This is the third time I see The planets presenting ‘Super 8’ live. On each occasion, it has been one of the most eagerly awaited concerts. Fans are already waving from the bus or whatever means of transport at the festival, wearing dozens of t-shirts to match the occasion. Of these, most tend to be ‘A week in a bus engine’, with its mythical cross. Until now, it hadn’t made much sense, but perhaps last night at Low Festival J saw all those t-shirts, had some time to spare and said: “Okay, okay.”
The ‘Super 8’ section hasn’t changed on any of the dates I’ve been to, but it doesn’t need to. Songs like ‘Si está bien’ or ‘La caja del diablo’, which is usually the climax of the set, never fail to excite. On the latter, you can lose yourself in Javier Aramburu’s visuals. Another aspect that doesn’t change is the unconditional loyalty of the fans. It’s normal to hear comments like “J, we love you!” or “Los putos Planetas, dude!” around you. Also, the vocalist’s little speeches are practically the same on each occasion.
At WARM UP, it was the first concert of the tour. They got to ‘Nuevas conciencias’ and the set was over. At Bilbao BBK Live, they dared to include ‘Un buen día’. Last night, they went all out. The first surprise was ‘Santos Que Yo Te Pinte’. ‘Un buen día’ also came on, causing euphoria in the audience. What nobody saw coming was ‘Segundo Premio’, without any kind of introduction and being the second time they’ve played it on this tour. You know it’s an absolute classic when it only takes four bass drum hits to recognize it. Surprisingly, the audience’s response was rather lukewarm. Maybe they were freaking out too much.
In fact, the nineties party had started with Suede around 9pm, a time that dozens of attendees considered too early, expressing their opinion on the festival’s social networks. Seeing how much Mikel Izal filled the venue later, the organization’s decision makes much more sense. However, in terms of spectacle, Suede are still victorious.
By day, Brett Anderson strolls through the halls of my hotel with his family like everyone else. If I didn’t know he was the lead singer of one of the key Britpop groups, I wouldn’t be surprised. By night, he’s a hyperactive rock star. From the first moments of ‘She’, Anderson starts working the crowd with shouts and claps. By the second song, ‘Trash’, he’s got them in his hands. ‘Animal Nitrate’ comes on straight away and Brett is already a force of nature, jumping around the stage, swinging the microphone like a cowboy lasso and joining the crowd with no apparent motivation other than to put on a show and have a good time. Everyone wins.
Suede’s show is a classic one, where all the weight falls on the songs and the attitude of the frontman. At the same time, the audience also has to do their part. It’s a very sing-along concert and Anderson is constantly asking for the audience’s collaboration. His voice sounds perfect, but the music is a bit noisy, so it has to be compensated somehow. The crowd complied with ‘She Still Leads Me On’, which started off as unknown to most but ended up being a huge success. “You’re fine boys tonight,” exclaims the singer with a smile. Don’t get ahead of yourself, Brett.
The show’s setback came with ‘The Wild Ones’. “We’re going to beat the drum on the other stage with your chants, each and every one of you,” Anderson ordered, anticipating the disaster. He reserved the chorus entirely for us to sing, but it turns out that no one knew it. It was an acoustic version, so the disconnect was even more noticeable. Luckily, with ‘Beautiful Ones’ the same strategy worked perfectly, achieving the triumphant ending that Suede deserved.
As I have already mentioned, Mikel Izal The band filled the Vibra Mahou stage to capacity. Even in the stands it was difficult to find a seat. Izal is on the ‘Muleta Tour’, after tearing his meniscus and undergoing an operation. That’s why he does the show sitting in an office chair. His set is divided into four chapters inspired by his latest album, ‘El miedo y el paraíso’. He himself described it as “a journey”. Izal have split up, but he lives on in Mikel’s concerts. Most of the songs (13 of 20) belong to the group’s repertoire and there is no shortage of public favourites such as ‘Copacabana’, ‘Qué bien’ or ‘La mujer de verde’.
That people were living the concert of the Pamplona native to the fullest is undeniable. For me, something similar happened to the first day with Mäximo Park, with the Radio 3 stage offering a more attractive and challenging alternative. Couplets like «Al miedo que le den por saca, vamos a decir adiós al ‘Pánico Práctico’» do not win me over as much as «Aquí ha más sudor que en la milición» by KissingWith an additional drummer and guitarist, Germán and Joseca present an increasingly solid show, concert after concert. They are a mix of unbridledness, tradition and futurism, perfectly displayed in songs such as ‘Pesadilla Pop’ or ‘Fiesta Nacional’.
The discovery of the day was Will Butler + Sister Squareswhich sounds like the secret child of Belle and Sebastian and Arcade Fire: indie pop with hints of folk, gospel (thanks to the sisters’ angelic choirs) and psychedelia. Will is much more eccentric in his vocal style, which is saying something, and expressive than his brother. The bassline of ‘Stop Talking’ and all of ‘Willows’ were the highlights of a successful concert that ended with the audience asking for an encore that never came. The day ended in epic fashion with Kavinsky and his immersive synthpop session with eighties touches. Lasers could be seen from every corner of the festival. The French producer, who gave the public what they wanted by presenting his most pounding version, ended his set in a totally cinematic way with ‘Nightcall’. Just for that moment, with the DJ’s silhouette outlined against the full moon on the screen, it would be worth watching the whole concert.
