Marbella is Happy!

It's no surprise really, the sun is here, the birds are singing, the normal Semana Santa weather failed to appear...Marbella truly is happy at the moment! Jumping on the bandwagon of other cities and groups, the Marbella Ayuntamiento has produced their own version of Pharrel's hugely popular "Happy" It's very Marbella in style...but it's fun to watch! Watch the video below:
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Gipsy Kings in Marbella

They are known for their catchy flamenco style sound that catapulted them to worldwide fame in the 1980s. Thanks to castanet clicking songs such as Bamboleo and Volare, The Gipsy King’s albums sold in their millions as fans lapped up the irresistible Spanish tempo. Many would agree that their music appears to capture the essence of the Andalusian lifestyle with its sultry flamenco dances, raw passion and rhythmic hand clapping. However, it may surprise some fans to discover that this group of musicians actually come from Arles and Montpellier in the south of France.

The confusion no doubt arises because the group sing in Spanish with a strong Andalusian accent. This is because their parents were mostly gitanos (gipsies) who fled the Spanish dictator Franco during the Spanish civil war in the 1930s. Originally called Los Reyes (The Kings), the group started out as a gypsy band and travelled around France playing at festivals, weddings and even busking on the streets. It was because they lived like gipsies that they later adopted the name The Gipsy Kings. As their popularity grew the band were hired to perform at upper class events in places like St Tropez, adding a bit of spice to glamorous social gatherings.

They released two albums to little acclaim, but after meeting producer Claude Martinez their potential as a world-class band was noticed and within three years The Gipsy Kings were household names. Nowadays, especially during the summer in Marbella, they play at venues such as La Sala in Nueva Andalucía, where they can count on a strong following thanks to their Andalusian connection. The last performance of the season was Thursday August 15^th when they performed at El Oceano Hotel near Mijas Costa, but these gipsy troubadours also play at weddings and private parties along the coast.

Michael Liggan of Altavista Property also hired the popular group last June for the launch party of one of our latest developments, Mirador de LosFlamingos, when over 400 guests listened to an intimate concert at the deluxe development set between Marbella and Estepona. 

So if you fancy seeing some world-class musicians in Marbella keep an eye out for their next performance dates.

Putting Marbella Back on the Map

Great article on the Sur in English Website, about Marbella bouncing back, with a quote from Michael Liggan:

Marbella is once again enjoying the limelight thanks to oodles of foreign investment, a plethora of positive press and famous faces arriving by the plane load Since the 1960s Marbella has been regarded as a playground for the ridiculously rich, the fabulously famous and some generally well-heeled types. You only have to cast a glance at the world famous marina of Puerto Banús and its intoxicating assortment of floating gin palaces and eye wateringly expensive sports cars to realise that there is a staggering amount of money in this small town.

Read More at the Sur in English