Here’s an update to a previous post. Iron Maiden tribute band, Esclavitud (Bondage) will still be playing in La Laguna on Thursday September 20th at 9.30pm, but the venue has been changed to the Plaza del Cristo (also known as Plaza de San Francisco) and it is FREE. The local band also have a new disc out on October 5 called, Involucion (Regression) which you can buy from selected music shops in La Laguna. The band will use the concert to celebrate the 25 years since The Number Of The Beast single was released – go on lads, make me feel old, why don’t you.

If you think that’s a weird gig, try this! On Saturday October 6th at 10 pm Kiss Forever, a Hungarian Kiss tribute band, will play the car park in Calle la Noria, Santa Cruz. Tickets are a mere €18 in advance or €21 on the night at the box office, honestly I haven’t been on the Dorada.

Oh dear, looks like another musical let down for Tenerife. Elton John will not be playing in Santa Cruz in November or any time this year. Who says so? the editor of his official website, here is a reply to my email asking for more information on the concert

Dear Colin
Thank you for this message. I am sorry to disappoint you but Elton John will not
be performing in Tenerife this year.
Best wishes,
Editor,
eltonjohn.com

Ok, it is possible that internal communication isnt that hot in Elton’s massive organisation or they may be upset if Santa Cruz council made the announcements before all the finer points were agreed. It had never been confirmed on any website and was given as November 15 and 17, depending on which Canarian daily paper you read.

This sudden let down might sound alarm bells for future concerts by Dire Straits and Sting, which have been promised by Santa Cruz council. Dire Straits are not performing as a group these days and Sting is on a massive World tour with The Police which runs until the end of November at least.

Does Mount Teide look a little smaller and less imposing to you? Maybe it’s because the Teide National Park is being sold off illegally, bit by bit on EBay.

There have been 2 instances in the last few days of sales on EBay, in the first sand from Los Azulejos was being sold in small bags for 1.1 euros by a German seller, and now another site selling small rocks for 2.74 euros has been spotted.

Denuncias have been made against the sellers and if they are caught they can be fined between 600 and 6,000 euros. This is not the first time these sort of scams have been tried. Four years ago a German site was selling rocks from the iconic mountain and another site was selling skiing holidays on Mount Teide complete with a mock up of a ski chalet among the snow on the peak.

Some people must actually buy off these sites to make the scam worthwhile so check your neighbours garden and see if they are building a small replica of Tenerife in the garden pond.

We thought this season would be different for CD Tenerife, but once again they set us up, just to knock us down. This 4-1 defeat at Granada 74 must rank with some of the worst performances of recent seasons.

Juan Pablo in goal looked wobbly and uncertain, the defence were slow and didn’t mark players and Nino was left to forage up front alone with hardly any service, even Cristo had a mare and gifted Granada their 3rd goal.

After 6 minutes, Ayoze lost the ball to Saizer, who strolled past 3 defenders and curled the ball round Pablo. Tenerife were lucky to be awarded a penalty after 17 minutes after Nino slid down in the box after backing into a defender. Ayoze scored twice after having to retake the penalty.

N’Diaye was sent off after 41 minutes for a second yellow after jumping for a 50/50 ball. The Granada player went down clutching his head as if he had just been given open brain surgery, and the ref bought the con.

Just 5 minutes into the second half and the ball bounced off the pitch in the penalty area and struck Nino’s arm and the ref gave a harsh penalty which Luque converted. Manolo saw a long range piledriver hit the bar with the rebound just eluding Nino, and Longas skied an easy chance in front of goal, but that was as good as it got.

Then with Cristo on as sub, a Granada player eluded 4 Tenerife rear markers before running into Cristo on the byeline. Cristo gave the ball away carelessly to Fagoaga who planted it in the Tenerife net. The sorry affair was finished 5 minutes later as Esteban charged down the right, and unchallanged, hit the 4th home goal.

Cats all over Tenerife will be hiding tonight to avoid a good kicking. Â

A four hour flight to or from Tenerife can really drag, but it could be worse, you could be surrounded by mobile phone users talking rubbish in loud voices. Sadly that could come true soon as new technology has been tested to allow mobiles to be used on flights, without endangering the planes electronics.

Thankfully there is already a groundswell of opposition to allowing mobiles in flight, led by The Daily Telegraph, who have started a petition. Personally, I don’t mind people using them up in the sky – as long as they step outside first.

Snakes on a Plane, I can live with but spare us from these Jerks on a Jumbo, otherwise we might all have to buy the in flight headphones and tune out.

It wasn’t pretty to watch, but CD Tenerife are through to the next round of the Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup) after a 1-0 home win over Poli Ejido.

Coach Oltra, shuffled the pack and put out a weaker side than the one that shone so brightly in Sundays 2-0 league win. Out went Santos, Longas, Juanma and Nino and local rising star, Rosquette played in the lone strikers role.

Too many long balls up front were easily snuffed out by the big Ejido defenders and the first half ended goal less. It was a bit better in the second half as Ayoze nipped in after 55 minutes to get the all important goal.

Dare we hope for a cup run? Well they will have to play better than this, but looking on the plus side, it was a win, another clean sheet and a 7,889 crowd is very good for a midweek televised game.

Fiestas are always good here in Tenerife and offer a mix of quiet contemplative prayer and a good selection of late loud music, but here’s a bit of a cracker. How about an Iron Maiden tribute act in an old convent!

Thats the unusual attraction at the Fiesta del Cristo in La Laguna at the end of September. Most of the events take place out in the local plaza but on Thursday 20 September, the convent of Santa Domingo stages a concert by Esclavitud (Bondage) at 9.30pm.

Go on Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter or if it’s not your cup of tea , you better Run To The Hills.

What a joyous night of football in Santa Cruz as CD Tenerife beat much fancied Cadiz 2-0 with a superb performance full of attacking flair and solid defensive organisation in front of 13,941 fans.

The night started with a minutes silence for Antonio Puertas, the 22 year old Sevilla player who died from a heart attack last weekend. Once the whistle blew for action, Tenerife showed that they intend to play the ball around this season but a lot of their creative efforts came to nothing as they still lack a big centre forward, Arruabarrena, once fit , will fill that role.

After 36 minutes there was a great opener as Ayoze won the ball off a Cadiz player and fed Nino, who nipped in past 2 defenders and placed the ball perfectly in the net.

It got even better just after the start of the second half as Longas fed Santos who went on a run down the right wing and crossed for Ayoze to head the ball home and double the lead. The defence coped well with the few chances made by the visitors but the new look Tenerife had confidence and easily held their advantage.

This Wednesday, Poli Ejido are the visitors in the Copa del Rey, kick off 9pm, not to be missed. The Armada Sur will of course be running a coach, so get in touch.Â

Do you get nervous at job interviews? Fancy going for a post as a whale trainer? That’s what 21 year old Lia Abrantes of Los Realejos did and she beat off 20 other finalists to become the new addition to the training team at Orca World in Loro Parque, Tenerife.

This very specialised job was advertised in the local papers and attracted 200 applicants but Lia had the perfect qualifications, being a former Spanish synchronised swimming champion.

To mark the arrival of the new trainer, Loro Parque put on a special show featuring their 4 performing whales and Stig Avall Severinsen, the World Champion for holding breath underwater. Stig swam around in one of the parks pools, submerged for 6 minutes and 5 seconds. I’m just waiting until they want a volunteer to perform a similar feat in a vat of Dorada.