Free live music and stuff in Las Palmas, June 2026

Some stuff that we saw in June.

• 5 June: «Match de impro» @ Teatro Guiniguada, Plaza F. Mesa de León, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
  The second (of three) performances by Escuela Vives Impro lead by Romina Vives. Presented as a match between two teams who had to improvise their lines according to the words or phrases provided by the audience and randomly selected from the box. On this occasion, the green team won. The Saturday show was supposed to be a final (that is, a competition between the winners of the previous two) but I went to see Mestizo in Parque Doramas. Part of VII Muestra de Teatro no profesional.

  

• 6 June: Mestizo @ Auditorio José Antonio Ramos, Parque Doramas
  Feauturing Danny Martínez (guitar), Pedro Izquierdo (timple), Marcel Montcourt (cuatro venezolano), Samuel Ortiz (clarinet, vocals), Kiko González (percussion), Luis Rivero (bass), Adrián Brito (vocals) and Claudia Álamo (vocals).

  

From 12 to 28 June our city celebrated its Fiestas Fundacionales. Here are some events we’ve attended:

• 12 June: «Pangea» @ Castillo de la Luz, Calle Juan Rejón
  A work by the Galician composer, musicologist, luthier and multi-instrumentalist Abraham Cupeiro (flutes, horns, bagpipes, carnyx) performed by the author and La Banda Sinfónica Municipal de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria conducted by Juan Roda Sapiña.

  

• 13 June: «60 años de soul en el Atlántico» @ Plaza de Santa Ana
  The City Dock Band featuring Cristina Ramos paid a tribute to Los Canarios and American soul artists. With guest appearance of Teddy Bautista (via video) and Toba.

  

• 14 June: «Música en el corazón de Vegueta» @ various locations
  This time, the traditional Vegueta festival took place on Sunday morning. I liked this arrangement better than usual Saturday evening one. This is what we’ve seen (the full programme is available here):
  • Archinautas @ Colegio de Abogados
  • Súbito Koral @ Casas Consistoriales
  • La Musicleta @ Plaza del Pilar Nuevo
  • Barrio de Tango @ Plaza de San Agustín
  • Son x Tres @ Plaza de la Real Sociedad Económica Amigos del País
  As an extra bonus, in the patios of Vegueta the visitors were supplied with Tirma chocolate bars.

  

• 17 June: Mingo Quintana and José Artiles @ Palacete Rodríguez Quegles, Calle Benito Pérez Galdós 4,
  A double bill from the cycle 12 noches de autor.

  

• 19 June: Performance «Cuerpo a tinta» @ Centro de Artes Plásticas, Calle Colón, 8
  A result of the workshop taught by Sandra March, this perfomance complemented the exhibition Engravers for Peace (see below).

  

• 19 June: «La costa de los cantares» @ Plaza de Santa Ana
  Olga Cerpa & Mestisay with guest singer Eneida Marta and invited artists Ricardo Campos (bass) and Cristiano Pinto (guitar).

  

And exhibitions:

• 25 February — 28 June: «Alma de nacar» @ Casa de Colón, Calle Colón, 1
  Presenting enconchados created in Mexico in the 17th and 18th centuries.

  

• 4 June — 3 July: «Grabadores por la Paz» @ Centro de Artes Plásticas
  The collective exhibition Engravers for Peace, coordinated by the Canarian-Palestinian artist Fátima Suleimán Afonso, brings together creations of some 60 artists from different countries, including a work by Tamara.

  

Goodbye, June, I’ll miss you.

So

by Peter Gabriel

The only record of Peter Gabriel I ever owned on vinyl was manufactured in the USSR and entitled simply «Питер Гейбриэл» (apparently, they weren’t so sure how to translate So to Russian, and the spelling «Гейбриэл» must have looked innocent back then).

I also had a curious double compilation album Greenpeace Breakthrough (1989) which included the So opener «Красный дождь» (Red Rain). I completely forgot that, in addition to Peter Gabriel (now as Питер Гэбриэл), it featured Sting, Grateful Dead (Грейтфул Дэд), Sade (Шаде) and Dire Straits (Дайер Стрейтс)!

About the same time, I first spotted Sledgehammer and Big Time music videos on 2×2, the first commercial TV channel in the USSR. Man I was impressed.

The covers of the So songs abound. I love Sledgehammer by Morgan James...

...and Mercy Street by Rosegarden Funeral Party.

But nobody makes Peter Gabriel covers better than Gabriel himself, with a little help from his friends. My favourite So re-interpretations are Don’t Give Up as a duet with Tracy Chapman...

