Remembering Dalaras

[Christo 9]

Hello members

I thought I'd go back a little and rekindle a time and topic that was once discussed before.

Although this topic has kind of been open once before, not many members (especially from those of our new greek members) have added too it since then, and I thought maybe I could give it an update and with it a fresh new start once again.

For me I can recall everything where I was, how old I was, and with what song of how I was first introduced to the singing voice from that of George Dalaras and that I would like to share with you now again.

And after hearing how Diane got hooked into Dalaras from that one song I too wanted to share that with you all and perhaps all the other members can add too what song they were introduced from.

I was about the age of 13 at the time still a kid

and playing video games at that time like all kids are of that age

My parents had to go a concert at that time in the spring and it was Greek concert no doubt, and later told me how Extraordinary the show was and an unbeliveable performer they saw.

My father eventually got ahold of a video recording a few weeks later from the ' Orfeas Concert ' which as you know is the release from Dalaras albums called " Ta Tragoudia Mou "

He played me one of 2 songs (that I can't remember which) but was either: " Thelo Na Ta Po " or ' Anastenazo '

Unbelievable how he told me what he's going to with this song and how he will sing it with those High Notes. He raved how good it was

and I was to tell you the truth very impressed myself.

:blink:

Keep in mind, as an adolescent and not really exposed much to Greek music from back then, it was overwhelming and definetaly impressive at that.

From there on you can say the rest is History but now quite yet.

You see there were but a few more highlights along the way before I too became a dedicated fanatic fan.

First I had to watch the video several times and get to know Dalaras songs and repoitore. I started then to get the next recordings of his when I visited in Greece the following year but unfortunately missed his performance Live but saw him sing on TV.

When hearing his recordings, I don't know, I cant quite explain it for there was something different I couldn't quite pinpoint as to what it is or how it was coming across to the end user; but not every album or song sounded like his last one from Orfeas Concert. Somethine was out of text. Sometimes his voice would sound Higher Pitch and other times there was no Vibrato in voice. It almost was as if that wasn't quite him or somethine was wrong with the recording or how it was it recorded. Again Hard to tell.

When hearing his older songs from the Best Hits album in the 70s, I didn't like it and took it back as his voice sounded in higher pitch more nasally then anything. And some of the 80's records were not much different. I only like that deep smooth vibrato voice he had sung in from

" Ta Tragoudia mou "

It wasn't until about after ' Latin ' came out

and then ' Mh Milas Kindinevi Ellas ' that I too started coming around again more heavily then before. Keep in mind I had not seen my idol sing yet and not until at least 4-5 years later after that.

Once I started making friends in College with fellow Greek peers, they gave me some of Dalaras videos to watch the more current ones from 'Katrakion' , 'Cyprus' , 'Attikon' etc., By then I was far more hooked.

And by the time 1993 came around and finally got to see him Live for the very 1st time after being introduced from him with "Thelo Na Ta Po & Anastenazo" 10 years prior before, well the wait was long overdue but defnately far more WORTH IT...

His voice was like sharp has a knife cutting through glass perhaps

how powerful it was and yet so soft and smooth each time too.

It felt like being on a roller coaster and getting sheer goosebumps

from Paraponemena Logia, Mh Milas, Xenos

and Una Moneda Le, and the list goes on

It was one of the best times I loved Dalaras so much and couldnt get enough from him and wanted nothing but more of it. At this point, I was more then a fan, I would be a lifelong dedicated fan.

From there, I started acquiring all of the cds he has released

and would take a lifetime to find and buy them. But eventually, It got done.

But I wasn't going to wait another 10 yrs or more before he would come back to Michigan. So when it was announced he would be singing for Cyprus in Chicago, you know I was gong to be one of the first ones there to see him again. And not only did I go, But that Highlight got for me the very 1st time to meet him.

However, for every amount of good has to have an equal amount of bad as they Chinese say. So The only bad thing for me was that my camera flash didn't work. Damn batteries were dead an unexpected result not anticipating that problem in advance

So imagine that I had to then wait for his Next North American Tour 2 yrs later before could I fix that problem and fix sure enough I did!!!!.

