Tag: Pedro

Gigs From Abroad Part 25 – More Spanish Gigs

I have visited many places in Spain, including the islands of Majorca, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and several trips to Lanzarote. In 2003, we undertook a backpacking trip utilising the staggeringly efficient trains (like most of Europe!) starting in Seville, a city that we aim to revisit one day. We then gravitated northwards to Madrid, Zaragoza and Barcelona.

About ten years ago we obtained a large villa in San Pedro and jetted off with all Gill’s family, making a grand total of thirteen of us. There were challenges in booking restaurants on the nights we decided to eat out as in some smaller places we took up half of the establishment! There was a pool table in situ and an epic doubles match ensued, with the final nights play live on Sky Sports! The youngest brother-in-law Phil and I eventually triumphed 17-15 after a titanic battle.

There was a coastal path from there which weaved you through to the town of Marbella where the ‘beautiful’ people lived! Millie Bobby Brown of Stranger things fame was born there, while Rick Parfitt lived there for many years as did actor Mike Reid. Thinking of Mr Reid, his Eastenders stint doesn’t come to mind, but what I recall most fondly is his presentation of the children’s TV programme Runaround, with his cockney catchphrase ‘Runaround Naahh’!

Mike Reid on Runaround. Image Credit dailyrecord.co.uk

In 2016, Gill and I stayed in Torremuelle, which is situated between Malaga and Fuengirola. There is a superbly handy train that runs between those two towns, and I can proudly say in the entire fifteen days we were away; we did not catch one single taxi as we walked or used the trains each day benefitting from the fact that there is also a stop at the airport. Remarkably though we didn’t manage to witness any music on that trip but enjoyed the culmination of the Euro 2016 football tournament and Andy Murray winning his second Wimbledon.

In August 2019 we had a cheeky week away with Gill’s sister and brother-in-law in Marbesa which is located close to the areas above and is within the Costa Del Sol enclave. There were a plethora of resorts nearby including Cabopino Beach were using old vernacular the ‘lucky lucky’ chaps endeavour to sell you their wares including one who had an original sales pitch by stating that the products were ‘genuine genuine fakes’!  

One logistic problem we identified en arrival was the dearth of a local supermarket, so there were daily trogs of a mile each way, the out route obviously being up a steep hill in blistering sunshine, the upside being that it kept us fit with weights training of hauling the bottled water back to base!

There was a smattering of restaurants on the seafront nearby with the centrepiece being Marbesa Simbad Restaurant & Beach Bar where we had a couple of meals and imbibed several cold ones. The restaurant has apparently been there for over 25 years but some of the recent reviews suggest it has now lost its way. On one of our visits there was a Kylie Minogue tribute act playing, though she was admittedly a very pale imitation and from the non-Australian city of Cardiff.

Marbesa Simbad bar. Image Credit vitadent-clinic.com

In late summer 2025 we headed away again with the same group, this time to Calpe, which is located in the Marina Alta beyond Benidorm, and we travelled in via Alicante airport. Their economy is based primarily on tourism and fishing and imperiously overlooking the resort is the Northern Rock signifying the start of the Penyal d’Ifac Natural Park. Apparently from the top vantage point you see as far as Ibiza.

It reminds me a little of pictures of the Rock of Gibraltar, but more so its resemblance to the alien artefact that Richard Dreyfuss constructed out of mashed potato in the Steven Spielberg Close Encounters of the Third Kind movie.    

Richard Dreyfuss in Close Encounters. Image Credit ar.inspiredpencil.com

There was a restaurant near the hotel called Calpe El Chiringuito where we saw a chap called Pedro playing and adjacent to there was the large Calpe Unusual Hotel where on a pop up stage, we saw Beko performing. Even nearer to the hotel was Calpe Rocce Club where we witnessed an artist with the unoriginal name of Party Singer.  

Behind the resort a sharp incline took you up to the old town where there was located a plethora of places to eat and which had more ambience and atmosphere than the seafront area. At an open-air establishment named Calpe Los Dos Canones Raul was providing some acoustic tuneage. Down another winding alley from there brought you to Calpe Restaurant Con Alba where we saw Rafa performing.

Gigs from Abroad Part 10 – Puerto Del Carmen

As cited previously in my Gigs from Abroad Part 4 blog I have undertaken several trips to the Canarian Island of Lanzarote and mainly visited the Puerto Del Carmen resort, which lies about five miles from Arrecife airport.

