On this last weekend of May, the M-Fest! program was held in Gasteiz by the Gauekoak program, which in 2023 has reached its sixth edition. M-Fest! is a festival organized with the aim of giving support and a space to women artists, with the aim of promoting, normalizing and making visible their participation in spaces that are generally occupied by men. This year’s edition brings us two days of talks, workshops, crafts, and of course, music. The first day of the festival, Friday 26, is marked by punk music thanks to the two concerts that we enjoyed in the Jimmy Jazz room: Sandre y Perlata.
Start the night with the band Perlata. Born 8 years ago in Arrasate and who are currently Maialen Oleaga on bass and vocals, Ane Garai on guitar and vocals and the incombustible Txerra Bolinaga of course, on drums. Perlata define themselves as kuirpunk. (Queer is an English word that was used to belittle the LGTBIA+ collective). Perlata uses her music as a means of expression to fight against the norm, to transform the scene, to advance in personal but also collective liberation, and what better than punk to do it.
With a British punctuality about what was announced, they begin their performance. This punctuality means that at the beginning of the gig many people who are going to see the concert have not yet entered. The arrasaterra trio begins with the song “Duguna Esateko”, which gives its name to their third album (“To Say What We Have”2020) and probably his most well-rounded work in many aspects: sound, lyrics, melodies… It will also be the basis of this gig along with his latest recording (“Noise”2023), work shared with the Navarrese The Dillingers. Thus the downloads of punk pills follow one another. Rare is the song that exceeds 3 minutes in length. And the first surprise of the concert arrives: an excellent version of Rock N Roll Nigger by Patti Smith, undoubtedly Patti’s most punk song. And it will not be the only cover of the night. A few songs later we can enjoy Dead Boys’ Sonic Reducer and RIP’s Muerte al Estado. They continue to play punk whiplash without rest. Euskera, Spanish and English with the voice of the bassist Maialen carrying the vocal weight but with the choirs and counterpoints of Ane Gari. The mixture of these two voices is one of the best of Arrasate’s. They leave for the final part of their gig the songs 8 Balas and the excellent “Limón y Chocolate”, expected and chanted by the public. An exact hour of gig with a mid-tempo punk, classic and with some melodies close to punk-pop. Perlata, 3 albums and a self-produced EP recorded in just 5 years. Punk promiscuity.
The fact that Txerra’s drums are shared by both groups means that the break between gigs is short. And so 15 minutes before 11:00 p.m. the Catalan quartet is already on stage Sandre. They land in Gasteiz to present their new album (“Easy Managements”, 2022). Discography that completes with the LP “Ave Muñon” (2019) and the EP “Trunel” (2020). From the very first minute and seeing the stage attitude of Rosa Pagés (voice and keyboard) and Carles Pons (guitar) it is clear that we are going to have fun. The band has fun on stage and transmits it to the public. They begin with “Peor” (“Drama is not healthy at all, but getting bored is worse”), quite a declaration of intent. The songs follow one after the other with that mixture of sharp punk riffs adorned with acid, incisive lyrics, at times funny and uncomfortable. They continue the gig without pause with songs like “Potu” or “Millions” that remind us of the long-awaited Crass. Halfway through the concert, the singer comes down from the stage to sing a couple of songs mixed with the audience. A public that is largely familiar with the Catalan group and that sings their songs. And she dances. Just because, Sandre it is punk without concessions, but they are capable of making us dance. Also highlight the work of the rhythmic section with a very solvent Stefania Lusini on bass, perfectly coordinated with Marc Torrent’s drums. Well-oiled rhythm section essential for the fast riffs and aggressive melodies to sound coherent in this gig. Good room sound also helps.
At the end of the concert, “Presión” sounds, a hymn against the norm, against the established everyday life that suffocates us. A scream that sums up what a gig is Sandre, with Carles Pons’ Firebird unleashed and noisy. And suddenly they announce their latest song. And they comply because there will be no encores. The unclassifiable and histrionic “Things” from her latest work sounds, with a brutal ending, with the quartet unleashed and Stefania Lusini hitting her bass with a katana. 45 minutes of gig that go by in a breath and that tastes like little to all of us present. Fast, fun but somewhat lacking.