Michael Jackson in Tenerife: The night 50,000 fans saw a legend

On 26 September 1993, Santa Cruz de Tenerife experienced one of those nights remembered more as a collective event than a mere concert. Michael Jackson performed on the esplanade of the capital’s port, next to Plaza de España, as part of his Dangerous Tour, before a crowd that local sources estimate at around 50,000 people. Media outlets in the Canary Islands agree that this recital was a milestone in the musical history of the archipelago.

A staggering turnout

The attendance figure is one of the most striking details: 49,930 spectators. A general admission ticket cost 5,000 pesetas, and El País, in its report the following day, noted that around 1,500 people paid 10,000 pesetas for special seats. The project seemed almost impossible. Diario de Avisos recalls that Santa Cruz was celebrating the 500th anniversary of its founding that year, but the city council was in a very fragile financial position. Even so, the concert went ahead thanks to the involvement of local promoters, the role of the then mayor José Emilio García Gómez, and the work of figures such as Pepe Chiyah, Valentín Álvarez, and Víctor Dubois. According to the same outlet, the contract was finalised after the initial possibility arose from Jackson’s European tour and contacts with the company Dorna.

A logistical marvel for the Canaries

The logistics were extraordinary for the Canary Islands. The Dangerous production moved 62 trailers, and part of the equipment arrived on two large Antonov 124 aircraft. Another plane also landed carrying 268 members of the production team. The cost is equally impressive when viewed in hindsight. The concert was insured for 300 million pesetas, and in a later report, promoter Valentín Álvarez estimated the final cost at around 327 million pesetas. The artist’s fee alone was said to be 250 million, to which were added royalties, transport, hotels, insurance, and production costs.

The King of Pop arrives on the island

Jackson arrived in Tenerife on 25 September at Los Rodeos Airport, where he was greeted by children dressed in traditional Canarian costume. Diario de Avisos recalls that he then travelled to the Hotel Botánico in Puerto de la Cruz, and his presence sparked unprecedented excitement on the island. Onda Cero Canarias adds that he occupied an entire floor of the hotel, and that Loro Parque closed for a private visit by the artist.

The night itself

The concert night began with the introduction of Carmina Burana and the visual spectacle typical of the Dangerous Tour. El País placed the start time at 10:15 pm and described a performance marked by rain, the impressive stage production, and the sense of being at an unrepeatable event. Diario de Avisos, for its part, emphasises that the show marked a before and after for major artists coming to the Canary Islands, although it also acknowledges that bringing international productions to the islands remained challenging.

A legacy remembered

Thirty years later, the memory of the concert was revived in the documentary ‘Guess Who Performed That Night’ (Adivina quién actuó esa noche), broadcast by Televisión Canaria and presented at TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes. More than just a concert, Michael Jackson’s night in Tenerife was a demonstration that the Canary Islands could, if only for a few hours, stand at the centre of the world’s entertainment stage.

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Michael Jackson in Tenerife: The night 50,000 fans saw a legend