On the island In September/October each year they hold the Arrecife En Vivo over four weekends over four stages in the capital and the person who guides you to the next stage is an Elvis impersonator with a large foam hand! I have not yet managed to time a visit to coincide with this event but hope to rectify that in a future year.

Many of the gigs that follow below are generally low-key cover acts but adopting a completist mode I must document every single event that I have attended, otherwise my story would be unfinished!

We had one separate holiday in the other resort of Costa Teguise in 2012 and whilst in residence we visited Costa Teguise La Vida where we saw Dale Sullivan play.

There is a coastal path/cycle route that runs from Costa Teguise, through Arrecife town, past the airport and Matagorda to reach Playa de los Pocillos. This is a sleepy resort and I witnessed here a chap called Joshua play in the Lanzarote Chill Out Bar and Pedro perform in Lanzarote Rocos Blancos.

We walked back one evening from the resort to Puerto Del Carmen and there was a late set on from River Mills in a restaurant called Lanzarote La Avenida. Between the resorts is the Lanzarote Plaza de Nationale, which has a mini amphitheatre where on one occasion there was a local festival taking place and on a temporary stage the Desi Jockeys were performing.  

After walking past the excellent yet challenging crazy golf course you enter the mile long strip at Puerto Del Carmen and at the Lanzarote California Bar, I saw Hazel White play. Beyond there you reach the casino and Lanzarote Café De Ola which sits behind it, and you can watch the sea and the sunset. We have twice seen Storming Thunder who were half decent, but their stage banter was distinctly lacking in charisma, I have also seen a saxophonist called Jake Hanson play there.    

Cafe de Ola. Image Credit tripadvisor.com.sg

Next to the casino resides the first ever bar we entered on our inaugural trip to the island called Lanzarote Golden Corner, where I have seen Mark Spulzenberger and Pete Edwards play. Across the road is the Lanzarote Goofy Burger, outside of which they have a regular singer called Carlos. He may be in his elder years but has a terrific voice and I recall him doing an excellent cover of Buddy Holly’s ‘Rave On’.

Five minutes’ walk away, opposite the Tourist Information resides Dos Mil, an unprepossessing supermarket café, but they serve the most wonderful pastries and cakes. Just beyond is a fantastic oriental restaurant called Asia Delicious where we have frequented many times, and that is where we sampled the local liquor Caramello for the first time!

A doorway next to there takes you down into the dingy den of Lanzarote Mulligans where I have seen Brian Duke, Los Handos and Nigel Hardacre perform. Back on upper street level brings you to one of my favourite bars Lanzarote Africa Bar, where you can play pool, sit on beer barrels facing the sea or watch the pretty good bands on stage. I have seen the Usual Suspects, Aftershock and Africa United there.   

Africa Bar. Image Credit tripadvisor.co.uk

Continuing down the strip and you arrive at Lanzarote Tequila Bar where I saw a ‘Spinal Tap’ inspired band called Question play. Beyond there is the Lanzarote American Indian Café which is a restaurant by day and then converts into an enjoyable music spot in the evening. We have spent a few nights suppling ice-cold Mahou’s and munching on Frutos Secos, I have witnessed Perfect Circus and Alanis Band perform there. I recall once our waiter suddenly scampering off and the reason for this action then became abundantly clear as he walked up to the microphone and undertook the guest vocals on the next track!   

The end of the strip is signified by the famous Linekers’s bar, though in reality it is bit of an uninspiring establishment. Shortly after you locate Lanzarote Lava Bar. When we were in residence there was some fine-looking tucker arriving from the kitchen and Gerry and Gina were tinkling away on the piano.

Subsequently, you then arrive in the old town and harbour where there are restaurants where you can watch locals playing some very high-quality boules in the adjoining sand pits. You can also undertake the hour long walk across a very dusty and warm cliff top path to the resort of Puerta Calero.

In the old town there is a more traditional music venue called Lanzarote Electric Island which is a fun place to visit. We have attended there twice watching the Electric Island house band and supping their Malagan beer which for some undiscernible reason makes us sway on the walk back!   

Electric Island Bar. Image Credit tripadvisor.ca

Finally, some steps take you up one of the resorts best fish restaurants, namely Lanzarote Mardeleva. It is constantly booked up but one night we managed to fortuitously grab a walk-in table and it was worth the effort. In the doorway there was a highly traditional artist called Monty Montana playing and we were hoping but ultimately without success that he would play ‘Quando Quando’!