...and In Your Eyes with Youssou N’Dour, Angélique Kidjo and Soweto Gospel Choir.

Free live music in Las Palmas, July 2025

This is what we’ve seen this month.

• 2 July: Carlos Meneses Quartet «Collabs» @ Palacete Rodríguez Quegles, Calle Benito Pérez Galdós, 4, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
  Yul Ballesteros (guitar), Dani González (drums), Carlos Meneses (double bass) and Kike Perdomo (saxophones).

  

• 3 July: Barrios Orquestados @ Biblioteca Pública Municipal Josefina de la Torre, Paseo de las Canteras
  Nice to see Barrios Orquestados still alive and getting stronger.

  

• 5 July: Sofar concert @ Biblioteca Pública del Estado, Calle Muelle de Las Palmas
  With Salomé Moreno, Manu Echeva and Said Muti.
• 10 July: «Personajes de la historia» @ Plaza del Pilar Nuevo
  Meet Samson and Delilah, Caesar and Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, Ferdinand Magellan and Anne Frank — thanks to La Banda Sinfónica Municipal de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria conducted by Juan Roda Sapiña. The programme included:
  • Giuseppe Verdi: Giovanna d'Arco
  • Gerard Boedijn: Caesar and Cleopatra Ouverture
  • Otto M. Schwarz: The Story of Anne Frank
  • Louis-Philippe Laurendeau (based on music by Camille Saint-Saëns): Samson et Dalila
  • Ferrer Ferran: Magallanes

  

• 11 July: Andrea Báez @ Casa de Colón, Calle Colón, 1
  Canarian cantautora presenting songs from her forthcoming album.

  

• 15 July: El Afecto Ilustrado «Britannia. Inglaterra 1650» @ Casa de Colón
  English chamber music of the 17^th century interpreted by Adrián Linares (violin), Laura Díaz (violin), Melchor García (viola), Diego Pérez (cello) and Carlos Oramas (theorbo). The programme included:
  • John Blow: Venus and Adonis
  • Henry Purcell: Trio Sonata in D major, No. 12, Z. 801
  • Giovanni Legrenzi: Trio Sonata “La Cornara”
  • Henry Purcell: Trio Sonata in G minor, No. 1, Z. 790
  • Giovanni Battista Vitali: Trio Sonata No. 3 in E Minor, Op. 2
  • Nicola Matteis: Ayres for the Violin
  • Henry Purcell: Abdelazer; or, The Moor’s Revenge suite, Z. 570

  

• 16 July: Krzysztof Kobyliński @ Casa de Colón
  Krzysztof Kobyliński (solo piano). This concert was a part of 34^th Canary Islands Jazz Festival.

  

• 24 July: Joven CanariJazz Big Band & Zuco 103 @ Plaza de Santa Ana
  Joven CanariJazz Big Band led by José Vera Bello, featuring vocalists María Zerpa, Gabriela Suárez, Vanesa Lemoine and Carlota Baldó, plus guest Rayko León on piano. Zuco 103 sounded interesting but as they started later than (I) expected, I didn’t stay for long.
• 25 July: Kennedy Administration & Patax @ Plaza de Santa Ana
  It was great to see Patax once again — nine years later! — at Plaza de Santa Ana. As for Kennedy Administration: I loved the band sound but find the singer (named Kennedy) overly intrusive.
• 26 July: «Versalles en Las Palmas» @ Casa de Colón
  Vocal and instrumental compositions of French Baroque, as could have been heard at the royal court of Versailles. Performed by the teachers of the 3^rd International Course of Early Music (III Curso Internacional de Música Antigua en Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 21—25 July 2025): Olalla Alemán (soprano), Patricia Robaina (harpsichord) and María Alejandra Saturno (viola da gamba). The programme included:
  • Marin Marais: Fantasie
  • Marin Marais: Grand Ballet
  • Michel Lambert: Ombre de mon amant
  • Michel Lambert: Goûtons un doux repos
  • Jean-Henri d’Anglebert: Prélude
  • Jean-Henri d’Anglebert: Pasacaille
  • Marin Marais: Les voix humaines
  • François Couperin: Leçons de ténèbres, Seconde Leçon
  • Marin Marais: Couplets de Folies
  • Henri de Bailly: Yo soy la locura

  

• 26 July: Luis Sánchez Quintet @ Plaza de Santa Ana
  Later the same evening: Luis Sánchez (piano) with José Vera Bello (sax), Gaspar Nogales (double bass), Rubén Bueno (drums) and Kervin Barreto (trumpet).

