Saturday, January 26, 2008
I'm still standing ... in the queue
The performance as well as the Spanish reports (local tele too just reported that it had happened and that "more than 20,000" attended), were that the Elton John concert in Tenerife was a bit 'clinical'. The high spot, as Per Kersoe in Las Americas tells us, was that, "During the concert, the full moon began to rise directly above the stage." You can see that clearly in this video.
On the other hand, no surprise here, all the comments I've read in English are far from complimentary about the gig's [lack of] organization. Oh, we know that a laid back attitude is a necessity in Tenerife's climate and, as an outsider, one tries to get used it. Holidaymakers are already relaxing from the usual pressures, but there's a limit. Some things need to be done right.
Mike and Pat from Wolverhampton comment here that they, "Wouldn't have missed it for the world, even though the entrance took ages (Organisers need to address before their next venue / proper signage would have helped)."
John from SortedSites, being fairly polite, says: "The organisers need to get better organised for their next gig as there were no marshalls or signs for which entrance to use but once we were in Elton put on a good show!"
LosGigantes.com's dolly diver, quoting Tenerife daily, La Opinión, says that, "... the doors did not open until 45 minutes before and the bottlenecks due to a shortage of ticket checkers caused many to miss the start of the concert."
Something author, Joe Cawley confirms, having been one of those:
"... still queuing patiently like a twat when Elton burst onto stage and began the show."
Joe uses a few other flowery words in his report on the show and, I don't blame him, given the apparently lack of safety, as well as the fact that those, like him, who had paid extra were all thrown in with the hoi polloi in the end.
LosGigantes.com add "The organisers could face legal action after scores of fans who had bought expensive VIP tickets were unable to access their seats. Problems also plagued traffic in the area, with tailbacks in Playa de Las Americas and along the motorway due to inadequate signposting."
Like Joe says, it's wasn't the first ever gig in Tenerife and it's hardly rocket science, so you'd think they could handle it. And the authorities really should get properly behind things like this. They've been flapping around yelling "the sky is falling", because tourist numbers were a bit down last year and here they are with the big chance to attract a big crowd and impress and ... WTF?
Then somebody should have explained to Sir Reg - who did clock in with the expected British punctuality - that NOTHING ever begins on time here.
(Note to older mega stars invited to Tenerife in future: If you're scheduled to play at 9 p.m., use the time to get in a bit of a nap, because a kick off of somewhere between 10:30 and 11 p.m. is much more like it.)
But, whilst I'll agree that there is always a first time for everything, this is Tenerife remember. In all the 16 years or so I've been here, I've been to many concerts and events and there have been no signs of organization ever becoming adopted as a habit. And frankly, I doubt it ever will. :)
Canarias7's reporters got a bit closer to film this video:
Those who were still queuing patiently when the concert began, will no doubt have adopted I'm still standing as their theme song.
PS: The question I still can't answer though, is why did they need to build a special amphitheatre / venue for the Elton John concert - taking hole #17 out of action on the Costa Adeje Golf, which must have made golfers cry - while there is already a 30,000 + capacity Estadio Olimpico Antonio Dominguez right next door, in Arona - where the concert was originally reputed to be taking place? Elton likes his football, so that can't have been a problem. That venue was good enough for Jennifer López and her husband, Marc Anthony. What gives?
Labels: Elton John Tenerife
Friday, January 25, 2008
Elton John in Tenerife: Your Song
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Elton John performs in Tenerife tonight
The day finally arrived for the historic concert at Golf Costa Adeje and Elton John was due to have arrived in Tenerife at lunch time today, by private plane from Abu Dhabi. Canarias24horas have a photo of the 1,296 square meter specially prepared amphitheatre that was being built for the concert.
There's another 2,560 square meters backstage and, for those who love statistics, but not saving energy, it will use 226K watts of sound and 216K watts of lighting. Interestingly, in that report they say there that ticket sales have "surpassed initial expectations" having reached 20,000 sales.
However, LosGigantes.com say that the organizers say that 17,000 have been sold and that they expect to sell the other 3,000 at the box office tonight. And neither is quite the 50,000 that previous reports told us there'd be room for.
