Ultimo draws 250,000 to Rome, breaking Vasco Rossi's Italian concert record
The Roman singer-songwriter drew 250,000 spectators to Tor Vergata on July 4, surpassing the 225,000 mark set by Vasco Rossi in 2017, and later announced he had written 'the most important song of my life'.
Record attendance
Ultimo drew 250,000 fans to the Tor Vergata university grounds in Rome on 4 July 2026, surpassing the previous Italian record of 225,000 set by Vasco Rossi at Modena Park in 2017. The crowd, which included over 62% from outside Rome according to city councillor Alessandro Onorato, generated more than €2 million in tourist tax for the municipality. Some fans had camped for days to secure the best spots, while others walked up to an hour from distant car parks and metro stations.
- Ultimo (2026)
- 250000 spectators
- Vasco Rossi (2017)
- 225000 spectators
The concert
Ultimo arrived by helicopter, circling the crowd twice before landing. A 140-metre-wide, 60-metre-high stage with 2,500 square metres of LED screens and a 30-metre infinity-shaped catwalk dominated the esplanade. The message "Beati gli ultimi perché saranno i primi" appeared before the singer, visibly tense, opened with "Pianeti". Hundreds of red balloons rose from the audience as he moved through hits like "Lunedì", "Ovunque tu sia", and Sanremo-linked tracks "I tuoi particolari" and "Il ballo delle incertezze". Fabrizio Moro, who had warmed up the crowd earlier, joined him for "Sull'eternità (il mio quartiere)", a nod to their shared roots in Rome's San Basilio district.
- Gates open at Tor Vergata
- Pre-show begins with DJ set and Fabrizio Moro
- Ultimo arrives by helicopter, concert starts with 'Pianeti'
- Fabrizio Moro joins Ultimo for 'Sull'eternità (il mio quartiere)'
- Concert ends; Vasco Rossi congratulates Ultimo on social media
- Ultimo posts on Instagram: 'I wrote the most important song of my life'
Vasco Rossi's tribute
Minutes after the concert ended, Vasco Rossi posted on social media:
The gesture marked a symbolic passing of the torch between two generations of Italian live music.Complimenti a Ultimo e alla città di Roma! Sono davvero felice per Niccolò. Ogni record è fatto per essere battuto. Largo ai giovani... è giusto così!
Ultimo's reaction
The morning after, Ultimo shared a long Instagram post describing the experience as overwhelming. He wrote that he had never felt such tension before going on stage, that the happiness and love in the air were almost too much for one person, and that after returning home he wrote what he called
. He also announced plans to bring the show to cinemas.la canzone più importante della mia vita
Logistics and legacy
To manage the influx, Rome kept metro lines A, B and C running all night and deployed free shuttle buses between Anagnina station and Tor Vergata. University rector Nathan Levialdi Ghiron said the institution was open to hosting future large events, provided safety and student involvement were guaranteed. The concert's scale and smooth execution set a new benchmark for live events in Italy.
