Photos: Sergio Betancort
The fireworks shone in the sky of La Tiñosa on Thursday night. They announced the beginning of the patron saint festivities of Puerto del Carmen, the main tourist area of Lanzarote, after the reading of the proclamation by Yolanda Suárez Batista, director of the Coral Marina.
A few meters from El Fondeadero, the El Varadero square, full of people, awaited the appearance on stage of one of the great stars of Latin music. Coti came out shortly after 10:15 p.m. and his famous songs made the people who crowded the square vibrate. His name shone with a powerful light on the giant screen that is part of the elaborate set design created by the Department of Festivities of the Tías City Council to host the main events of the festivities in honor of the Virgen del Carmen.
"A journey through music, silences, times and wine" was witnessed by the thousands of attendees at the concert in La Tiñosa with one of the most popular Hispanic singers. Gold, Platinum and Double Platinum record (in Spain, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia), who has 2 Grammys, and whose songs have reached number 1 on the prestigious Billboard, in addition to having achieved 12 ASCAP Awards in the USA. The Argentine singer and composer Coti reviewed his most representative songs in his musical career last night in Puerto del Carmen, among which he played 'Nada fue un error', 'Antes que ver el sol' and 'Otra vez'.
With them, this composer and singer - on tour in Spain - performed last night for the first time in Lanzarote and did so within the festivities of La Tiñosa. A concert that lasted about 90 minutes of intense music and where he remembered his time with other artists, such as Julieta Venegas or Diego Torres. His latest album, '¿Qué esperas?' was the common thread of the main themes that sounded last night before a crowded El Varadero square.
After his concert, Coti pointed out in the dressing room area to a group of journalists that he felt the magic and good energy of the volcanoes of Lanzarote during this concert. And that he was able to take a bike ride through Puerto del Carmen yesterday afternoon, taking advantage of the proximity to the Atlantic, an ocean that he knows so well from the other side of the Atlantic. Coti revealed that he even had the opportunity to compose yesterday afternoon. And perhaps, that will be the argument of some of his next songs.
The Coti concert, which had the special collaboration of the Cabildo de Lanzarote and Turismo de Lanzarote, had among its followers the mayor of Tías, Pancho Hernández, the deputy mayor and councilor of Tourism, Amado Jesús Vizcaíno, the councilor of Festivities, Francisco Javier Aparicio, and the president of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Pedro San Ginés, among others. This Coti concert joins the Summer full of Concerts promoted by the Tías City Council for these first two weeks of August, where the groups Bombai, La Frontera, Los Lola and Jóvenes Cantadores will also perform, the latter on the last day of festivities, Sunday, August 12, after the land procession and before the great fireworks display.
The Councilor of Festivities, Francisco Javier Aparicio Betancort, has highlighted that this year two special concerts are scheduled at noon and in the afternoon to facilitate and reconcile the fun of the whole family. For this, artists with an ideal profile for family entertainment and fun have been selected. The first of these "daytime" concerts will be tomorrow, Saturday the 4th at 12 noon with the performance of the group Tío Matt. The second brings to Lanzarote the young Última Llave and her band, to offer a special concert on Sunday, August 12, at 1:00 p.m., hours before the land procession.
The expected and massive maritime procession through the waters of Puerto del Carmen with the image of the Virgen del Carmen will be next Saturday the 11th, in the afternoon. The night will be closed by the concerts of 600 and the Canarian band Los Lola, regulars at the popular festivals of the Canarian coast.
In this year's edition of the La Tiñosa patron saint festivities, an island meeting for seniors has been included, where the Tías City Council will provide transportation from each municipality on the island in a joint and coordinated action with the Social Services Areas of each conejero municipality. This meeting, in the Plaza de El Varadero, will be next Tuesday, the 7th, at 7:00 p.m. and will be enlivened by the legendary orchestra Los Bajip from La Gomera, and Los Jarvac from Lanzarote.
Culture will be present with the presence of Larry Jaskiel, a resident of La Tiñosa, who will present his latest book on the link between the British Isles and Lanzarote, on Thursday the 9th at the El Fondeadero Civic Center.
Another of the attractions of these festivities is the new edition of the Habaneras Meeting, on the night of this Friday, August 3, or the Folk Meeting tomorrow, Saturday, 4, with the groups Güerma, from Lanzarote, and Cumbre Nueva, from La Palma. The program of the festivities includes the celebration of the Gay Canarian Goddess contest, in the Plaza de El Varadero, which will be held on the night of this Friday, the 3rd, at 9:00 p.m.
La Tiñosa has been decorated since last Monday celebrating its festivities in honor of the Virgen del Carmen and expects in these first two weeks of August the influx of thousands of people to the main tourist area of Lanzarote.
