Festivals on Tenerife – Festival de Candelaria

Another festival on Tenerife which has been taking place for some time is the Festival de Candelaria. It started on the 25th June and finishes on the 31st July (gives them time for a bit of a breather before their next huge fiesta mid August).

The festival on Tenerife’s east coast has attracted some major names in music world such as Bo Selecta - Craaaig Davies. This year’s big name, Rosana, may not ring any bells amongst many British residents and visitors, but the Lanzarote born songstress has sold more that 6 million albums around the world. Rosana’s concert closes the festival on the 31st July (10pm).

Between now and then there are also folklore concerts, processions and Hip-Hop competitions.

See Full Agenda Here (in Spanish)

Festivals on Tenerife - Sansofé 2010, Granadilla de Abona

We’re a bit late getting the Sansofé 2010 programme for Granadilla de Abona on Tenerife Matters as it started on the 1st on July.

However, as the sports events, concerts and exhibitions which form Sansofé continue until the end of August there's still loads to enjoy.

Highlights include Granadilla de Abona’s new talent competition on the 13th, 14th and 15th august (El Médano), the folklore concerts from 16th to the 22nd August (El Médano), the Kite Boarding World championship between the 9th and 14th August (El Médano) and the closing concert with K-narias at 9pm on the 28th August.

See Here for Full Programme of Events (in Spanish)

Music Festivals on Tenerife – Heineken Canarias Jazz & Más 2010

If you're of the school that thinks Jazz is cool, then July is the time to visit the island of eternal springtime (some places must have seriously hot springtimes). The Heineken Canarias Jazz & Más festival lasts from the 8 - 18th July and there are ten concerts on Tenerife between those dates.

9 July, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Plaza del Auditorio, 10pm,free entrance
CÉU
FUNKFARRIA

10 July 2010, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Plaza del Auditorio, 10pm, free entrance
FRANK GAMBALE G-FORCE BAND
THREE

12 July 2010, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Auditorio de Tenerife, 9pm, tickets €25
DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER TO BILLIE HOLIDAY WITH LOVE: A Celebration of 'Lady Day'

13 July, Santa Cruz de Tenerife,Auditorio de Tenerife, 9pm, tickets €10
MIGUEL ZENÓN QUARTE,
ARI HOENIG TRIO

14 July, Puerto de La Cruz, Plaza Europa, 9pm, free entrance
African Night with ANGÉLIQUE KIDJO & YUL BALLESTEROS QUARTET

15 July, Puerto de La Cruz, Plaza Europa, 9pm, free entrance
JACQUES SCHWARZ BART QUARTET
JOSE ALBERTO MEDINA - J.A.M. TRIO

16  July, Puerto de La Cruz, Plaza Europa, 9pm, free entrance
GERALD TOTO
CHRISTIAN SCOTT QUINTET

17 July, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Auditorio de Tenerife, 9pm, tickets €20
GONZALO RUBALCABA QUINTET

18 July, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Auditorio de Tenerife, 9pm, tickets €25
MARCUS MILLER TUTU REVISITED

Buy Tickets For Canarias Jazz & Más 2010 Here

Concerts in Tenerife – International World Music Day, Puerto de la Cruz

Puerto de la Cruz plays host to a scorching event to welcome the official start to summer 2010 and a hot season of great musical events on Tenerife.

This Saturday, seven artists and groups take part in the Día Internacional de la Música 2010 concert beside the harbour in Tenerife’s first tourist town.

I’ve got to confess to not knowing any of the artists involved: Los Seis Días (Barcelona), Aaron Thomas (Madrid), Lovey Rita (Sevilla), baden bah! (Salamanca), Bikini Invaders (Tenerife), Fuel Fandango (Lanzarote - Córdoba) and San Leon (Barcelona)

But who the hell cares, I can’t think of a better way to bring in summer than listening to some live music by the harbour in Puerto.

The concert kicks off on Saturday 19th June at 5pm and, get this, is totally free.

