.........LP

Tues. night, concert. Many of us met for dinner at Mr. Lucky's, a restuarant in the HRH right next to the Joint. We celebrated Lauren's b-day, ice cream with candle, a gift and her now priceless birthday card!! My husband and I left the group early to get t-shirts before the show. They had the same t-shirts as last year, black and white versions of the cover of "Love Songs". There was also a very lame design in red, black and green, some bit-map illustration of a gypsy fan which looked more like a deck of cards and Gipsy Kings on it, I bought one anyway. Geez, they need my help!! We had second row seats right behind Georgia and L & B, smack in front of Canut. The rows are so close to the stage you can barely stand up. Just folding chairs strapped together to make rows. The concert started a little late as the audience was slow in getting in. Too busy buying drinks.

I have to get on a soap box here and just say that I prefer venues where there is no smoking and drinking. The smoke makes the room hazy and harder to see them on stage. A jerk sitting next to my husband ordered drinks in the middle of Montana!! I had the waitress leaning over me as he asked her about imported beers. I told him to PICK ONE!! and then I wedged myself between them to end the transaction. I almost picked it for him to just get them away from me. The waitress was so apologetic, but it ruined my favorite song, and just inches from Canut!!

I found that sitting so close, the sound is projected over you. Like Bob said, I too mostly heard unamplified sound. I heard Nicolas better as he was on the other side. Bob does such a great job describing the songs, I'll leave it to him. I thought that the new material was more like "Compas" than anything traditional. It's just better material. It was very upbeat, party music. While some did have a little middle-eastern arrangement, I didn't find them to be a return to their roots sort of thing. I liked them very much. Can't wait for the new CD!! What made the concert for me was I got lots of smiles from Patchai, a nice one from Canut and more than one from Tonino, "Senor Serioso'!! Never having sat closer than row 15, this made the experience so much fun!! They had seen us, talked to some of us and it was nice to get the recognition from them on stage. Some woman came up to Georgia's side with a mylar baloon on a stick and a rose to give to Canut and he passed the balloon back to her, shaking his head that he didn't want it. When Bamboleo started a "bimbo" jumped on stage from the center to dance and the one with the balloon did too. The security guy standing in front of us was in hot pursuit and picked her up and whisked her off the stage, thank God!! Paul and Canut have to deal with this all the time since they are positioned at the sides. No wonder Canut tends to be less friendly and sometimes stands back.

Victoria

As mentioned previously, I got a photo of the GK's own playlist. Here's what it listed (exactly as written on it):

AMIWAWA
LLEVA ME COMPAS
JOBI JOBA
TONINO #2
UN AMOR
LA NEGRA
BAILA ME
GITANO
TODOS TODOS
PORO POMPERO
---------
TONINO
QUIERO LIBERTAD
CAMPANA SUENA
LA MONTANA
SALSA
GITANA MAURA
POCO A POCO
A TU VERA
MAJIOUI
BAMBOLEO
---------
PORO POMPERO

...Bob

A couple of things about the concert that I noticed other than Patchai being his usual flirtatious self, was that I think Afsin had said something about them having name tags on their guitars, of the four I could see Patchai's had "Pat," Georges had "Baule." Victoria had mentioned about the bimbo jumping up on stage, I noticed Canut's expression of disgust, also that he really doesn't like all the screaming and whistling as it really bothers his ears. Nicola seemed a bit "distressed" is the only word that comes to mind (passing the torch, concentrating on his voice) I'm not really sure what he was thinking, but my heart went out to him, but when he sang Un Amor, WOW he's STILL GOT IT.

Karen in Colorado

The concert was FANTASTIC - the best performance of the 3 I've seen. Although Michael and George were on tour last year, this year they really seemed to be "part of the group", and they certainly appeal to the paya bimbos....speaking of which, Jasmyn and I were sitting together (with othe list members nearby) - when three young women wearing more makeup than clothing slithered past and into the front row. Jasmyn and I looked at each other and, in unison, said "paya bimbos", then broke out laughing. Nicolas was in great voice - you could almost hear the hearts breaking when he sang Un Amor. I was a little further off to the left than the year before, and had a diffcult time making eye contact with any of the band, except Paul - he's such a flirt!

