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Another big light went out this week when Antonio Riera Costa,
known to his pals as, Toni Talayas, passed away on Monday, 4th March, aged 68
years and he was buried the next day in the cementary here in San Antonio. Toni
Talayas was larger than life in many ways and an eccentric character who went
about his colourful way of life as if there were never a tomorrow and lived his
valuable time to the very full. Lots of folk will remember
Toni as the excellent chef for who for many a year ran the popular late night
restaurant Can Talayas, which can be found at Sa Pedrera up the Can Germa road
that leads out of San Antonio and evenually ends up in the small picturesque village
of Santa Agnés. Can Talayas was also known as the
"Quarry" where MTV amongst many others who put on their musical shows
during the height of our summer season which entertained thousands of people over
the years. This place had been a live music venue since
the middle 1970s when initially a small group of locals got together and put on
an annual Spanish Rock Concert to celebrate the Fiestas de Sant Bartomeu each
summer on the Saint's night of 24th August. I myself have
organized and promoted several gigs during the 1980s and the early 1990s for this
special night at Can Talayas and each and every year it was always a huge event
for everybody to remember. Toni Talayas was one of those
special people who will always be remebered so I thought it would only be appropiate
to write a few words in his honour and to also publish a few photographs to hopefully
help keep this bohemian memory alive.
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| Toni Talayas
having fun
Picture © Gary Hardy (10th July 1992) |
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Toni
Talayas at peace
Picture © Gary Hardy (10th July 1992) |
Toni Talayas getting ready for a gig
Picture © Gary Hardy (22nd August 1991) | |
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| Toni Talayas made
a large rice meal to feed a hundred people
Picture © Gary Hardy (10th
July 1992) | | |
The Mother of
Toni Talayas who died several years ago
Picture © Gary Hardy (10th July
1992) | | |
Toni Talayas happily
together with his Mother
Picture © Gary Hardy (10th July 1992) |
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Toni
Talayas in the white jacket as a team member of the
first Portmany Futbol
team to go by boat and play in Mallorca
Picture 1954
All Pictures
© Gary Hardy | The End of an
Era in Ibiza R.I.P: Antonio Riera Costa had a truly
wonderful and enjoyable time throughout his whole passionate life by constantly
consuming high-quality food with excellent wines in great quantities. I
had the great pleasure during those heady days and nights of the 1970s and 1980s
to experience the thrill of leaving the bravura open air disco Es Paradise at
around 5 o'clock in the morning to drive straight up to Can Talayas to be fed
by the maestro Toni. Toni Talayas took his position very
seriously and had much pride with the top quality food he prepared, cooked and
served to those folk who had been out on the town all night. This is truly the
end of an era in Ibiza. Whenever I now sit down to eat
my main meal of the day with a good bottle of wine, I will always remember Toni
and chuckle as I whisper to myself "BON PROFIT" Talayas.
Gary
Hardy
garyhardy@ibizahistoryculture.com
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