Lovers of the music of the 1980s will have a unique opportunity to let their hair down in the Algarve this summer, thanks to the return of names such as Elvis Costello, Joe Cocker, Lloyd Cole, Brian Ferry and even Boney M, who are getting on a bit. The joint effect of the recently created Allgarve programme and other events that regularly feature during the Algarve summer mean that there will be a wealth of concerts by some old stars over the next two months.

The series of events with most stars from the 1980s will be the Allgarve Edition, a programme by the Portuguese Tourism Institute, which will be bringing Bryan Ferry (Vila Sol, 29th July), Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint Band (Lake Resort, 31st July) to the region. The same programme is bringing the Mexican singer Lila Downs (Praia de Quarteira, 24th July) Lloyd Cole (Royal Golf Courses, 3rd August), Vaya com Dios - Acoustic Featuring Dani Lein (Marina de Albufeira, 5th August) and Vicente Amigo (Old Centre of Albufeira, 8th August) to the Algarve.

Compared with what you can pay in some places, the prices are attractive, ranging from 15 euros (Vicente Amigo) to 20 euros for the right to see Vaya con Dios, Lloyd Cole and Lila Downs and 30 euros for Brian Ferry and Elvis Costello.

To see Boney M, kings of disco music in the 70s and 80s, you will need a ticket to the famous handicrafts fair Fatacil in Lagoa, where the American group will be performing on 26th August.

The Cuban group Orishas (27th August) and the Portuguese band Xutos e Pontapés (19th August) are some of the other names that have been announced for what is claimed to be the “biggest handicrafts fair south of the Tejo”.

In addition to the names that have already been announced for this festival (Mafalda Arnauth on 21st August, Santos e Pecadores on 22nd, Tony Carreira on 23rd and Marco Paulo on 25th August), one of the major events in Portuguese music during the summer in the Algarve will be a special concert by Camané and Carlos do Carmo, with the Sinfonieta de Lisboa, who will be performing in the Loulé Municipal Park.

But there will also be two worthy representatives of the former glories of the music of the final decades of the 20th century in Lionel Ritchie (Pine Cliffs Resort, Albufeira, on 1st August at 7 pm) and Joe Cocker (Faro motorbike rally on 21st July).

In contrast, the Luso-Canadian Nelly Furtado will be representing more recent pop music during the Algarve summer, with a concert on 8th August in the historical centre of Albufeira, with tickets costing 35 and 40 euros.

In the realm of dance, the Teatro Municipal de Faro will once again be hosting Joaquin Cortés (11th August), with his show Mi Soledad.

The return of the master of flamenco is part of the "Festival La Línea", a celebration of Latin dance and music which will be taking place at the same venue from 8th to 24th August.

Still with dance, but returning to the 1980s, from 27th July to 3rd August you’ll be able to get nostalgic for that old TV series “Fame”, with the staging of a recreation conceived and developed by David De Silva, based on a script adapted by José Fernandez, with music by Steve Margoshes and lyrics by Jacques Levy.

In the same festival, the Irish group "Spirit of the Dance" will be performing (15th August), and there will be performances of the opera "Don Giovanni" (17th August) and "Madame Butterfly" (18th and 19th August).

Also in the classical genre, the cantata "Carmina Burana" under the programme Allgarve Edition, will be one of the highlights of the season, with performances on 14th, 15th and 16th July at the Teatro Municipal de Faro.

source: Algarve Observer