Another big light went out this week when Antonio Riera Costa, known to his pals as, Toni Talayas,  passed away on Monday, 4^th 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 24^th 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.

Toni Talayas having fun Picture © Gary Hardy (10th July 1992)
Toni Talayas at peace Picture © Gary Hardy (10th July 1992)	Toni Talayas getting ready for a gig Picture © Gary Hardy (22nd August 1991)
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)
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
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 excellence wines in great quantities. I had the great pleasure during those heady days and nights of the 1970s and 1980s to experience the trill 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.