16
Entertainment
CoastRider
CoastRider
- Edition 569
- Edition
- October
470 20th
- March
2015
5thwww.coastridersl.com
2013
Back Stage with Zodiac Duo
This week Artists Direct-Spain caught up with Zodiac
Duo during their hectic schedule. These two boys love
nothing more than entertaining and strutting their stuff
all across the Costa Blanca. They have regular bookings
in several Hotels in the Benidorm area and also travel to
Torrevieja and surrounding areas for parties and regular
gigs. Gary and Keith are real life partners and it was really
entertaining just chatting to them. They can be booked
direct at artistsdirect-spain.com
Wh o are you and what do you do?
We’re Duo Zodiac, a vocal harmony two boy duo,
working on the Costa Blanca for 14 years now. Our
music styles range from 1950’s to about 2000’s, from
dance music to show songs, We love to mix and match to
suit the audience we are entertaining at the time, we
also love to involve our audience and work with them
and of course entertain !!
How did you start in the business?
Gary is from Weymouth, Dorset and has been in the
business for 34 years since 1981, starting in a trio called
The Grahames in Weymouth, Dorset, then moved to
Blackpool in the early 90’s to form a successful duo
called 2nd Dimension, then met Keith and moved to
Spain in 2001 to become Duo Zodiac.
Keith is from Nottingham but has
lived in many different parts of the
UK including Bournemouth and
Brighton, then had a business in
Blackpool
called
‘Karena
Guesthouse’ which is where Keith
and Gary met in 2001, when they
moved to Spain and the rest is
history.
What would you be doing if you
were not an entertainer?
Gary says; I don’t know as I’ve
always been in the entertainment
business from leaving school.
Keith says; Running a bar or hotel.
As an entertainer who has been
your biggest influence?
This is a difficult one to answer
because we have a mixed repertoire
and from many genres. We feel that
every artiste has an influence on you,
one way or another.
Do you ever get nervous or have you suffered
stage fright?
No not now, we treat it as fun night, doing something
we love.
What was your best moment?
When you know you’ve done your job and the
audience really appreciate you and thank you with
lovely comments at the end that means so much.
What has been your worst moment?
When you get a crowd or few people that are really
drunk, they think they can do your job and of course
think you’re miming.
What’s the best piece of advice you have received
or would give someone starting out in the business?
Listen to your fans, always do songs and material that
people love, not what you like, always show that you
enjoy your job, always be yourself and down to earth.
Any little anecdotes or interesting stories?
Hahaha... hmmm... make sure your flies on your
trousers are done up when you go on stage, for the guys
we mean.
After Hours at NEW TAVERN, SAN MIGUEL
Tell us about yourselves
My name is Ian and I own and manage
the New Tavern. We are a bar/restaurant
in the centre of San Miguel. I have been
here 4 years and previously spent 6 years
doing a variety of jobs here in Spain.
What made you open a bar?
I was working here along with my wife
and daughter and one day the previous
owner just decided to up and leave with
virtually no word to anyone. We took it
over initially on a temporary basis to keep
it going. Shortly afterwards the
opportunity came along to buy it and so
we did. Originally we ran it as a family but
these days it is just me. Fortunately
however I have excellent staff around me.
Where did the inspiration for the
name come from?
Before coming here I worked at
another bar called ‘The Tavern.’ I liked the
name so this became ‘The New Tavern.’
Who does the cooking? And how
would you describe your style?
My chef is Donna. She cooks mainly
traditional English food as most of our
customers are from the UK. Fortunately
our Spanish regulars have developed a
taste for it as well. We have weekly steak
nights with ‘meal-deal’ offers, for which
we normally put on live entertainment. A
very popular feature is the courtesy minibus service I provide where I pick up and
drop off people from anywhere within a
15-kilometre radius. It means a lot to
customers to be able to enjoy a drink with
their meal and not have to worry about
driving home afterwards.
What’s your favourite dish on the
menu?
I love Donna’s Sunday carvery. You
have a choice from 4 meats and 7
vegetables. All this plus a drink for only
€7.50 by the way. The courtesy bus
service is in operation for this as well.
Favourite day of the week?
I have to say Sunday as I get a chance
to enjoy the carvery, which is normally
from 1.00 until 4.00. It is also the only day
that we normally close early so I can look
forward to a breather.
Any interesting tales?
We have a team here that competes in
the local pool league. We had an away
fixture against another bar and off they
went in the minibus to play them. About
20 minutes after they left I received a
frantic phone call to say that they had
been stopped by the Guardia, who were
obviously on high alert, forced off the bus
and searched at gunpoint. They were
allowed to continue once it was apparent
that they weren’t the ones they were
looking for. Very traumatic for them at the
time of course but so funny looking back.
We still joke about how the opposition
must have been really desperate to beat
us if they had to resort to such extreme
measures!
You can find out more about what is
going on at The New Tavern on whatsoncostablanca.com website or book tables
direct on tel : 966 194 121/622 231 485