Drink, drugs, groupies and old age, rock and roll has survived it all but the credit crunch is proving a tougher opponent, especially here in Tenerife. There will be music this summer, there is always music here, but you might have to dig a bit deeper to find something to please you.
Next Saturday,May 16, Old Uncle Rod Stewart kicks things off at Golf Costa Adeje, you can still get tickets from the usual outlets, and many shops around the island. Then on Thursday May 28, a new rock supergroup pitches up in Tenerife.
Big Noize have recently formed, fronted by singer Joe Lynn Turner, formerly of Deep Purple and Rainbow. Joe is joined by Phil Soussan on bass (ex Ozzy Osbourne) Carlos Cavazo on guitar (Quiet Riot) Simon Wright on drums (Dio and AC/DC), and another drummer (you can never have too many) Vinny Apice. They are starting out covering songs that they all know so well, like Shot In The Dark and Smoke On The Water. They have a single out called Battlefields, which you can hear on www.myspace.com/abignoize . The concert is taking place at the Pabellon Municipal Deportes in Santa Cruz (turn left just before CD Tenerife’s ground) at 9pm. Tickets can be bought from www.generaltickets.com for 15 euros.
Also on that website you can buy tickets for The Pretenders at the Santa Cruz Auditorium on Thursday 6 July (scroll down a few posts on here) for 30 and 35 euros. Bad news though on the 2 big summer music events, Eolica, at the Granadilla wind farm, and Aguaviva, in Los Cristianos and Las Americas. There has been no news at all of either large and well established event, both due within the next 6 weeks. A few days ago El Dia newspaper ran a big story saying that both were struggling to find the finance needed to run this year. Seems far too late now to rescue either.
There is also a deadly hush over the usual big hispanic or latino concert for the Heliodoro Stadium, home of CD Tenerife. In past years Shakira and Mana have packed them in just after the end of the football season, prior to the pitch being relaid. Best you make the most of what music is around, and in the meantime, I will keep my ears open.