On the walls are concert posters, photos altered over the years and many autographs, some faded, others perfectly alive; in the aisles and on the shelves thousands of records, CDs, rare editions. Every centimeter of Padua’s 23 discs tells a little piece, a moment of 50 years of history. A story that began in 1973 and led to Maurizio Boldrin shop to become a point of reference, a musical institution for the whole of Veneto and, on closer inspection, for the whole country. A story that fends on July 31 when the shutters on Via Barbarigo close They will roar for the last time and the neon sign “Il VENTITRE” will no longer light up the Padua nights.
Maurizio, why is 23 discs closing?
“The main reason for the closure is age. I am 75 years old. You can feel the tiredness of being open seven days a week. There is no economic reason, but it has all become too exhausting. It’s a painful decision, but the only one possible.”
And why didn’t he pass the baton on?
“My kids are doing something different, no one else asked me to take the reins and move on.” It was the only solution. Painful, but the only one».
What remains of these fifty years?
“I’d love to (he pauses for a long time, Ed.). Very very much. In the store we saw passing several generations of enthusiasts; Everyone loved us. Every day someone comes in and tells me how they used to come here as a student and that now the children come to the shop».
The photos also tell of many unexpected visits…
“Once I was close to leaving my idol Roger Daltrey, the lead singer of The Who. But many stopped by, even Toni Servillo, the day after the Oscars in Hollywood for Sorrentino’s The Great Beauty. Diana Krall was last in April: she was at Geox for a concert and took a few vinyls with her.
How did you come up with the idea of opening a record store in Padua in 1973?
“I’ve often toured abroad as a drummer (Boldrin has played all over the world with Pino Donaggio and even at Carnegie Hall in New York with Milva, Ed) and seen these wonderful little shops in London or Greenwich Village.” I asked myself: why not open one in my city?”.
A life in music and for music. What are your favorite records, which artists and drummers?
“I think David Crosby’s ‘If I Could Only Remember My Name’ is perfect, as is Miles Davis’ ‘Kind of Blue’.” In my heart are The Who, the Beatles, the Stones, Led Zeppelin and many others… mine great passion has always been Keith Moon.”
Which concert will you never forget as a spectator?
“There are so many. But I remember The Beatles in 1965 at the Adriano in Rome with Marcello Mastroianni in the audience and the Who performing live at the Paladozza in Bologna in 1967.”
In fifty years, the music industry has changed many times. How have you always reinvented yourself?
“We started with vinyl and we ended up with vinyl.” In between everything happened from cassettes to CDs, from liquid music to mobile phones. In the deep crisis caused by streams, it was my partner who focused on second hand. A trend-setting and perfect choice: to get the right vinyls we drove to fairs all over Europe.”
From August 1st, the 23 discs will no longer be available. What are his plans?
“It will be an important change in my life, I will miss getting up at 6:30 a.m. to go to the store and talk to the people and friends who come to visit me every day.” Suddenly everything will be different. It will be very different.