However many thousand turn up, there are still only "almost 4,000" parking spaces, which we find kinda funny. Well, we find the whole thing kinda funny, given that there is never only one version of a report on anything here ...
The H10 Costa Adeje Palace Hotel, where one report suggests Elton John will be staying in Tenerife.La Provincia say that Elton John has a room booked for tonight at the 4 star, Costa Adeje Palace hotel, while all other reports suggest that he's staying in a suite at the 5 star Hotel Gran Tacande.
Somehow, I don't think this will mean he's exactly roughing it either way, but if you're curious, La Opinión show us a photo of the bedroom in the suite that he's allegedly staying in.
While Tenerife bus company, TITSA, have laid on extra buses for concert goers, Elton John was to be arriving from the airport in a "high class" car. No swakny limousines for him.
In fact, La Opinión opine that the days of stars' crazy demands might have been consigned to history, because Elton John hasn't made any - except asking for his own bathroom and three specific British channels on satellite tele.
The concert, say La Opinión, starts at 9 p.m. with "British punctuality." They might find that phrase has become historical, or at least an oxymoron!
Elton John llega a Tenerife con 14 de sus fans más incondicionales
Elton John llega a Tenerife sin exigencias de una gran estrella
Sir Elton John, en un concierto histórico
Labels: Elton John Tenerife
Friday, December 07, 2007
Specially prepared amphitheatre for Elton John
You knew there could be nothing simple about the forthcoming Elton John concert in Tenerife, given the "will he, won't he?" fiasco that has led up to it, but it was when I was reading this post Golf Costa Adeje lures Elton John (Via: Actual Properties) that it finally dawned on me that this is NOT the same venue previously reported, by the first news item on the event at Sir Elton's own site, which had then listed the Estadio Olimpico Antonio Dominguez.
Nooooooo, an olympic stadium is not enough for a star of this calibre, as this report tells us, "the venue has been changed to Costa Adeje Golf, in a specially prepared amphitheatre on the driving range, with room for 50,000."
A later announcement, posted on December 5th and confirming that tickets are now on sale for the Jan 24th 2008 Elton John concert, now confirms that the venue is at Golf Costa Adeje, Finca Los Olivos, Adeje, Tenerife.
Now we've got that little matter cleared up, the other is a question that is probably on many people's minds and, raised by commenter on this post at award-winning Tenerife travel writer, Joe Cawley's blog asking, "when and where we might purchase a ticket in advance, before the touts gobble them all up, and offer them at four times face value outside the venue."
We at Secret Tenerife cannot speak from experience, since we will not be trying to obtain a ticket, which are €35 standing, €90 standing at the front and €120 seated, so the best I can offer is where to get them, if there are any left, after the touts have been shopping. As well as online via the eltonjohn.com Concerts and Tickets page Losgigantes.com say that "Outlets include the Corte Inglés department store, Halcon Viajes travel agents, Parah Beach Wear shops in the south of Tenerife and the Costa Adeje Golf Course office."
Apparently few can fail to be impressed, but always remember, as Joe Cawley says, "this IS Tenerife and things are liable to change/be cocked up!"
Labels: Elton John Tenerife
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Sir Elton John IS to play in Tenerife
Yes, yes, we know you've heard this somewhere before, but this time, it actually appears to be true.
Canarias24horas carefully point out, Sir Elton's own website is talking of the event and, the concert appears listed in his schedule.
But, he's coming to the south, not the island's capital, as previously claimed. The announcement on Sir Elton's own site says, "Elton and the band are to play a concert at the Estadio Olimpico Antonio Dominguez, Arona, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, on Thursday, January 24, 2008."
ELTON JOHN si viene a Tenerife, pero a Tenerife SUR
Labels: Elton John Tenerife
Friday, September 28, 2007
Madmen Across the Water
Well, this Elton John thing is turning out to be a right saga! To bring you up to date, first we were told that a concert was going to be in November 2007, then it was off. Then it was to be in 2008. And, the latest is that Sir Elton's own people don't know anything at all about any concert in Tenerife.
