Festival phenomenon of Hondarribia in its eighth edition has once again offered what is already a hallmark: eclectic but well-defined programming, artists with a mark and the freshness that only musicians in a state of creative grace can offer.
Early in the afternoon the “paradox” occurred Chavalan”: present your recently released second album, “Seed of Wishes”, while you give your last concert. Two basses, as well assembled as they were perfectly defined, thundered distorted math riffs, while, as a counterpoint, the drummer scored crazy quasi-African rhythms on double bass drums. On this unusual sound cushion, Jose Guerrero (Cuello, Betunizer, etc.) spit out lyrics rigged to disconcert. Proposals this brazen are what rock needs, even if they are ephemeral. Attending the farewell of a band, who in a fairer world would be talking face to face with Primus and Fugazi, is a privilege but also a great shame. AGUR CHAVALAN.
The public of Phenomenon he lets himself be surprised. Thus, the thunderous chavalanistas coincided as if nothing had happened, in the same space and time, with the public of Tulsa that had already arrived stealthily until the tent was almost full. For Miren Iza Hondarribia it is “where I was born”, and that charges emotions. But a true artist is the one who makes tangible material out of sensitive material. And look, that’s what she did in that precious hour when the sun goes down and the afternoon light remains. Go out on stage fragile, alone, begin to sculpt the hard marble and already wrapped up with the band, make emerge, blow by blow, the figure where Odas, Bilbaos, bridges live and already in the final stretch with “Centauros” we witness the transformation and we were facing a Miren ya Tulsa taken away. By the time she said goodbye, she had the marble piece sculpted to the ethereal point of view and we were more alone than ever. Why be Penelope if she can be Michelangelo.
As darkness approached, the spell was already rampant in the FNMN tent. He Dani Llamas, who looked like one of the gang, took the microphone to sympathetically let out inflammatory insults, make his class consciousness clear and, above all, to sing, sing as God intended. Rock Jondo, very jondo. A songbook based on the commitment to combine his two cultures, flamenco and rock, and that left the public absorbed by so much beauty. Thus, he was reeling off a repertoire full of gems and we had the privilege of listening to “El Color De Los Días” live for the first time, a preview of his imminent new album. “Sangre”, with which Dani Llamas will reach a wider audience. A stupefied assistant said it and she was right: “it is the moment of my life that I have been closest to the Omega.” We also.
TOC It was the young proposal of this edition. I missed the first songs but as soon as I arrived I realized that it was cool. A young audience connected to what was happening on the stage where the band was releasing pearls per song. When all the pieces were in place, it was time for the collaboration of Kiliki Frexko. With the self-confidence typical of youth, they dared to perform “Ratas de Bizkaia” by Eskorbuto where the singers took turns using the cell phone as a sheet music to follow the lyrics, and so naughty. With less autotune than required, they gave a rabid “Hutsa Bezain Hotza” to finish off with a “Sin ilusiones” by Los Chichos that tasted like glory. Youth does what they want…and it works.
And at 11:00 p.m. sharp Biznaga. That band that transcends punk and that with its latest album, “Bremen Does Not Exist”, has taken the leap that the group and the scene deserved. Biznaga are still the usual killing machine but now they are a group aware that artillery is highly precise, which requires courage and skill in equal parts. The repertoire has grown and the songs have expanded. Owning generational anthems, masterfully channeling the frustration of a segment of society can be an excessive burden. But Biznaga has been fighting for copper and work ethic, friends, for two decades. So, determined and with their nerve at their peak, Biznaga once again devastated, once again promoting catharsis. “Bremen” is the bulk of the repertoire from which they launch the rod into the wonderful fishing grounds of their first three albums. A fair hour of madness and transcendent fun. For what else? Bathed in sweat they say goodbye. See you in Madrid at the end of the tour. The Riviera 01/26/24.