And that was it for July.

Free live music and stuff in Las Palmas, May 2025

This is what we’ve seen:

• 8 May: «Celebrando Canarias» @ Plaza del Pilar Nuevo, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
  The first of three concerts featuring Germán López (timple) and La Banda Sinfónica Municipal de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria conducted by Juan Roda Sapiña. The full programme is available here.

  

• 14 May: Yul Ballesteros Trio «Alma» @ Palacete Rodríguez Quegles, Calle Benito Pérez Galdós, 4
  Yul Ballesteros (guitar), Tana Santana (double bass) and Akior García (drums).

  

• 17 May: La Noche Europea de los Museos @ Casa de Colón, Calle Colón, 1
  Gonzalo Macías (guitar) and Ana Gil (vocals, clarinet); Enri Ive (vocals) and Pablo Queu (guitar).
• 23 May: Carlos Alemán & Rayko León @ Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno (CAAM), Calle de los Balcones, 9
  With Carlos Eliseo Alemán (flutes), Rayko León (piano), Fofi Lusson (double bass) and Osvaldo Hernández (drums).

  

• 24 May: «Del bolero al son» @ Auditorio José Antonio Ramos, Parque Doramas
  Flamencubeando is a band from Jaén who mix flamenco with son, bolero, tango and other Latin American genres, playing the standards such as Alfonsina y El Mar, Lágrimas negras, Nostalgias, Obsesión, Por una cabeza and, would you believe it, Ay Mi Gran Canaria in their own unique style. Featuring Curro Pérez (voice), Luís Delgado (guitar, bass guitar), Fernándo Delgado (piano) and Luis Delgado Jr. (percussion, flute, melodica).

  

• 31 May: Ernesto Rossger Trio @ Re-Read, Calle Bernardo de la Torre, 33
  One of these events that are not advertised anywhere. We only learned about it because we were visiting this second-hand book shop almost daily. So, on occasion of the eighth anniversary of the Re-Read Las Palmas, we were treated to almost 90 minutes of jazz/blues/funk/bossa nova fusion, plus beer and snacks. With Ernesto Rossger (electric guitar), Carlos Ayala (electric bass), Alejandro Ramos (drums) and a special guest Louis Moreno (vocals).

  

An exhibition of historical photography in interesting location:

• 23 May — 1 June: «Presencia Española en el Sáhara» @ Palacio Militar de San Telmo, Calle Triana, 109
  On occasion, I guess, of the 50^th anniversary of the end of Spanish presence in Western Sahara. Photography by José Luis de Pablos.

And that was it for May.

American Pop

a film by Ralph Bakshi

Finally, a Bakshi film that I actually liked. A soundtrack for the (best part of) 20^th century, something for kids of today to watch. Don’t let the title put you off (yes, it makes me cringe too): “pop” here is short for popular music, moving from ragtime to punk with jazz, swing, soul and rock in between. Not pop music. I still don’t get why American artists insist on naming their creations “American something”.

It’s also pretty uneven. The story kind of disintegrates towards the end — as the quality of music goes down. Yet there are some truly beautiful or otherwise funny bits that made my night.

Heavy Traffic

a film by Ralph Bakshi

The same checklist here as in Bakshi’s debut feature, plus some clumsy live action and pinball. Heavy Traffic mostly consists of zoomorphic humanoids, not too different from anthropomorphic beasts of Fritz the Cat but uglier. The only attractive character is Carole (Beverly Hope Atkinson). What did she find in Michael the pinball-not-exacty-wizard (Fritz 2.0? Future Bakshi?) is anyone’s guess. The soundtrack is really good, would be even better without Scarborough Fair.

Fritz the Cat

a film by Ralph Bakshi

Sex, drugs, rock’n’roll, profanity, graphic violence, politically incorrect jokes — in other words, “something to offend just about everyone”. I must say Fritz the Cat didn’t offend me that much. Perhaps it haven’t aged that well then. The thing is, at 78 munutes, the film is way too long for the message, if there was any. I don’t mind sex between anthropomorphic barnyard animals, I’d appreciate (proportionally) more rock’n’roll, and I really could live with less violence. Cut it to 20 minutes, I say, and we’ll talk. Of course, Billie Holiday and Bo Diddley are great. Some of them jokes still work —

We interrupt the Israeli–Arab war for this special announcement. The President, after conferring with Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, has agreed to send more arms to Israel, based on the return of New York City and Los Angeles to the United States.

