Kostas

To how many Dalaras concerts have you been??

44 posts in this topic

Two years ago,I was in a concert held in Katrakeio Theatre,waiting for the gates to open in order to get in.I was waiting in the 3rd row from the beginning of the line and could hear clearly what the security people,who usualy hold the gates close and control the waiting crowd,were saying.

Sudenly I heard a lady who was standing in the first row of the line saying to one of the security people:

"hey,how are you!Working again ha?Remember me?" and the man replied "hey,ofcurse.How are you doing..." and so on.2 minutes later the lady went to buy or do something and then I heard the same security man saying to one of his collegues "She must be crazy!Every time I work in a Dalaras concert I see her!She has been to more that 201 concerts of this man!"

So my question is,after so many years and so many concerts,what makes people,us,attend fanaticly his concerts even though we probably know and have heard more that once most of his songs again and again!I,Myself,even though I'm a dalaras fun since 1994,have been to 22 concerts (and live events) since 1996 and looking forward to even more!

How about you?I think I'll never get borred of this man!  

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    Well I'm afraid I'm the one who has been in the less concert and live events... Now that I counted them, I've only been in 4 concerts and twice in Iera Odos... I feel so sad... but I really had no choise... I've lost so much time because I was too young and knew nothing about Dalaras,that I wish I was born earlier only to have been able to have seen and live more of him... So many great appearances and moments I've lost... You know it's one thing to hear it from others or to see it on videos and another (completely different) to have actually been there!!! I do hope though that from now on I will be more independant and as a result I will be able to attend more concert in order to make up for the loss of time...

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SPQR, you've been Iera Odos? How was it? I have these CD's from these concerts.

I've been in Brussels three times ('94, '98 and 2001). In Dόsseldorf, I was 2 times ('98 and 2001) and this Newyear I was in Zygos. That's all.

It is not so often but it feels like a lot more. If I close my eyes, hear his music, I am at the concert again.

Kosta, you're right, it's not possible to ever tet bored of Dalaras.

Micki

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Don't even go there. Countless. I wouldn't know where to start. The first one was maybe 1983.....or 84....... And since then.....

The story with the lady? I have two identical ones. Although I dont know what they said after I got in.I could share if you want but they are rather boring (I just remembered. I have 3 stories, no 4...I am not kidding...ha ha ha they keep coming)

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While we are waiting for Soc to tell us a story!!!, I'll add to this topic.

Not that I can actually remember in total how many concerts I have been to.  In the last two and half years I have seen Dalaras nine times, and previously about once yearly when he came to Cyprus from the early 80's so I suppose about 20 times in total.  I wish I could see him every week but no such luck.  

I am now watching an old video from 89 in Kratrakeio, remembering when I saw him singing these songs last.  

And he's got long hair Hristaki!!!!!!!!  

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Ok, my turn : 3 times in Katrakeio Theater in Nikaia(almost nearby my home!), 1 in Stadium of Peace & Friendship, 2 in Iera Odos. So few times unfortunately :-(

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I have only seen Dalaras in concert five times as he does not come to the states that often..Now if you count the time he played at my home a concert then i would say six times..Is that an official concert ???There were only three people in attendance(me and my two sons) and i was the only other person in the band..I was the back up guitarist.......

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Sarantis,

If you had to guts to play guitar with him why not go the whole hogand sing as well!!!  Anyway I'm sure that he wouldn't have told you if you off key (once or twice) or would he?  Is your singing that bad!!!!!

What songs did you play with him?

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Lynne,Chris    its not that i had the guts to play guitar with Dalaras,its just that i was crazy enough and stupid enough to try...He mostly played solo's and some latin style songs.Basically improvising and then i started playing "enas kombos e haramou" ,the new version that he does with pix lax,he joined in and we played that together..We never really finished completely any songs as he was trying several of my guitars..so, he just would play for a short time and then grab another guitar to try.No one ever really sang,i was just kidding about that....He played all 12 guitars that i had brought out that day.I have over 50 guitars in my collection and we did not have time to look at all of them..Basically he played 12 of my guitars that were out that day.I had selected the guitars i thought  he would like the night before.He really enjoyed them very much as he is a guitar enthusiast as well.He has over 15,probably closer to 20....

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Sarantiis, please don't laugh about my questions, I mean it seriously.

I don't play any instrument, so I really don't know much about it, maybe better to say I don't know nothing!!

I realized Dalaras is mostly playing with 2 guitars at a concert. I think one for the 'rock' and one for the ballads!? Could you explain the difference? Does every guitar have it's one sound? And if Dalaras has so many guitars, is he still playing with all? When and why does he change the guitar?

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Actually Anna, I would like to know more about this as well, as I don't know very much about guitars or any musical instrument for that matter, so don't feel that you are the only one here, as I'm sure lots of us would like to know more.