Festivals on Tenerife – Santa Blues 2010

Great news for blues fans on Tenerife, it looks as though the Santa Blues festival in Santa Cruz is going ahead this year.
I don't know where Colin Kirby found the information for Tenerife Magazine as I've been scouring cyberworld for weeks looking for the merest mention of one of my favourite festivals of the year, but I'm cock-a-hoop that he did.

The festival seems to chop and change its format on a yearly basis; this year will be held over three consecutive nights between 24th & 26th June. As the San Juan celebrations take place on the 24th June, it promises to be one of the best weeks of the year on Tenerife.

Festival Details

24th June – American blues guitarist and singer, Larry McCray headlines with support acts from  Rojas Blues Band and Esther Ovejero.

25th June - American blues songstress Sandra Hall headlines with The Johnny Perez Trio as support act.

26th June – American swamp blues guitarist and singer Kenny Neal headlines on the final night of the festival with The Tina Rioro Quartet supporting.

Hot blues on sultry summer nights – my idea of festival heaven.

The music kicks off at 9pm each night and the whole shebang is free.

Concerts on Tenerife - Simply Red to Perform at Adeje Golf 2010

 Out of the blue it's been announced that Simply Red will be performing at Adeje Golf on 20th July as part of the Canary Island Festival.

Some tickets went on pre-sale on Thursday, but most will go on sale on 27th May and can be purchased via the Sun Live Festival site.

This is a definite one and has been announced on the official Simply Red website as an addition to their Farewell tour.

This might be one of the last chances you get to see them live...until they reform when the money's too tight to mention.

Festivals on Tenerife – Ritmos del Mundo, Costa Adeje

When does spring end and summer begin? 20th June according to the Ritmos del Mundo poster. This year the all day DJ fest relocates to a little piece of Thailand where you don't have to worry about getting whacked by riot police, in other words Siam Park in Costa Adeje.

It's a perfect venue to bump, grind and shake those booties as Erick Morillo, Real El Canario and a whole host of other DJs bring the sounds of summer to Tenerife.

Tickets: From €26 Buy Your Ticket Here

Concerts on Tenerife – David Bisbal in Santa Cruz

If you live on Tenerife and haven’t heard of David Bisbal then you clearly never, ever watch Spanish TV as his likeable mug is on at least one of the main channels every day of the week. He’s a sort of Spanish version of Robbie Williams but without the love it or hate it arrogance.
When English language speakers talk about big names playing Tenerife they often overlook the Spanish music scene – David Bisbal with his catchy blend of flamenco poprock is a big name and he’s singing somewhere in Santa Cruz in September.

Date: 25th September 2010

Time: 10pm

Location: Santa Cruz (possibly Parque Marítimo César Manrique)

Tickets: From €23 Buy Tickets Here

Concerts on Tenerife – ‘El Barrio’ Modern Flamenco in Tenerife

On the travel forum Tripadvisor the question ‘where can I see flamenco music on Tenerife?’ often comes up – usually from people who haven’t sussed where the Canary Islands actually are.

Normally the answer given is the exuberant Carmen Mota Ballet in Las Américas, but this month there’s another option as popular Spanish singer/songwriter José Luis Figuereo ‘El Barrio’ brings his particular handclapping, guitar banging and heel stomping brand of 21st century flamenco sounds to Santa Cruz.

Date: 8th May

Time: 10pm

Venue: Parque Marítimo César Manrique, Santa Cruz

Tickets: From €20 Buy Tickets Here

Music on Tenerife – IV Arona Jazz Festival, Los Cristianos

It’s hard to beat a bit of cool jazz sounds on a sultry night so visitors to Los Cristianos are in for a bit of a treat this month.  The Plaza de la Iglesia in the centre of town is the setting for the Arona Jazz Festival which takes place on the 7th and 8th May.

Details: 7th – 9pm, Steve Sherriff and Arona Jazz Quartet; Anna Rodíguez y Eliseo Lloreda; 8th – 9pm, Canaries Jazz Orchestra

Music Festivals on Tenerife – Tensamba 2010

The Brazilian music festival Tensamba promises to bring some spice to Tenerife during spring and early summer. Tenerife joins the likes of Rio de Janeiro, London, Paris and Madrid in celebrating that pulsating Brazilian beat between April and June.

