Clive Davis – Downtown Magazine

Trip.com is an innovative planning tool that tailors recommendations for places to stay, eat and play to your specific tastes. It also allows you to share your great experiences with people who have the same interests as you; people in your “tribes.” Trip.com’s TripPicks This Week feature empowers you to discover and take advantage of great events, openings and exhibits throughout the city each week.

Here are some exciting events and sites to check out this week in Downtown New York, courtesy of Trip.com. Visit the Trip.com site or download the app for more upcoming events.

1. Tribeca Film Festival
Check site for complete list of venues
Wednesday, Apr. 19 – Sunday, Apr. 30 check site for times

This year’s Tribeca Film Festival is all about quality not quantity. On our must-see picks are: Clive Davis: The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, Saturday Church, The Death And Life Of Marsha P. Johnson, Shadowman, Frank Serpico, and The Circle. There is also lots of excitement for the epic “Godfather” cast reunion! New this year is Tribeca’s Free Film Friday, which allows films buffs to screen a host of films for FREE! Tickets start at $12.

2. NY Travel Festival
Check site for complete list of venues
Thursday, Apr. 20 – Sunday, Apr. 23 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Whether you travel for work, pleasure, or passion, the Travel Fest will help you do it better. Participate in workshops, networking events with industry professionals, panel discussions and presentations about what’s hot in travel now. Tickets start at $20, with some FREE events.

3. Save The Earth NY
Union Square (Union Square)
Tuesday, Apr. 18 from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Want to learn about ways to make your life and your city greener? Swing by Union Square this Sunday for an Earth Day Initiative where dozens of exhibitors, interactive displays, and green campaigns will be promoting a greener and healthier New York lifestyle. FREE!

4. 9/11 Memorial Run
Pier 26 (Tribeca)
Sunday, Apr. 23 at 8:00 AM

The annual 9/11 Memorial 5K Run/Walk raises funds for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum and commemorates the unbreakable spirit of New Yorkers during times of trial. The run is followed by a Community Day event on Greenwich St. with food trucks, activities and music. Registration fees start at $20.

5. The High Line Kick Off Party
The High Line (Chelsea)
Saturday, Apr. 22 from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM

The High Line is ready for another awesome spring and summer season! Get a taste of it at the kick off party which features music by Brooklyn Raga Massive and Chargaux, a comedy set from Maysoon Zayid, a live taping of the podcast “For Colored Nerds,” a reading from Queer Memoir — “New York’s longest-running LGBT-themed storytelling series” — and a first look at the new group exhibition “Mutations” and Henry Taylor’s murals. FREE with RSVP!

6. New Political Resistance Bar
Coup (East Village)
Daily from 6:00 PM to 2:00 AM

With 100 percent of profits going to organizations like Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, you’ll want have more than one drink at Ravi De Rossi’s new political resistance bar, Coup. We look forward to this new political community! Expect to see lots of famous guest bartenders whipping up signature drinks for their favorite organizations.

7. Car FREE New York
Check site for complete map
Saturday, Apr. 22 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

The second annual Car Free NYC event is bigger and better. Major areas of the city including Broadway, from Times Square to Union Square, and St. Nicholas Avenue, from 181st Street to 190th Street, will be closed to traffic. Likewise, parts of Brooklyn, Queens and Bronx will close to cars and open to people and fun activities like fitness classes, dance performances, workshops arts and crafts and much much more. FREE!

8. Daybreaker Space Zoo Party
The Gilded Lily (Meatpacking District)
Wednesday, Apr. 19 from 7-9am

Venture on an early intergalactic safari with Daybreaker! Don your best alien/animal hybrid costume (spacial Monkey, asteroidal zebra, planetary sloth) and start the day with the DJ Sammy Bananas who’ll be spinning them Big Bang beats. As always, there will be special surprises and performances, free coffee, juices and breakfast treats. Tickets start at $25.

A global icon for decades, Eros Ramazzotti released his first single in 1982, “Ad Un Amico.” Things really took off for Eros a few years later when his 1985 single “Una Storia Importante” — he is known to record his albums in both Italian and Spanish — sold a million copies in France alone and became a hit throughout Europe. He expanded his reach to the United States in 1991 when he became the first Italian artist to headline Radio City Music Hall, which he did at the urging of New York-based music industry icon Clive Davis. 60 million albums have been sold by Eros, who has duetted with Cher, Tina Turner, Ricky Martin, Luciano Pavarotti and Nicole Scherzinger, to name only a few key artists.

Success has not slowed down Eros, who released his Perfetto — his 13th full-length studio album — last year via Universal Music. His world tour in support of Perfetto continues, and the singer/songwriter will be headlining a show at the Barclays Center on Oct. 5. Eros caught up with Downtown about his love for New York and what else is coming up for him.

More info on Eros Ramazzotti can be found at his official website: www.ramazzotti.com.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gz56Ak-05o

Where was the first concert you ever played in New York City? What do you remember about it?

Eros Ramazzotti: In 1991 I performed at Radio City Music Hall after Clive Davis’ advice. I was the first Italian ever to hold a concert there and it sold out. A memorable experience, even if I had broken a leg and had a cast that limited my movement on stage.

Is touring in the U.S. different from it is elsewhere? Will a lot of your show at the Barclays Center be in English?

ER: Every country or major area where I tour is different. And that is the biggest privilege of my career: I get to perform for audiences on three continents, and receive different feedback from place to place. In the U.S. it’s surprising to see how nicely people welcome me, even if I only sing in Italian or Spanish.

Have you ever been to Brooklyn before?

ER: Of course, many times and I am pleased to see how nicely it has improved there over the last 10 years. I also performed at Barclays Center three years ago.

Is there a professional accomplishment that you are most proud of?

ER: Many — again, the opportunity to perform in so many countries is one of them. But I’m also very proud to represent Italian culture in the world. Artistically, I’ve always been very proud of having been contacted by Tina Turner. It was thrilling to hear that she was a fan of my music. We collaborated on a fantastic duet called “Cose della Vita.”

Is there something that you wish more people knew about Eros Ramazzotti?

ER: That I’m not a stereotypical superstar, but a very easy-going guy with a humble approach to life and music.

What is coming up for you after this Barclays Center show?

ER: We will complete the U.S. dates of my world tour, which has been going on for 13 months now, in L.A. and Miami, then Mexico. I will then return to Europe for a final round of shows.

When you’re not busy with your career, how do you like to spend your free time?

ER: With my wife and my kids. It’s amazing to watch them grow up. And of course with lots of music, I’m always playing, making up new melodies or hearing new and old music. For instance, I went to see Tom Jones last night and it was incredible.

Do you have a favorite restaurant in New York?

ER: Several. Italian food in New York can be very refined and authentic.

Finally, Eros, any last words for the kids?

ER: Thank you all for your support across the years. I can’t wait to see you at my show and give you all of my best. There will be a great deal of old hits as well as my new songs. We have put together a big show and hope you will enjoy it.