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Anna ,Lynne    Dalaras usually uses two different guitars on stage ..Both are acoustic guitars,one is a nylon string(classical) guitar and the other is a steel string guitar.Acoustic guitars basically means its hollow in the inside and produce a natural acoustic sound...Both are acoustic guitars with electronics installed for stage use...I have never seen him use an electric solid body guitar(usually used for rock music)..For those of you who do not know about guitars ,that would be a guitar like eric clapton or Jimi Hendrix used.Harsher amplified sound with a bit of distortion....The reason Dalaras would use steel string guitar would be to play certain songs that  need the brighter sound of steel strings. The nylon string(classical) would be for a warmer sound.One example would be on his latin sounding songs he uses the nylon strings guitar as most latin songs are with nylon string guitars.Alos during concerts with orchestas he would use a classical nylon string guitar...Dalaras has used many guitars in his career,he also has several that he does not use on stage...He updates his guitars about every 10 years and changes to something with more up dated electronic technology and of course finds newer guiatars that sound great.....He is currently using an Ovation Adamas CVT model that i gave him..It was the latest  "top of the line"model they had and it had newer more advanced electronics for stage sound.He has used ovations most of his career.Then for his nylon string guitar he uses a custom built "John Buscarino" guitar.It is made by a small custom guitar builder in Florida and his guitars are very sought after by Many great guitarist and collectors.Jonh Buscarino guitars are very expensive and have the finest exotic woods and craftmanship...I recently found a John Buscarino guitar just like the one Dalaras uses and bought it since it was one othe only ones i dont have just like Dalarases..As many of you know i collect rare guitars and i also want to have every guitar just like Dalarases..So far i have 6 exact guitars just like Dalarases.Some were very hard to find but persistance pays off...Remeber that most professional musicains including Dalaras use high end proffesional quality guitars..They can range from 񘈨.00-บ,000.00 dollars

   

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  So Sarantis the guitar you gave him is a steell string one? Where could I see it? You've said that it's in the photos of this site, but I wonder if you have better photos where you can see it more clear.

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SPQR, yes the ovation adamas guitar that i gave Georgo is a steel string guitar and he uses it currently on tour..When i spoke with Georgo exactly two weeks ago while he was here in New York,he told me that he loves the guitar and that he uses it exclusively as his main guitar.He also uses the "John Buscarino" nylon string for his other songs which he needs a classical guitar for...You can see pics of the guitar(ovation) here on the site where Nikola has posted pics of concerts....I think the pictures are pretty clear,although i have over a hundred very nice pics of him and the guitar at my home and at the concert ...

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Sarantiis, thank you very much for your explanation!

Does it also depend the place were he's playing, which guitar he takes? This new guitar ( your present) he played at the European tour ( all inside). I saw him on Crete while the Greek tour, there he didn't play it. Maybe because they played outside? Or just to save it for better occasions?

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I know nothing from guitars too,but I love the way he holds it on stage!! That ofcourse has nothing to do with your question Anna,but nevermind...!:biggrin:

I remember that the first time I saw Dalaras performing on stage at a concert (on TV I saw it),I think it was the Wembley Arena concert,I was just amazed but this unique singer,who holded his guitar in such a style,while singing at the same time!!

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Anna, i would have to say yes that where you play,(indoor,outdoors,studio,theatre) and the mood you are in is very important as to what guitar you use.I know that Dalaras used the guitar i gave during the european tour and in the concert with Sting at olimbiako stadium recently.He told me this during our conversation two weeks ago.He(Dalaras) also mentioned that sting really loved the guitar and that he was playing it before the show and that they were talking about it.....I know that the guitars that i have all feel different,sound different and look different,so it depends on the mood or setting i am playing in as to what guitar i use....

       I got home today from work and found a package in the mail,it was from a freind who sent me a copy of the show from Saratoga.He taped the show from his second row seat.It was amazingly clear and the audio was great.Dalarases voice sounded wonderful,even on a handheld camcorder....

     Anyway, the point i want to make is that dalaras is singing during the concert and he looks like he is very uncomfortable without a guitar in his hands.It looks like he doesnt know what to do with his hands and that he would rather be holding a guitar or something  in his hand..since there is an orchestra and a backup band he is only singing and no guitar..It just looks to me that he very uncomfortable without a guitar during this show...He plays only for about 40 minutes and them the orchestra plays "Zorba the greek tunes"...Overall the homemade video is great quality..He also sent me a program and a ticket from the show.The program was autographed personally to me from Dalaras as i had my freind go see Dalaras backstage after the show... It was a great suprize.....

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Sarantii,

I noticed that too last year,in Irideio in Athens,when he gave a concert with the Russian Ossipoph Orchestra and seemed realy unconfortable withought his guitar.In every single performance he has given withought his guitar,he seemed the same.When at the end of that concert,he sang 3(if I remember right) songs with his guitar,even his voice sounded better,much better.He seemed more confident because at the beginning he was very nervous.

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Kostas,  I saw him 4 times with the Ossipov Orchestra and just as you said, he is very uncomfortable without his guitar, Sarantis he doesn't know where to put his hands and fiddles with the microphone all the time.  Even though his voice is still strong and confident when he sings but in between songs he finds it very hard to know what to do without his guitar to hold.  Habit dies hard!!!!

I saw the first concert he did with this orchestra and he told us at the end as we were asking for an encore, that he had only one day to practise with them and he didn't know any more songs that they could play together.  But when I saw him again later that year he was more relaxed with them as he knew them better.  He played the guitar more then as well I think.

I also saw him with the Kremlin Orchestra and he was the same way with them and from what Soc said he is defenitely more nervous with orchestras, but that's normal I suppose, as it's more formal and they create a certain air and he doesn't want to get it wrong.

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