by Evan C. GutierrezCesare Cremonini found his voice as a writer at a very young age. He began playing piano around the age of six and began writing his own songs and poetry in earnest around the age of 11, seeking an outlet for adolescent frustrations. At the age of 12 he was given a Queen record, and he quickly came to idolize the band. He strove throughout his young adult years to put his poetry to music and learn to communicate through song. After grammar school, Cesare joined with friends to form a band that would earn him fame and recognition much sooner than he might have imagined. The band Lùna Pop experienced enormous success between 1999 and 2001. Though they only released one record, entitled ...Squérez?, that one record sold better than a million and a half copies. On the shoulders of Lùna Pop's international stardom, Cremonini embarked on his solo career in 2002 with the release of his debut record, Bagus. His follow-up record, Maggese, released two years later in June of 2005, constituted a much larger success, landing a spot on Billboard's European Top 100. The record's release was followed by a national tour entitled Maggese Theatre Tour, where Cremonini was accompanied by a 24-piece orchestra in addition to his eight-member band. Singles such as "Ancora un Po'" remained on the charts well into 2006. Cremonini's first live record was released in the latter months of 2006. 1+8+24 featured repertoire drawn from the Maggese Theatre Tour performed by the impressively large ensemble.