It would be hard to say which was stranger; listening to a Japanese band playing traditional Irish music in the back room of a chigre (a typical, rustic Asturian cider bar) in the remote hills of northern Spain or simply that I, the mother of a small child, was out at a gig on a Saturday night. On balance, probably the latter. (I know. Rock and roll.)
The fact then that the clock on the dashboard was marking 2.30am by the time we flopped into our car at the end of the night should speak for itself. And this despite a pact made with my companion before we ever left home, guaranteeing a speedy flight from the venue should the entertainments pall and our energy levels dip.
But no. The band, Harmonica Creams, with their virtuoso playing and explosively energetic stage presence kept our feet tapping and our hips swaying all the way through two sets played around a brief intermission. Outstanding. By the end, they had the entire audience in this small but packed venue in the palm of their hands.
And a wonderful venue it is too. A music club in the wider sense of the phrase you can become a member of the Asociación Músico-Cultural Boca Negra for an annual fee of 25 euros, which will gain you free entry to shows throughout the year (there are on average one or two a month). Otherwise the one-off cover charge is 5 euros.
I leave you with some footage off the band´s recent performance at Ortigueira Celtic Music Festival in Galicia. Check them out – they really are pretty awesome!
Excellent – just the sort of gig that is really worth stumbling across.
Totally. It’s so great to see really good live music.
Wow! No wonder you stayed out late. Absolutely fantastic band – will keep an eye out for them, thanks. x
They really are brilliant. I’m so glad you liked them! X
That’s the music we Newfoundlanders and Labradoorians also call ‘ours.’ Here’s a bit of how it’s played here; we’ve a lot in common
We do, don’t we?
Thanks for posting that Maurice. Love these guys!
Jealous! Sounds like a great evening!
xx
I know – get me! Party animal
x
I have gig envy! Sounds like the perfect night to me – all you need to add is a lie-in the following morning and it’s a 10 out of 10!
Ah yes….the elusive lie-in… Now that would be like winning the lottery!
I haven’t been out to a gig in AGES…. my other half recently went to the Latitude festival, and I wished I’d gone. Stayed at home with Little A. Looks like you had a fab time! X. Ps. Love that they are a Japanese band playing traditional Irish music – how made is that?