On Saturday 22nd April at 8.30pm, St. Francis Square in Victoria will host Gozitan singers as they take the audience on a nostalgic journey through fifty years of music.

From The Troggs, the Beatles, Whitney Houston, U2 and Coldplay, to local acts such as Chasing Pandora and The Tramps, the evening will go through years of music history - and the collective memories that go with it.

Through the years, St. Francis Square was a hub for ad hoc music sessions from aspiring singers and others who were in it for the thrill of an audience.

As Richard Grech, Memorji’s Producer explains, “there was always an element of music in St. Francis Square. Locals remember Ġorg Cassar’s (il-Pissy) imitations of Elvis and the Grima brothers, amongst them Patrick (il-Ħanfusa), launching one of their infamous songs”.

“Nothing organised, but always pure fun. Memorji will bring back music to this Square, allowing the audience to reminisce about the ‘good old days’ and pays tribute to the many Gozitan singers and musicians who contributed so much to the local music scene, be it through covers or original work”, he continued.

The Memorji stage will host well-known Gozitan singers, including Melissa and Keith from Chasing Pandora who will perform together again specifically for this concert, Pamela Bezzina, MARA’s Ruth Portelli, John Cassar (il-Cash), Miriam Christine Borg, Mario Caruana, Teddie Zammit, Tony Ellis, and The Tramps’ Spiro Sillato, Joe Cassar, and Carmel Portelli.

They all have been an integral part of Gozo’s music scene at some point or another starting from the 1970s.

“We chose songs that our parents grew up with, the songs that played non-stop at Sunday afternoon dances; the ones us millennials love listening to; as well as compositions that took centre stage locally. The common denominator is Gozo, but a Gozo that was open to outside influence, and so Memorji will not only showcase local songs, but also foreign ones that our own artists, including my father Domenic Grech and his band, The Tramps, grew up with and were inspired by”, Richard continues to add.

Memorji is set to bring music back to St. Francis Square and promises to be a worthwhile journey through a very musical, islander past.

The concert will also pay tribute to some of the personalities closely tied to St. Francis Square, some of whom were show starters themselves. You, too, can join in for the memories.

Entrance to the concert is free and no booking is required. Memorji is being organised with the support of the Cultural Heritage Directorate within the Ministry for Gozo.

Click here for more information about the concert.