ANNUAL rEport 2008 - Tivoli

Well-established, Danish bands attract
the largest crowds
Concert promoters all over Denmark have felt it: it has become
more difficult to successfully set up a large concert.
Artists’ fees have gone up and the number of concerts on
offer is enormous. Every town has its festival, each local
area in Denmark wants to make its mark with at least one
major international name every year. tivoli has also felt
this trend affect its Friday rock; but having said that, the
summer nevertheless saw many highlights.
When it comes to attracting the crowds, it is often the long-established,
Danish names such as Dodo & The Dodos and TV2 that
count. Also the Kashmir concert was considered a success by both
the audience and reviewers, and another, but newer band, Alphabeat,
which has also made an international name for itself, created
concert magic under the sky at Tivoli.
International performers this summer included Michael MacDonald
and Flaming Lips, while, unfortunately, Mary J. Blige had to cancel
her concert and was replaced by the Danish band The Storm. Due
to this cancellation, among other things, it was another American
singer who attracted most attention. Chaka Khan performed on the
Open Air Stage in connection with the Jazz Festival attracting many
old and new fans for a rendezvous with some of the greatest hits of
the 80s. Also Maceo Parker performed on the Open Air Stage during
the Jazz Festival. The Tivoli Big Band, which plays daily at the Harmony
Pavilion, has found its second home on the Open Air Stage.
During the Jazz Festival, concerts were held with Karen Busck and
Sinne Eeg, respectively, as soloists, and throughout the peak season
the Big Band played for the Saturday Swing Time with different
soloists.
Other musical performances on the Open Air Stage worth mentioning
include the Radio Voice Day on 22 September when - in spite
of rain throughout the day, Tivoli attracted 18,160 visitors and the
hit music of the day sounded from the Open Air Stage. One of the
performers was Martin, the X Factor winner, who chose to hold the
release concert for his first album on the Open Air Stage. At the other
end of the scale, the 60th anniversary of the Danish children’s songbook
“De små synger” was celebrated with performing children from
the Sct. Annæ singing school.
Four Jacks with success
“Åh, den vej til Mandala-ay” they sang with chocolicious harmonies,
and the audience was swept away by memories and
enthusiasm for the musical show Four Jacks at the Glass Hall
which paid tribute to the great Danish vocal quartet of the 50s.
Keld Heick, Jesper Lohman, Stig Rossen and Jesper Asholt revived
the old hits telling the stories of the ups and downs of the quartet,
as a group and as human individuals. The Tivoli Big Band accompanied
them. The show opened the Tivoli season in April and then
had to give way to Søren Østergaard’s Tivoli Variety show. However,
Four Jacks returned in the late summer and again performed for a
full house; moreover, a DVD was recorded. The quartet will return in
2009.
In 2008 the Tivoli Variety had invited Peter Frødin on stage alongside
Sidse Babett Knudsen and Søren Østergaard, who have both been recurring
figures of the successful show. A DVD has also been recorded
from this show featuring familiar and new characters including three
guitar-playing sisters. The Frans Bak Orchestra set the show to music.
Four Jacks attracted an audience of 24,805, while 50,073 tickets
were sold to Søren Østergaard’s Tivoli Variety show.
ANNUAL rEport 2008
18
I remember the year because:
”I had a round birthday, and my colleagues and
tivoli gave me the most incredible day: I was really
moved.”
Lene S. Michaelsen, Team Leader,
Service and Ticket Centre