— and some of them don’t. “Radical left”, what radical left? By now, there’s no left left in the US.

Even bigger problem for me is that I didn’t find the protagonist lovable, or charismatic, or interesting in any way. The only character I sympathised with was Harriet the horse, maybe because she reminded me of the donkey from The Bremen Town Musicians.

Fritz the Cat opens the cycle Ralph Bakshi: Urban Noir organised by Filmoteca Canaria and Tenerife Noir.

Free live music and stuff in Santander and Las Palmas, December 2024

These are things that I’ve seen in the last month of 2024.

• 1 December: Namina @ El Almacén de Little Bobby, Calle del Sol, 20, Santander
  Natàlia Miró do Nascimento (vocals, guitar) and Pep Gol (trumpet, melodica, seashell, percussion) presented an eclectic programme of both originals, mostly from Namina’s latest album La nuit, and covers of songs like I’m Your Man by Leonard Cohen, Chove Chuva by Jorge Ben, Sympathique by Pink Martini and Chocolate Jesus by Tom Waits.

  

• 1 December: Jazz Jam @ Rvbicón, Calle del Sol, 4
  Later the same evening, I was able to enjoy one hour and a half of a jam. Featuring the base band of Beltrán del Álamo (bass), Adrián Buenaga (tenor sax), Carlos Pizarro (guitar) and Raúl Quintana (drums), plus guests.
• 8 December: Diego Jascalevich @ Rvbicón
  An evening of folk and folk-inspired music by a virtuoso charango player, composer and singer.

  

• 12 December 2024 — 31 January 2025: «Una tirada de dados» @ Centro de Arte Naves de Gamazo, Avenida de Severiano Ballesteros, 3
  Works by Chema Madoz.

  

Back in Las Palmas, more exhibitions:

• 21 November 2024 — 3 January 2025: «Hilando Memorias» @ Centro de Artes Plásticas (CAP), Calle Colón, 8, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
  Works by Gema Sánchez Yánez; guided tour on 23 December.

  

• 12 December 2024 — 31 January 2025: «Nautas» @ Centro Cultural CICCA, Alameda de Colon, 1
  Works by Miguel Panadero.

  

And that was it for December. Happy New Year!

Free live music and stuff in Santander, November 2024

These are a few things that I’ve seen in November:

• 3 November: Jazz Jam @ Rvbicón, Calle del Sol, 4, Santander
  The base band of Cristina Ceballos (vocals), Manuel Cavero (double bass), Rafa Santana (piano) and Dani Trueba (drums), plus usual and unusual suspects guests.
• 16 November: Gospel Revolution @ Auditorium Salesianos Santander, Paseo del General Dávila, 73
  In spite of the name, there was very little “gospel” in it — praise the Lord for that, I wouldn’t endure an hour and a half of the stuff. Apart from a couple of truly cringeworthy numbers, the rest was a pleasant enough, if not spectacular, rendition of jazz, soul and disco standards like Hit the Road Jack, I Say a Little Prayer, Moanin’ and We Are Family. Featuring Pachi Aguilar, Loli Andreu, Cris Arnejo, Judith Caballo, Patu Campos, Oriana Carreño, Cris Lobato, Pedro Montero, Pilar Revuelta and Álvaro del Val.

Some exhibitions:

• 21 November — 3 December: «Hippie Memory» @ Galería Este, Mercado Municipal del Este, Calle Hernán Cortés, 4
  Jewellery by art.bylennie (Elena Galindo) and Pedro Calderón; concert of Isaías Rojo (21 November).

  

• 22 November 2024 — 9 February 2025: «Escenas para el séptimo ángel» @ El Palacete del Embarcadero, Muelle de Calderón
  Works by Xesús Vázquez.

  

• From 4 September: «La Dama Roja» @ Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueología de Cantabria, Calle de Hernán Cortés, 4
  The exhibition dedicated to the Red Lady of El Mirón, an Upper Paleolithic woman buried some 19,000 years ago. This is the first time I went to the Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology of Cantabria and absolutely loved it. Free entrance on Sundays from 17:00 to 20:00.

  

And that was it for November.

Free live music and stuff in Las Palmas, August 2024

These are a few things that we’ve seen in August. Sketches by Tamara.

