The Psychedlic Furs - 21 June 2008

A dramatic entry by lead Richard Butler, vocalist and main writer of this post punk band. A band who have had more of an influence on pop and rock over the years than you realise. Quoted by one of their biographers that they would "have more impact on future musicians than they ever did in the marketplace"

With brother Tim on bass, John Ashton on lead and the unbelievably good Mars Williams on sax this promised to be a performance to remember and it did not disappoint at any level. Not very long into the set the band struck up Heaven to rapturous applause from the excited crowd in this beautiful courtyard setting. From that point on it just got louder and better up until the last number of the main set Pretty in Pink of course, where a member of the audience jumped on to the stage and was handed the mike by Butler and told to finish of the song while he went backstage to wait for the obligatory applause and calls for more. 4 more great songs in the encore left the crowd breathless and happy. Another great rock band in Mallorca, keep 'em coming!

Probably the only show at the beautiful Misericordia courtyard in Palma this year which is a great shame as this surely is one of the best summer venues around. Intimate enough to get up close but large enough for a couple of thousand people and unlike the bullring you don't quite feel it is all going to collapse around you!

Pee Wee Ellis - 20 June 2008

As part of the Jazz Voyeur season Pee Wee Ellis played at Sala Assaig in Palma to a packed house. Pee Wee soon captured most peoples attention with his presence and also the quality of his playing. An accomplished musician who has been in the business for all of his life and still going strong at 67. Yes there were those jazz moments where the musicians went off on their own, but thankfully not too many. As the evening went on you started to understand why he is crowned with being the master of Jazz Funk. With his version of the classic Herbie Hancock Cantaloupe Island he had everybody, wiggling their hips, clicking their fingers and tapping their feet, (apart from the lady next to me that is, who talked through the complete performance to anyone who would listen and even got upset when I asked her to stop! Why do some people bother going to these things?). He was joined on stage for couple of tracks by a local singer who really added a touch of magic to the show.

A very entertaining evening by a jazz master -
"not bad for jazz"
As a side issue, considering the lack of good venues in Palma for live music this one is totally underutilised for concerts like this. It's obvious problem is its dark and unwelcoming location on the main industrial estate in Palma but once inside it is an excellent place to listen to live music. Good acoustics, good views from most parts, a self contained bar plus the Assaig cafe just next door as a meeting place.

The Enemy, Ibiza Rocks - 31 May 2008

Only a 52€ return ferry trip and a 35€ a person hotel room gave us the pleasure of being one of a few hundred people to see The Enemy up close and live on Saturday night.

Taking the early morning ferry on Saturday from Palma we found ourselves in the beautiful port of Ibiza Town 2 hours later, amongst the beautiful people that are found on The White Isle. Being a lot smaller than Mallorca the trip to the infamous town of San Antoni on the opposite side of the island is only a 1/2 hour drive away, incidentally passing the ever young Amnesia club as well as allegedly the biggest club in the world now named Privilege. The last time I was there it had a different name and an Olympic size swimming pool - inside!
Checking in to the Ibiza Rocks Hotel you know you are in for an experience, a reception area full of X-Box's to start with, plus what has to be mentioned, extremely friendly staff. The previous use of the hotel was obviously as a 3 star tourist type venue, so as far as the 300 or so rooms were concerned not many extras, although our room which was clean and equipped with a small kitchen area was perfectly adequate, especially as at the end of the end of the day all you are going to do is sleep in it, but not at the end of the day, more like halfway through the next one!

The evenings entertainment consisted of 3 live bands as well as the resident DJ, all performing outside in the main pool area, sadly in the rain at the start of the evening.

As the evening got going the rain eased and by the time The Enemy appeared it was all but a few drops. And then! Well what can you say, this is a platinum album selling band that play at sold out stadiums across the UK in front of 1000's and here we were amongst an excited crowd of hundreds. It did not take them long to get us all going, real rock stars can do this without thinking and these guys were awesome. take a listen to them here http://www.myspace.com/theenemycoventry and you might start to understand why. With them performing the best of their music and a new one or two you just could not help jumping around, songs like Had Enough and Away from here are brilliant but to be there listening to This song this close and in what was an electric atmosphere was just too much. If you get the chance you just have to see them! By the end of the concert we had managed to wish the rain away and get ourselves hyped up for more of the entertainment that San Antoni has to offer.

A trip back on the Sunday evening ferry meant that there was no rushing around, which was just what the doctor had ordered. A few hours of mooching, a pleasant late lunch on the beach and a couple of beers in the sun waiting for the ferry to arrive.

Over the weekend we also managed to drop in on an old friend and Island Celeb Tony Pike. He has been running his exclusive Pikes Hotel here now for 28 years and for those of you that might find 3 star tourist hotels not quite up to the required needs then this is the place to stay. Tony's famous guests include Julio Iglesia, Grace Jones, Freddie Mercury, Fat Boy Slim and the famous Club Tropicana video by the Wham boys being shot in the pool. A beautiful place just for beautiful people, no way, everybody always feels welcome here as Tony is one of the greatest natural hosts you will ever find and his hotel is just one of the coolest you will find anywhere in the world. http://www.pikesibiza.com/ check it out.

Bring on the Fratellis!!! go to http://www.digamemallorca.com/ for updates on acts.

NEW Bar area opens at Port ´Alt

Kim Brandis & her team were very excited to open the new bar area at Restaurant Port ´Alt, Portals Nous during May. It´s a great place to chill out with a glass of wine and delicious food cooked over an open flame on the BBQ. It is also cleverly separated from the rest of the restaurant, making it the perfect place for parties and group events.

Port ´Alt must have one of the best situations in Mallorca with it´s wonderful views of the sea, and with Kim´s ethos of making all her customers feel totally relaxed, it is a delightful place for a summertime lunch or evening meal under the stars. (Photograph by Samantha Hemsley).

May 28 Mary Weiss - Shangri-Las

An excited and expectant crowd made the trip to Lloseta to watch yet another legend of pop in concert. One of many that have appeared in Mallorca over the last few years and surely not the last.

Mary followed her band out and got straight into good old fashioned rock / pop. Her set included both songs from the 60's and more recent material from her last two albums. The style of the latest material being very much like the original Shangri-Las sound. You also had the impression that she was enjoying herself.

For those of you that don't know, Mary's first time round was as a 15 year old back in 1964 where herself, her sister and the Ganser twin sisters shot to fame with songs like Remember (Walking in the sand) and the infamous Leader of the pack. They were to have a string of hits and sold out tours across the States but unfortunately because of a much resented record contracy made by her mother they were locked into a ten year deal. Rather than carry on they decided to wait out the ten years but by the time they were ready to come back the music scene had changed dramatically leaving no place for their style of music. Thankfully things have changed and we are all much more able to appreciate and enjoy the style of music put together by The Shangri-Las.

This was a show that was full of emotion with Mary getting very upset over one song which mirrored her life with her mother but then came back to get the audience jiving (well almost) with the classics of the 60's. the backing band were also exceptional, which is not surprising considering the bass player is from Roxy Music and the drummer from the Smithereens. Another classic night in Lloseta for us all.