Istanbul concert

Returning to Turkey after a space of 16 months, Tarkan sung his songs adored by women all over the world, behind the stage got an army haircut and by sunrise he ate durum* at the Boğaz. Coloured by Tarkan's erotic dancers, the concert's revenue will be for the earthquake victims. * durum is a Turkish dish

ISTANBUL - Living outside of the country for over a year, and facing the point of losing his Turkish citizenship due to military service difficulties, the famous pop singer Tarkan, with an "a-acayip" concert, performed the "first of his patriotic duties". Last year, beginning with France, Tarkan, who taught the women of so many different countries to send kisses in his own inimitable style, has said that "I cannot frustrate my overseas contracts" as an explanation for not enrolling for military service and this scenario has paved the way for the arguments concerning whether Tarkan was a star representing Turkey outside her boundaries, or whether he was simply an army deserter.	Returning to Turkey after a period of 16 months, Tarkan last night gave a concert at Yeşilköy's Mydonose Showland, filled with three thousand people. Tarkan's fans assembled to greet him with written placards such as "The greatest soldier is our soldier" and "I came from Kocaeli (an area hit by the earthquake) for you". However, due to high ticket prices, the seven thousand capacity enormous tent was noticable half empty. The revenue of the tickets, sold at 15, 20, 30 and 45 million lira, will be donated to the The Pious Foundation of the Turkish Education Volunteers, where it will be used to further their work in the earthquake region.

Held at the 7 thousand large Mydonose Showland, the concert tickets, priced at 15, 20, 30 and 45 million lira, only managed to sell 3 thousand. Coming on stage in a white suit of clothes, accompanied by chants of "Yaylalar Yaylalar", Tarkan during the costume change had his hair shorn off.

Appearing on stage in a white suit of clothes, accompanied by the chants of "Yaylalar Yaylalar" (song/ballad used as a chant by soldiers while in military training), Tarkan opened the concert with "Unutmamalı". Images of the disaster areas on multivision system accompanied the song. Speaking out to his fans with the words "I still can't	believe I'm in Turkey, six beautiful dancers partnered him on stage. Singing 18 of his pieces at the concert, Tarkan fused the watchers with the well-known song "Şımarık". Leaving the stage to the alluring erotic moves of the dancers, Tarkan disappeared only to reappear supporting an army haircut.

Appearing on stage the night before together with six young dancers, Tarkan will join the Malatya Altay Private Chauffeur Education Regiment tomorrow evening. Mustafa Sandal is among Tarkan's soldier comrades.	Amongst those found befriending Tarkan on his farewell night were Şişli District's President Mustafa Sarıgül, artists Gülben Ergen, Selami Şahin and Erol Aksoy. The Minister of Culture, Istemihan Talay, did not come to the concert but congratulated Tarkan by telegram. During the time Tarkan had remained outside of Turkey, he had been mentioned as an "ambassador of culture" by the Ministry of Culture and an "army deserter" by the Ministry of Defense.

The security crisis experienced during the artist's arrival in Turkey was also the reason for the unsightly arguments during the concert. After the first song, a few of those journalists that had been forcefully escorted out by security personnel, gathered at the door and protested the concert. Tarkan, who gained approval throughout the night with his on stage performance, after the concert's end, like any youth of Istanbul enjoying its night-life until the early hours of morning, ended his night by eating durum. Taking in a durum-ayran meal in Arnavutköy, Tarkan expressed how he had missed this taste in New York!	The magazine press, wishing to view Tarkan in the army, pictured here eating durum after the concert, filled up the Malatya Altınkayısı Hotel.

Turkish newspaper Radikal, January 16, 2000.
With a special thanks to Ali Yıldırım for the translation.
You're one in a million, Ali!