Another spectacular show…
Like many others, I went to Benidorm Palace last Sunday to see the incredible ‘What’s Love Got To Do With? – A tribute to Tina Turner show. Initially it was just going to be an evening show but such was the demand for tickets ( it sold out super quick), they put on a second matinee performance – the one I attended.
Over the years Christine Climent has done an incredible job bringing over such a variety of talent from the UK for us to enjoy here in Benidorm. I often wondered, with the cabaret bars here awash with tribute artistes whether there’d be a market for it – but looking at the packed-out venue speaks for itself ! Mind you, these shows are a full-on professional production – not that I am knocking the guys here, but it is on a different level. In recent years I particularly enjoyed Walk Like a Man – the Jersey Boys tribute and Roy Orbison but Christine has also had the real McCoy here too. Mersey Beats, Swinging Blue Jeans, The Foundations, The Fortunes, The Manfreds etc. When the listings appear I always tell my husband that I don’t know them but then when I google and have a listen always go ‘Oh Yes, I know that one and that one ” … repeatedly!
I managed to speak to Elesha Paul Moses, the lady behind Tina Turner during the sound checks that morning. The group flew in the night before and I told her how lucky that the show wasn’t the previous weekend, explaining about the ferocious storm we experienced! Many of the artistes that perform in these oneoff specials don’t fly in until the actual day and although normally an evening performance, it’s leaving things rather tight if there would be any delays or diversions – French air traffic controllers spring to mind. They always have a habit of putting a spanner in the works when you least expect it! In fact, they were at it again during the week, going out on strike from 7pm on Tuesday until 6.30am yesterday. No doubt there will once again be a spate over the Easter and most definitely summer holidays ruining families breaks!
Elesha is from Farnborough and also performs as Whitney Houston with a ‘Queen of the Night’ show - she was in Woking on Friday evening with that and been doing Whiney and Tina for around 5 years now. It is her first time here to the resort and they had Monday morning to explore, flying back to the UK in the late afternoon. She performs all across the UK and also been out in Europe – in fact they spent New Year’s Eve in Madiera, then went onto Poland, Dublin dotted in between with gigs in the UK. She has been singing for as long as she can remember, but seriously from around 16 years old in girl groups and progressed from there. She has performed backing vocals for some big names including Lionel Richie and also writes her own music.
Television credits include XFactor, The Voice, Top of the Pops,, The Ian Wright Show and GMTV. In 2008 she travelled to Serbia to perform backing vocals for Andy Abrahams in the Eurovision Song Contest, representing the UK. In 2010 Elesha got through to the final rounds of X Factor and was thrilled to reach judges houses in Louie Walsh’s over 25’s category – the year that Matt Cardle won. Following that she was invited to apply for The Voice in 2013 and went on to Will I Am’s team, getting through to the battle round where her journey ended. But not put off she returned again the following year and secured a place on Team Tom, sadly dropping out in the battle round but what an experience it was for her.
They travel as a group – live band plus two backing singers and she sings over 20 songs in a 2 hour show plus quick costume changes. One of the biggest venues she has performed at was an open air concert in Greenwich, London in front of thousands but surprisingly she finds those easier than smaller intimate venues. Her dream – and every girl has to have one, is to perform in Las Vegas but said every venue she performs at is a dream and blessing really. Growing up she listened to the likes of Beyonce and Whitney – surprisingly not Tina. She was singing in Cyprus, doing Whitney and they asked her to do a Tina, but felt too young. She went away then over the years realised quite how big Tina was and the rest is history but says in hindsight she wishes she taken note all those years ago.
Next up at the Palace is The Magic of Motown at the end of March and for Elvis fans, the 3 day Elvis Fest finishes with all the Elvis tribute artistes performing a closing show, which is on Sunday, April 26.
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