X Factor contestants sing at Banus Bullring

The Puerto Banus Bullring was carpeted in red for the arrival of  past X Factor contestants, Alexandra Burke and Jamie Archer and Britain’s Got Talent star dance group, Diversity.

Photography Gary Edwards

After the controversy of the cancelled Faithless concert a few weeks ago by it’s promotors Kings of Production, tongues were wagging as to whether the Rockin’ Marbella music promotors would be able to come up with the goods. In fact, those doubters need not have worried as all permits were in place at the Banus Bullring and the artists were evidently paid to perform. But perhaps the Faithless incident had an ill effect on ticket sales of the X Factor event? Unlike the recent sell-out Seal Concert in the Marbella Bullring, and Bjorn Again with about 3,000 people in the audience, the X Factor didn’t attract as expected. Maybe price too was a reason for the less than half filled venue. VIP tickets were priced at 400€ which gave permission to pass into a cordoned off, meter high raised area where Champagne and canapes were served through out the concert. The least expensive entrance was 50€, and 100€ to be in the centre or to get to the front of stage. With no subsidy for children, the ones who fill the front row at X Factor concerts, a family of five would have been shelling out 500€.

Diversity

The Dance group Diversity were the first of the headlines to perform. The group shot to fame on the 2009 Britain’s Got Talent TV series, winning the competition, beating Susan Boyle who was 2nd in the final. Ashley Banjo, lead choreographer, heads the group of dancers whose ages range from 15 to 28. Many of the children in the Banus audience listed Diversity as their favourite of the performers, but were surprised to see that 15 minutes was the total of their performance on stage. Some missed the performance completely as late arrivals were plentiful.

The Scarletz

Billed as being the ‘Hottest new Girl Band’ with intentions of filling the charts with their Ska inspired music, Bryony, Claire, Katiya and Tahnee are as sweet as sugar. Their music inspired by Madness and the Specials, is probably not Suggs’s cup of tea and he may find the sound and vision a little hard to swallow. With a repertoire of about 5 songs, at one point on being asked by a band member, “What are we singing next?”, one of the girls replied “I don’t know!”. Unfortunately, the young girls, pretty and fun as they are, were not greeted with much enthusiasm by the audience who rather unnecessarily booed them after their performance and again at the end of the gig when the announcer asked for a cheer for Scarletz rather than a boo.

Alexandra Burke

With only her 22nd birthday a few days away, Alexandra Burke has certainly achieved a great deal in her short career. Winning the fifth series of The X Factor, she soon became a World record holder selling the most singles in a 24 hour period, a staggering 105,000 copies of her single Hallelujah which went on to be the 2008 number one. Alexandra gave a confident performance in Banus, her training with The X Factor showing what true professionals are capable of producing. Songs included the single Hallelujah, Bad Boys and a Michael Jackson tribute.

Jamie Archer

It would be true to say that chap from Putney, London was the saviour of the evening in terms wowing the crowd. Singing Sex on Fire from Kings of Leon, his favourite rock song and countless other covers, Jamie lifted the audience out of their seats like none of his predecessors that evening had done. It has been said on one website that Jamie saw Jimi Hendrix in concert as a child, although as Jamie was born six years after the guitar hero died, that is a little hard to believe. Still, sporting a similar Afro hair style, he played several tracks with his guitar. Another rumour that Jamie is Leo Sayer’s son is not at all true. Jamie’s father, William Archer, is from Guyana in South America. Jamie reached 7th place in the 2009 X Factor series with his mentor Simon Cowell. Joe McEldery from South Shields was the winner that year, but it seems that Jamie is making as much of an impact on the music scene, if not more than his counterpart. His performance and his enthusiasm was full of energy. Happy to be in Marbella Jamie said that the Banus Bullring was the best Venue he had ever played at.

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