Ribera Sonorama energy is always special. It is present even in the official festival bus from Madrid, in a routine police control. It is evident that in this type of event there are many types of fun, so, when the agents began ordering random passengers to get off the bus for a quick inspection, the tension was real. They found nothing. After a collective relief, the laughs: “Come on, get the stripes!” Loose a traveler. Arriving in Aranda de Duero was no less surreal. While waiting sitting on an sidewalk next to the festive enclosure, a car with Master Roshi behind the wheel went ahead of me. All this, after having seen one of those jeeps who leave in Jurassic Park circulate. With an official logo and everything.
All this was the work of the famous costume contest of the Arandino Festival, which turns 28 in this edition. After the Fermín Muguruza concert, it was Wednesday’s plan. Among the finalists were a group of conuitos, some pots, some Furonas Vilada and the cast of Phineas and Ferb. How did you win a simple flock of sheep to Las Vilada? Don’t know. Historical tongo, if they ask me. Why am I so committed to a costume contest at one of the most important music festivals in the country? It is as part of the sound experience as concerts. Nothing like seeing a group of colleagues give a little shame on stage. In addition to the sheep, winners were also proclaimed by Che Guevara’s shirt and Toy Story’s sausage dog.
With Fermín Muguruza I do not find a concert, but a piece of fiestón in which ska and boats are the order of the day. Sonorama wanted to revolution. The Basque legend is accompanied by a band to its height, with a little of everything and nothing left over. The 40th anniversary of Muguruza’s career means a return to the stages of what really matters.
Among the attendees, Palestine flags, Euskal Herria or Ireland. On the platform, Fermín addresses all the issues that an audience cannot cover, such as anti -racism in ‘Kolore Bizia’ or the denunciation of American imperialism in ‘Nicaragua Sandinista’. From the liberator ‘Yalah Yalah, Ramallah!’, Written 20 years ago, Muguruza also does not forget Palestine on stage. “Palestine will defeat!”, Shouts, encouraging the Those’s Thickens. I do not speak Basque and in the context of a concert everything is less clear, but I did understand when the Kortatu vocalist thanked the Sonorama for not falling into the claws of the KKR background. Muguruza acted in the Plaza del Trigo in 2014 and, according to his own words, Javier Ajenjo, director of the Festival, told him that ‘Sarri Sarri’ in Sonorama would be “brutal”. He was not wrong at all. Wild poges, immaculate energy and unwavering union.
Fernandocosta He preferred to claim less ambitious concepts, but not less important. The love of a mother, or that of a grandmother in ‘I miss’, for example. It is refreshing to attend the concert of a rapper who is enough only on stage without skipping any line. House perfectly with these most tender songs, which really manages to touch your potato. He only lacked to carry a band to be a very round bolus. Even so, he did not miss anything from the heart. And when you have to launch a throttle issue, you don’t have repairs either. ‘Pa that enjoyed him’ is clearly his best known and expected song, but there is not a pinch of indifference in his interpretation. If, otherwise. The Ibizan has already proved to have a great integrity by positioning openly against Ayax and Prok after the horrible accusations that they received, even after having been linked to them during most of their career. He continued to demonstrate in a concert in which the emotion reigned on the Hype, finishing off with the interpretation of ‘even when’ while he rocked his baby’s cart. More rappers demonstrating responsible paternity, please.
One of the pegas that I can put to the Sonorama program this Wednesday is the overlapping of two queens: The Zowi and Zahara. The latter said that what really moves tenderness and is left over. Just as he has strength, presence, art and sensuality. Humor was not missing at the moment portable bathroom, when his guitarist was found inside: “Because acoustics is better here, right? Can you let me in that it is my fucking concert?” He released in the friendliest way that something like this can be said. His interpretation of ‘Zahara’ is one of those festival moments in which only “shhhh” is heard among the public. Antinatural and necessary at the same time.
The same thing happens to the Úbeda artist as Alizzz. It always complies. In addition, the public never tires of it. The Catalan artist has found the perfect festival formula, largely due to a solid repertoire like none. And he knows, by presenting ‘before dying’ as “a classic of Spanish pop.” It is not arrogance, because the public receives it as just that. I still remember the days when I filled its set versioning ‘Lobo-man in Paris’ or ‘a good day’. Of course, if there is a pop classic in its repertoire it is ‘I don’t feel anything’ anymore. The perfect end to a concert and a song that sounds as fresh today as it did in 2021.
