Last Saturday afternoon, the Amphitheater on Las Cucharas Beach, in Costa Teguise, was too small to accommodate the hundreds of people who came to celebrate Los Sabandeños' '60th Anniversary'. At 6:00 p.m. sharp, under a sky that was beginning to turn golden with the sunset, the first chords of a concert rang out, which became a true celebration of identity, emotion, and collective memory.
Residents and tourists, entire families and visitors passing through, filled not only the stands and chairs of the Amphitheater but also the promenade, transformed into an improvised dance floor facing the sea. The voices and chords of the mythical Tenerife group once again demonstrated that music knows no borders; it unites, excites, and transcends generations. Founded in 1965 by Elfidio Alonso Quintero and a group of friends, Los Sabandeños have carried the name of the Canary Islands throughout the world for six decades. Ambassadors of the island's culture, their music has resonated in countries such as Chile, Peru, Mexico, Venezuela, and the United States. Today, under the presidency of Elfidio Alonso Palazón and with the musical direction of Israel Espino, the group remains a living symbol of the Canarian root, but also of evolution and musical fusion.A concert that was a sonic journey through his repertoire The concert held in Costa Teguise was a sonic journey through a good portion of his repertoire. Beloved songs such as El Himno a la Lucha Canaria, Lágrimas Negras, Viajera, Sólo le pido a Dios, El Zagalejo, La Flor de la Canela, and Mirando al Mar were played. Of course, the deepest pieces of his island roots were not missing: Isa de Luciano, Folías Parrandeas, Malagueñas a la Madre, or Seguidillas del Salinero, the latter dedicated especially to the 'Maestro de Salinas, Víctor Fernández Gopar El Salinero'. For more than ninety minutes, Los Sabandeños offered a show with impeccable staging, generous and engaging. The audience responded with enthusiasm, singing, applauding, and dancing to each song. There was emotion on the faces and pride in the applause; six decades of history summarized in an afternoon of music that, more than a concert, was a tribute to an entire people.
Before the start, the mayoress of the Teguise Town Council, Olivia Duque, together with the Councillor for Tourism, Rita Hernández Callero, welcomed the large audience and thanked them for their presence, inviting them to enjoy an evening that, without a doubt, will be etched in the memory of Costa Teguise.
When the spokesman for Los Sabandeños announced that the end was near, the audience insisted and they continued by choosing one of the songs that has become a true anthem, the pasodoble 'Islas Canarias', which was followed by all those present, ending with the lively and festive song 'De Tenderete'.
When the last chord faded amidst applause and cheers, a certainty lingered in the air; Los Sabandeños not only celebrate sixty years of music, but sixty years of living history, of the Canary Islands in their hearts.