On Tenerife there are concerts planned in Santa Cruz, La Laguna, El Sauzal, La Victoria and La Orotava.

However, one of the highlights must be the Tensamba Festival in Puerto de la Cruz on 8th May between 5pm and 2am the following morning when there are batucada and capoira exhibitions whilst the best of Brazil's DJ's rock the port with a sexy electro samba party.

Dates: From 16th April to 12th June

See Full Programme of Concerts Here

Fiestas on Tenerife: Fiestas de Mayo 2010 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

It's a month of partying in Tenerife's capital, Santa Cruz to celebrate the founding of the city way, way back in 1492 (wasn't that when Columbus sailed the ocean blue?)

Just as it does during carnaval, the city explodes into life with a heady mix of traditional, contemporary and sporting events.

The fun kicks off this Friday and the highlights to look out for are: Election of the fiesta queen (Plaza Candelaria, 9pm, Saturday 25th April); traditional flower exhibition (Parque García Sanabria, 6pm, Wednesday 28th April) and the dance of the magos (Calle La Noria, 9pm, Sunday 2nd May).

It seems to me that this year's celebrations are more traditional and less contemporary than in previous years.

For the full line up of activities see here (Spanish only)

Concerts on Tenerife – Fundraising Concert "Refugiados en el Desierto"

With music by Schubert, Liszt, Wagner and a whole host of other classic composers, the fundraising concert in aid of people in refugee camps in the Western Sahara is not only guaranteed to be music to the ears it’s also for a very worthy cause.

Location: Auditorio de Santa Cruz

Date: Saturday, 20the March

Time: 9pm

Tickets: €15

Alicia Keys in Concert on Tenerife 2010

At last a big international name that isn’t actually at the point of drawing their pension or is past their best. I must admit to being sceptical when it was rumoured that Alicia Keys was performing in Tenerife, but sure enough the multi-talented beauty is going to turn the air of the capital, Santa Cruz, sweet with her music in June.

Date: 6th June 2010

Time: 9pm

Venue: Dársena Los Llanos at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Tickets: €35 & €60

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

Concerts on Tenerife – FMAC 2010; Rock in the Harbour, Puerto de la Cruz

Just in case you might be thinking that the music scene in Puerto de la Cruz might be a bit too refined (some may say sophisticated) for some, don’t be fooled. The highlight of the month for me is the free FMAC concert beside the harbour on Saturday 27th March from 9.00pm

For the grand amount of ‘nada’ you get not one, not two, but three bands - Link, The Mistake and Le Victor a.k.a Redcar.

Rock on Puerto!

Concerts on Tenerife – Jazz, Classical & 1001 Nights in Puerto de la Cruz

Some folks are under the impression that nightlife can be a bit limited in Puerto de la Cruz. The truth is that it’s not limited…it’s just different from the sort of nightlife that some visitors might be looking for.

If you’re a culture vulture with tastes which hunger for something substantial musically, then prepare to have a feast in Puerto de la Cruz during March.

The unique setting of the stunning Abaco Mansion is the venue for Jazz (the Jonay Martin Quartet, 10.30pm, 5th March: Memphis Blues Band, 10.30pm 12th March: Standard Time 10.30pm 19th March: Sweet Up Jazz Project, 10.30pm on 26th) and classical (Dúo Kovacs, 7.30pm on 7th March). All performances €9

In the centre of town, the elegantly stylish Centro Astoria-Bambi plays host to a series of classical and jazz performances on Saturdays (8.30pm) and Sundays (6.00pm) throughout the month. €5

El Castillo Espacio Cultural is another of the town’s beautiful settings for exhibitions, concerts and theatre performances and visitors are spoiled for choice in March.

If your German’s up to scratch then Scheherezade -1001 Nights is a classic story (8.30pm 6th March, €10).

Socos Duo fuse classical with experimental to create hypnotically beautiful music (13th March, 8.30pm).

Fans of classical guitar get their strings well and truly plucked with a concert at El Castillo (19th March, 8.30pm). Whilst more contemporary social issues are highlighted in the play, Ana Y La Vida about a young anorexic girl (20th March, 8.30pm, entrance free).

