and beauty. Because Rockin’1000 is a physical feeling. And I wonder: why can’t it be like this everywhere?” Amid wars and tragedies affecting innocents, Zaffagnini also launches a powerful appeal: “Peace seems unreachable, but everything starts from a seed. If you water it, it grows. So let’s carefully choose which plants we want to nurture.” A thought that resonates like a perfect chord.

An Epic Event in Cesena Rockin’1000: The Anniversary That Shook Romagna The concerts on July 26 and 27, 2025, enthusiastically celebrated the tenth anniversary of Rockin’1000 right in Cesena, the city where it all began. After conquering Paris, Madrid, and Berlin, the group is set to perform in Portugal on September 6 — and perhaps, one day, in the United States. A Show That United the World The Orogel Dino Manuzzi Stadium hosted over 2,000 musicians from 38 nations, with cultural representation from 138 countries: every region of Italy, much of Europe, and artists from India, Japan, China, North and South America. This planetary orchestra featured: • 250 drummers • 250 bassists • 300 guitarists • 45 keyboardists • 40 wind instruments • 5 bagpipes • Over 200 vocalists A mosaic of sounds and cultures that turned Cesena into the beating heart of global music. A sonic force swept away 30,000 spectators over two unforgettable nights, with performances of Bohemian Rhapsody, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Under Pressure, and the timeless Learn to Fly, the symbol of it all. Rockin’1000 proved that music can break barriers, unite generations, and turn a collective dream into reality.

July 26: The Sky Opens… to Music A day that began with heavy rain, testing technicians and musicians alike. The concert was nearly canceled — until the rain stopped, the announcement came, and a wave of excitement surged to the notes of The Final Countdown. With a two-hour delay and a race against time to check every cable and amplifier — thanks to technicians and firefighters — the arena became a flood of music. All My Life by Foo Fighters opened an extraordinary setlist, conducted by maestros Maurino Dellacqua and Daniele Plentz. On stage, presented by Lodovica Comello, were major artists: • Piero Pelù, with his Latin rock and a call for musicians to kneel “in the name of rock” • Negrita, with the powerful Nel blu • Diodato, unexpectedly singing Fai rumore a cappella, as he did in 2023 to support Romagna Themes were strong: peace, solidarity, denunciation of the arms industry, and resistance against manipulation of power. The bagpipes during It’s a Long Way to the Top by AC/DC were thrilling, turning the “thousand” into 1,005. Goosebumps from the vocal rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody, coached by Augusta Trebeschi.

July 27: Music, Emotion… and Love Milder weather created a romantic atmosphere: Cesena native Davide Marani, a project musician, proposed to his partner Giada Sbrighi in front of thousands. A young Spanish woman shouted to a bassist: “You’re the man of my life!” On this second night, 12,000 spectators applauded performances by: • Negramaro • Francesca Michielin • Fast Animals and Slow Kids • Maestro Beppe Vessicchio The grand finale featured Learn to Fly — the song that sparked this musical fairytale in July 2015. A Project That Conquered the World In ten years, Rockin’1000 has organized concerts in 10 countries, involved 100,000 musicians, and sold over 500,000 tickets. It has become a global symbol of inclusivity, passion, and collective success, studied by universities and companies as an innovative model.

The Future Already Has Its Rhythm With the launch of official membership and exciting new international stops — including Leiria, Portugal, on September 6, 2025 — Rockin’1000 is ready to write new chapters in its incredible global adventure. In Cesena, music didn’t just fill the air: it vibrated in hearts, united generations, celebrated extraordinary collective beauty, and proved that the group is stronger than the sum of its parts. Ten years of Rockin’1000 aren’t just a milestone — they’re living proof that when a thousand souls play in unison, the world can’t help but stop and listen. Friendship, harmony, unity, and peace: the founder’s values echoed through the final chord, as the arena sang Learn to Fly. Thank you, Rockin’1000, for showing once again that music builds bridges and lets dreams take flight. Official Rockin’1000 Website https://www.rockin1000.com/it/ Rockin’1000 on Wikipedia https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockin%271000