"A new Dutch tradition..."

The Lee Towers Gala of the Year concerts in the Rotterdam Ahoy' sports palace were by now becoming something of a tradition. To meet the enormous demand for admission tickets in 1986 Lee Towers had to stage no less than six concerts.

The sponsor packages with VIP tickets, introduced in '84, proved very successful with the business community. Holders of VIP tickets meet their business or other acquaintances in a unique, relaxed atmosphere. Before the concert the guests are received with a welcome drink in the specially arranged VIP Lounge. Friendly hostesses accompany the guests to the best seats in front of the stage in the arena. In the interval and at the end of the concerts there is live music in the VIP lounge and together with Lee Towers and the guest artistes, glasses are raised to toast their success in Ahoy'.

In a Roman décor Lee Towers appeared from behind a wall of peacock feathers for his third Gala of the Year. During a spectacular that lasted for more than two and a half hours Lee welcomed his guest artistes, who included Dobie Gray, Amazing Stroopwafels and Danny de Munck. To the musical accompaniment of the Metropole orchestra, conducted by the renowned Rogier van Otterloo, Lee Towers succeeded in amazing his audience by stepping out on to the stage dressed as the Lion from the musical The Wizard of Oz. The gala concluded with a tremendous performance of his hit "You'll Never Walk Alone", with a major contribution by a brass band.

His success was rewarded in '86 by the award of an Edison, the Philips-Story Award and a TV recording with the AVRO, which attracted a large audience.