The month of culture at El Castillo ends with two FMAC (Festival de Músicas Alternativas de Canarias) performances by the Contemporary String Trio (25th, 9.00pm) and Satomi Moritomo (26th, 9.00pm)

And if all that wasn’t enough, the VIII Festival de Música Antigua y Barroca de Puerto de la Cruz. Begins at the end of the month with a perfomance by the Reyes Bartlet Choir at the Iglesia de la Peña de Francia (28th March, 8.30pm, €10) and some opera at the Taoro Congress Centre (31st, 9.00pm, €15)

Phew...

Music on Tenerife - Monica Naranjo in Adeje

Some people regularly ask why there aren’t more big names in music playing concerts on Tenerife. The easy answer is that there are, but if you’re British, they might not be a big name to you.

Spanish singer Monica Naranjo has sold millions of records in Spain, the United States and in Latin America, but somehow I don’t see the streets of Las Américas emptying of tourists when she plays the Magma Arte & Congresos Centre in Adeje later this month (that’s the Las Américas part of Adeje for all you out there who, like me, are no longer sure what is Adeje and what is Las Americas).

Date: Saturday 23rd January

Venue: Magma Arte & Congresos, Adeje (just beside the Las Américas bus station)

Time: 9.30pm

Tickets: €32 to €42

Music on Tenerife – 50 Cent in Tenerife

Now that the Christmas period is over and the Three Kings and their camels have trotted into the sunset, we can get back to finding out what interesting events, concerts and fiestas are coming Tenerife’s way in 2010.

It’ll cost a lot more than 50 Cents to get in and see the famous and  sometimes controversial US rapper 50 Cent, but at least you’ve got time to save up the centimos as his concert doesn’t take place until March

Date: Saturday, 27th March

Venue: Recinto Ferial, Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Time: 7pm

Tickets: €30 to €60

Buy tickets here

Christmas on Tenerife – Santa Cruz

This Christmas the streets of Santa Cruz will be filled with music as there are live performances nearly every night at 7pm and Christmas concerts at the weekends.  If you enjoy a bit of outdoor sax (I said sax before anyone gets too excited), head along to Plaza del Chicharro at 7pm on the 16th December. With theatre and dance performances in the city's plazas throughout the month the capital is set to resemble the scene of a musical all over the festive season. Don’t forget to check out the belén in the town hall, or to pick up some last minute gifts (if you’re handing over pressies on Christmas Day rather than Tres Reyes) at the Christmas market at Avenida Marítima from the 21st December.

The big events in Santa Cruz are, as always, the Christmas Day concert held at the port at 10pm (although the ayuntamiento haven’t mentioned it in their agenda this year even though they have a generic entry for it on their web site as does the Port authorities, but as this is Tenerife who knows if it’s happening or not); the big end of year party on New Year’s Eve from 11pm in Calle La Noría (is there a more picturesque setting on Tenerife to see out the old year?); and party time in CD Tenerife’s football stadium as the Tres Reyes hit town in style on the 5th January at 5pm.

Check out the full agenda here (in Spanish).

Christmas on Tenerife – La Orotava

La Orotava, Tenerife’s classiest town is second only to La Laguna when it comes to cultural events… and not by far.

This year’s festival calendar includes music in the streets most nights between 6pm and 8pm; Tenerife’s biggest life-size belén filling much of the plaza outside the town hall; saxophone and folklore concerts; art exhibitions (‘Mi Alma al Desnudo’ looks particularly interesting at the Casa de la Cultura de San Agustín between 23/12 and 08/01) and a science fair (also at the Casa de la Cultura; on 12th and 13th from 10am).

The big Christmassy feel event is the concert in the Iglesia de la Concepción on the 19th at 8.30pm featuring the sweet voices of more than 10 choirs.

Another for aficionados of local heroes to look out for is the concert by Benito Cabrero at the Auditoio de Teobaldo Power at 8.30pm on the 18th. This man has enthralled New York’s Carnegie Hall with his timple playing skills.


See full agenda here.