The mayor's "First Lieutenant" and councillor for Economy and Tax, Ángel Llanos, announced on Monday to the whole council session and public in Santa Cruz that Sir Elton John was going to come, but in 2008, without specifying a date (on which were based the press releases that day.)
So, Canarias24horas did what any citizen or fan would do: they rang Elton John's office in London to check and, as a result of which, say "We have spoken to Elton John's office and they don't know nothing of Tenerife."
There's really no need for me to translate much more of what's in their news article, where they explain, carefully, how they spent 40 minutes being passed from person to person, until they got the right department, because the recording of the conversation - in English - is available at this page.
What seems key to me is that, shortly after the girl at Elton's office had been away to check, she says, "It's not true". Whilst the language used in the conversation is not that clear and precise, this appears to me to be that she is saying that the news of the concerts just ain't so: i.e. it's untruths.
Whilst "simple total incompetence" on the part of those involved at this end is not far from the imagination, the thing that enters my head is, is it possible that someone has negotiated with the town hall in Santa Cruz and, that someone has indeed been here, claiming to be the star's technicians, but that they are fakes and absolutely nothing to do with the real Elton John?
In truth, one does not know what to think, but his office says they can't say very much about it, but do say "we don't think he is" [playing in Tenerife].
Hemos hablado con el despacho de Elton John, y no saben nada de Tenerife
NB: Madman Across the Water is the name of a surrealistic song and album released in 1971 by Elton John. Being an island full of people who don't have a clue what's going on, I thought that the title seemed to fit!
Labels: Elton John Tenerife
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Elton John in Tenerife, in 2008
First it was on, then it was off, but whilst Elton John fans in Tenerife will, for the moment, have to be content with an Elton John tribute show in the shape of Dave Tracey (kindly pointed out by Joe Cawley), this article on Yahoo News suggests that the gig will now take place during 2008.
Rolo Producciones and Rider Producciones, the production companies for the concert, announced Monday that, while the British singer will not be performing in Tenerife in November, as was previously foreseen, he will perform in Tenerife next year. (Fingers crossed?)
The reason for the postponement, says the release, is due to a change in the venue for the concert, made after conversations with the artist's representatives, who visited Tenerife recently to finalize preparations.
Last week, the technicians who accompany John on his tour agreed with the production company to change the venue to the Institución Ferial de Tenerife (International Fairs and Congress Center), in Santa Cruz.
Once all the details have been worked out and they synchronize diaries to find the dates that both the Fairs and Congress Center and Elton John are available, it's expected that they will communicate the new date.
Elton John no actuará en noviembre en Tenerife y aplaza su actuación en la isla a 2008
Labels: Elton John Tenerife
No Canary Islands For Elton John In 2007
Sooooo what is the town hall in Santa Cruz playing at? Back at the end of August, they announced that Sir Elton John was to play in Tenerife in November (see original story, in Spanish). And, it seems, a date of November 15th has been bandied about somewhere since.
Yet, according to this news item on Sir Elton's own website:
"Local media in Tenerife, Canary Islands, is insisting that Elton is to play a concert there on November 15, and we have received many messages asking if this is true. We have spoken to Elton's management today and they confirm that Elton has no plans to play in Tenerife this year."
No Canary Islands For Elton John In 2007 (Via: All The Music News)
Labels: Elton John Tenerife
Friday, August 31, 2007
Elton John to play Tenerife in November
Reports just in from the town hall in Santa Cruz that Sir Elton John is to perform a concert in the Tenerife capital in the middle of November.
This is to be the first of three (no details on the other two) "grand shows of worldwide interest" that the town hall has planned during the coming months and, is to be unique in that will be the only complete concert that Sir Elton will be performing in Spain with his entire band.
No venue given as yet, nor are there any details of the exact date for the show, but looking at his diary, it will really have to be after Las Vegas ends on November 5th and before he plays solo in Tokyo on the 20th.
Elton John actuará en Santa Cruz de Tenerife a mediados de noviembre
Labels: Elton John Tenerife
