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Sarbel rocks the Cyprus Wine Festival in London
Tens of thousands had descended onto North London's Alexander Palace.
Sarbel had given an excellent performance in his debut concert in London to thousands of ecstatic spectators with music as varied as ballads, dance, ethno pop, laika, and tsiftetelia.
The London Cypriot star had sung their massive summer hit 'To Kalokairi Ayto' which has occupied the No.1 chart position on the LGR TOP 20.
His Eurovision hit 'Yassou Maria', 'Sokolata', 'Se Pira Sovara' and 'Taxe Mou' as well as cover versions to Michalis Hatzigiannis's 'Pio Poly/Heria Spila', Onirama, Dionisis Makris (Apolausi) and Nikos Vertis's 'Mono Gia Sena'.
Sarbel's dad Elias had sung a surprise song of Stelios Kazantides.
The LGR had covered the Cyprus Wine Festival with live simultaneous coverage - in a first for the UK's premier Cypriot radio station. The whole performance of Sarbel - a good 1.5 hours - was broadcast live on Sunday's finale at 7.15pm.
"My performance at the Cyprus Wine Festival is my chance to give something back to my community" (Sarbel) "I'm glad to be home!"
Tens of thousands of visitors had descended onto the North London's Alexander Palace over the two-day extravaganza. Cypriots, from all over London, and elsewhere from Birmingham and Berkshire had made the short distance trip to the capital, a quite significant turn-out was also made by non-Cypriots who love all things Cyprus!
The artist was quite visibly emotional on their opening salvo, on the Saturday night when following a brief delay in the programme, caused by excessive crowd numbers, Sarbel had eventually taken to the stage at 10pm. His strong reaction was off-set by the sea of crowds that had engulfed the Great Hall.
Unlike the previous years, the doors to Alexander Palace had been closed temporarily, to the public at large, to avoid concerns on security, health and fire considerations. The entertainment had fully resumed with hundreds being deprived of their chance to catch a mere glimpse of the male artist's British premiere. Such was the mammoth popularity of the Cypriot festival this year.
Sarbel had a generous schedule, where they exhibited their fondness for Greek music.
The act had even likened his father's passion for the good, laiko song, to his own affectionate inclination for this genre, addressing the assembled fans, he stated, "perhaps in the future, I will develop the type of strong attachment to the laiko, as my dad possesses". Elias, a staunch advocate of his son's achievement, gave a song rendition at the end of the programme.
London's Greek hit music station had a particularly strong representation at the festival - where listeners could mingle with the radio personalities and take away, some prized merchandise in car-stickers and key-rings, which of course sold-out! LGR cool t-shirts are available to buy at the office of the LGR House!
Also performing on both days was Cypriot dance group Vasilitzia together with singer Koullis Theodorou. There will be performances from some of our community stars including singers from 'The Cypriot CD' George Gerasimos, Andreas Liotaris (bouzoukia), Seismos, George Polyniki, Pavlos Karageorgis, traditional Cypriot dances by Asteria and belly dancing by Nafoura.
Host throughout the two-day extravaganza was Parikiaki's George Michaelides.
The official opening of the festival had taken place on on Saturday with the speech address by the Cypriot Minister of Commerce and Industry, Antonis Paschalides.
There were over 100 stands for visitos to wonder around and look at. Among them are Aristo Developers, Cyprus Tourism Organisation, Treasured Moments, Varosi Lettings & Estates, Cyplon Holidays, Stevie Gowns, Archway Sheel Metal Works, Born Free Holidays, Greek City, CYTA UK, Costco Wholesale UK, Buzz 2000, Laiki Bank, thecypriotstore.com, Trehantiri, The Property Centre, Move to Cyprus, MC Developers, LOEL, KEO, ETKO and SODAP, and many more.
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