So there you have it the rest history they say.

And now another 10 yrs later still a devoted fan,

Dalaras voice changed now affter the last 10 years not quite as strong as once was , he's not singing much from his older repoitoire as before. Am a still a fan then, yes of course I am!!

but apart of me does miss the Old Dalaras very very much

Alas, sadly though, I never did get to hear Dalaras sing "Thelo Na Ta Po & Anastenazo Live" Not sure If i ever will now and if I do by some sheer coincidence, I doubt it will be the same like it was from back then.

P.S. please continue this thread for all members to read and Post but do keep it going in English please as it started in English

thank you

[timonieris 0]

Hello, firstly as this is my first post, I would like to thank everyone for this great, even ultimate forum. Not only is it the best place for living Dalara, it is turning into a Greek heaven.

Christo, my story is simialr to yours, I first discovered Dalara in 1983, when I was 9 years old, with of all concerts the 'Orfea' concert. The oddity of it however is that the version I saw was a badly pirated version of the time, and Dalara actually starts the event with a speech about Greek music, how one leg was pulling him towards laiko and the other to entechno if I recall correct. He then continued with a whacky guitar solo and broke into my first ever Dalara song, Ax o Baglamas.........

Anyhow, on a musical level depsite my young age, I fell in love with this singer, his voice, his passion, Ilie mou separakalo freaked me out even as a child, the odddest song I had ever heard.

I became completely engulfed by Dalara and his music, seeing him for the first time in 1986 at the Royal Albert Hall (however I was so freaked out at being in the same country (let alone room) with the man himself), I can not recall much from the concert apart form a simple orchestra and singing Stin Anatoli (Yianniotika, Smurnoitka, Politika) as the final song of the first intermission. It blew my brains out - literally-.

Well I have been a loyal fan since, not looking back for a moment, of course we have all had to adapt and change with Dalara as his style has changed over the past 20 years.

Long may the big D Continue.

I look forward to corresponding with all of you.

[Christo 9]

First

I'd like say thank you to timonieris for posting and replying to my topic

2nd I wasn't sure if I was going to leave it in here for very long

as after 143 views, it's pretty sad when no one else wants to keep it going. More so how lame it feels even posting it the 1st time

around.

Maybe I'm making more out of it then I should

but then again, how would you feel after writing something personal and none of the other members but 1 wants to reply

[celeste 0]

Don't get upset, I guess people (or at least the old members) already wrote down their Dalaras first experience. As for me, I remember hearing his name when I was living in Greece but when I came back to Portugal, after a couple of years or more, I offered a cd for Xmas to my then husband and I guess my "addiction" started at that moment.

P.S: I have to confess the addiction came more when I joined the forum and managed to hear more of his songs, since I couldn't get much Dalaras in Portugal.

[Apostolis 2,082]

Christo, there is need to get upset. I want to remind you these very similar topics:

How I became addicted

Your 1st Concert experience

your first concert

Remembering the first song

So, as you can see, this topic has already been discussed fully. And as you can see, two of these topics have been started by you. There is no need to open a new thread. If anyone wants to say his opinion on this matter, he/she can do it in one of the previous threads.

I hope you can understand me and didnt get me wrong.

[Christo 9]

Thank you Apostolis and to Celeste

I didn't realize that there were that many threads already open as alot of them seem to disappear over time.

I guess I was getting upset over nothing

but when you're in the dark, it does feel alittle bit strange

not knowing why you're being left out behind

thanks for enlightening me Apostolis

no longer mad

and maybe I will leave it up afterall

as it doesn't look to be silly anymore not too

[Apostolis 2,082]

OK Christo.

So, I'm closing this topic, so everyone can continue to write their experiences at the old topic.

Remembering the first song

Christo, timonieri and Celeste, could you please rewrite your posts in the other topic, so I can delete this one?!!