Antonis Remos opened his major anniversary concert on the New Waterfront of Thessaloniki with an emotional tribute to Giorgos Mazonakis, days after the singer's death. Remos walked onto the stage visibly moved as a large photograph of Mazonakis appeared on the video wall behind him, then performed "Aniko se Mena" ("I Belong to Myself") in a charged moment that moved the crowd.
The concert, marking 30 years of Remos's career in Greek music, was delayed by roughly two hours before it could begin. It had been scheduled to start at 20:00, but heavy rain hit Thessaloniki shortly after 18:00, raising doubts over whether the show would go ahead at all.
The audience stayed at the venue holding umbrellas as they waited for word from the organisers. Once the concert was finally given the go-ahead, a further problem emerged when a large number of spectators climbed onto the VIP1 platform. Organisers evacuated the platform for safety reasons, adding another delay before the show could start.
A career milestone marked in his home city
Thessaloniki was not chosen at random for the anniversary concert. It is the city where Remos grew up and took his first steps in music.
Entry to the concert was free, with Remos describing the evening as a symbolic way of repaying the love and support he has received from audiences over his 30-year career. The show's central message was "Only once do you turn 30," and it traced a musical journey through songs, memories and collaborations spanning three decades of Remos's presence in Greek music. The venue also included special access for disabled visitors on the left side of the stage.
A large-scale production with 1,200 drones
The anniversary concert was built on a large scale, involving more than 1,000 technicians and 100 musicians and performers. More than 1,000 square metres of LED screens were installed across the site, while 10 giant screens at 10 different locations around Thessaloniki, combined with 30 live-feed cameras, broadcast the concert in high definition.
A major part of the spectacle was a large drone show. A total of 1,200 drones, supplied by DRNS and Sergios Tzianos, took part in a display presented as the largest drone show staged in Greece to date. The evening also included a fireworks display curated by Nannos Fireworks.
Giorgos Nanouris served as stage director, with Stefano Sartini handling television direction and Steven Airth overseeing visual direction. Lighting and production design was led by Menelaos Orfanos.
Artists on stage
Remos was joined by a large group of Greek and international artists with whom he has been musically connected throughout his career. Performing in order of appearance were Grigoris Arnaoutoglou, Mando, Keti Garbi, Giorgos Theofanous, Gipsy Kings, SNAP!, Mr. President, Haddaway, Kostas Hatzis, Manos Pyrovolakis, Zeljko Joksimovic and Despina Vandi.
The stage also featured soloists Thanasis Vasilopoulos, Manolis Karantinis and Thanos Gkiouletzis, along with DJ Antonis Dimitriadis. The concert's large orchestra was led by Nikos Zervas and Giannis Diskos, completing a high-production show designed to turn Thessaloniki's New Waterfront into a major musical stage for the celebration of Remos's 30 years in Greek music.