THe new songs -- well, you've already heard about them. We all await the new CD anxiously!!!

Nikki

What more can I say?! I want to go to another GK concert?? Anyone going to Atlantic City to the Gipsy Kings on Sept 4 & 5 at the Tropicana?? I plan to go. Let's get together for another GK Fiesta!! "Are you ready Atlantic City??" ..... :)

The GK concert in Las Vegas was Excellent!! Nicolas and the band just poured out their hearts and souls to the audience. Everyone was on their feet dancing in their seats & in the aisles! The Joint was jumpin' and smokin! It was the BEST GK concert I have seen so far. Have seen the GK 6 times since 1996!! They are the Best Band!!

It was a great pleasure to meet so many GKML members, and to make new friends. Thank you Bob and Lauren to putting the GKML together! Love you guys! You are the best!

It was so overwhelming!! Had a GREAT time with everyone...especially the Gipsy Kings!! Just love them all! They are the very BEST!!!

Love and Kisses
Glitz Glamour Las Vegas!
Lydia

A truly memorable show. Nicolas's voice was in top form. He sang "Mira Itana Mora" with such passion. Mira Itana Mora happens to be my favorite side. I was totally in sync with every note he sang and I had internalized it to the deepest part of me. Duende!!! Nicolas voice was intenso!!! OLE Nicolas!!!!!

I was close enough to the stage, where I could even hear Pablo's voice. He has a very nice voice. Actually, I had wished he would do some solos. I like his sounds. He is muy guapo...... ;D

Since I was sitting stage right, row 2 seat 4, I was in front of Pablo, and Andre. My view was limited, however I could clearly see Nicolas.

Nikki, Juliet, Lydia, Joyce, Claudia and I were rumba-ing and swaying to the vella musica de ritmo. We were all grooving to the music. Nikki and I at one point looked at each other nodded and laugh, we both blurted out at the same time "BIMBOLAYAS".

The first half was wonderful, but the second half. %{ The bimbolayas from hell came out of the woodworks. Sheesh, what a nusiance! I don't mind people having a good time and all but there was this one chica who couldn't be satisfied standing in the front row, she had to get up on the chair and block everyone's view. I didn't much appreciate her "girdled encased BUTT" in my face. I nudged her several times to move. The security wimps finally came. He told her and others who were standing on the chairs to get down from the chair and he made some of the bimbolayas go back to their seat (from the standing room area). By then I had gotten out of the groove with the music. I was so much annoyed. I came to hear the music not some chica screaming Negritos OR Miguels name. I came to see the GK's perform not some chica who couldn't keep compas and thinking she was doing zapeteado when she was doing "western tap dance". From a dancer point of view, I was embarassed for her. I would of like to have seen "bailarin" instead of some flacka doing nada. I'm getting to the point, of not wanting to attend anymore concerts like this. It's really a drag!!! JAURIA HUMANOS!!!!

Now back to the music, this was the first time I heard a horn in their music, LIVE, that is. I couldn't make out who was playing the horn (or was it a sythesized horn?) all I could think of, was Jeff tooting alongside with the GK's. If there were new plays, I wasn't able to recognize them since all the music started to flow into each other. I couldn't really hear it with some of the bimbolaya's screaming. The percussionist held a steady sycopated beat which I gravitated towards. YAHLLAH HABIBI!

Miguel at one point danced a salsa step. Ay, and here I thought Patachi had the moves. 8D I see the next generation is up-in-coming. I give them a year or seven before they really take over. Larga vida a la lineo de sangre de los Reyes y de Bailardos!!! ;D

My overrall take on this particular concert was as if one was "listening to some beautiful sounds with a unfortunate deep scratch to it." ;D ;) %( ;D

Next year in Francia o Espana! Ole!

Jasmyn