• 10 August: LPA Groove Summer @ Auditorio José Antonio Ramos, Parque Doramas, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
  • Nala Rami, a band led by Alan Imar Rodríguez Mitchell (vocals, sax, flute), accompanied by Carlos Artiles (bass), Kilian Barrera (drums), Marta Herrera “Holly” Hollingsworth (vocals), Luis Sánchez Guerra (keyboards) and Leonardo Segovia (guitar).
  • A new incarnation of D’Local Groove with Miqui Delgado (piano, keys), José Carlos Cejudo (bass), César Martel (trumpet), Luis Merino (guitar), Javier Montero (drums), Miguel Ramírez (sax, rap) and Alba Serrano (vocals).
  • Eddie Roberts & The Lucky Strokes featuring Ashley Galbraith (bass), Taylor Galbraith (drums), Shelby Kemp (guitar, lead vocals), Eddie Roberts (guitar, vocals) and Chris Spies (keyboards).

  

• 22 August: «Iberia» @ Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno (CAAM), Calle de los Balcones, 9
  Sergio Sánchez presented “electroacoustic concert with experimental sounds from social environments” of Iberian Peninsula. In my book, standing behind his laptop, even if pressing occasionally some keys, does not count as a concert, but well. There was no other visual support, so I was bored beyond belief. This performance was closing the cycle CAAMSonora of which I was blissfully unaware until now.

  

• 22 August: Jesús Garriga @ Museo Castillo de Mata, Calle Domingo Guerra del Río, 147
  I couldn’t listen to «Iberia» for longer than 15 minutes and left for another concert (the real one) from the cycle «12 Noches de autor».

  

• 23 August: Notas de Verano en Colón: Ana Falcón & Alba Rodríguez @ Casa de Colón, Calle Colón, 1
  A double bill of two young Canarian cantautoras.

  

And exhibitions, all of them seen in CAAM before «Iberia»:

• 20 June — 1 September: «Toda utopía pasa por la barriga»
  Works by Carlos Garaicoa (Havana, Cuba, 1967).

• 4 July — 6 October: «Legado»
  Works by Juan Hidalgo Codorniú (1927—2018).

  

• 18 July — 29 September: «Artistas en residencia»
  Works by Adriana Frutos and Gregorio Viera.

Looking forward to September already.

Bushman

a film by David Schickele

Truth was not stranger than fiction, just a little faster. David Schickele

Is it a biopic? Docudrama? Docufiction? Mockumentary? That’s what I was thinking while watching this 1971 movie starring Paul Eyam Nzie Okpokam and Elaine Featherstone for whom, as for most of actors here, Bushman was their only cinematic appearance. I don’t want to give any spoilers. Please don’t read reviews beforehand; go and see this “lost and found”, newly restored feature and discover for yourself.

Free live music and stuff in Santander and Las Palmas, December 2023

This is what I’ve seen in December:

• 2 December: Carmen Lang @ Discos Cucos, Calle Santa Lucía, 41, Santander
  Carmen Lang (vocals, acoustic guitar), accompanied by Paco Gómez (electric guitar), was presenting her new EP Dandelion in the Wind.

  

• 2 December: Noche de rumba @ Bar Bolero, Calle San Celedonio, 35
  Later the same day, with Esencia Trío featuring Jose Hernández (vocals, bass guitar), Tony León (flamenco guitar, bass guitar) and Dani Peña (cajón), with a guest Dani Simons (bass guitar).

  

Back to Las Palmas:

• 9 December: «Música en el corazón de Vegueta» @ various locations, Vegueta, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
  Fewer venues than this June but still, a nice and quite full programme for a Saturday evening.
  • 20:00: Augusto Báez @ Patio de la Fundación MAPFRE Canarias, calle Castillo, 6
  • 20:30: Trío Gabriel Rodó featuring Pilar Bolaños (cello), Ana Marrero (piano) and Liliana Mesa Montané (violin) @ Patio de Los Naranjos, calle Espíritu Santo
  • 21:00: Chromatic Dúo feat. Derque Martín (timple) and Nicolás Mendoza (guitar) @ Patio del Colegio de Abogados, calle Agustín Millares, 25
  • 21:30: Iván Quintana Trío @ Plaza de San Agustín
  • 22:00: Midnight Soul @ Plaza del Pilar Nuevo

The fifth edition of the author song cycle «9 cañones sin banda» — and the first time that I went to see it. The titular 9 cañones refer to the nine cannons of the venue, Museo Castillo de Mata (Calle Domingo Guerra del Río, 147), as well as to the nine cantautores (I presume every year they have nine artists).

• 14 December: Jesús Garriga / Sandra Bautista / Guiu Cortés

  

• 15 December: Juan Gallardo / Luis Quintana / Fede Comín

  

• 16 December: Isa Izquierdo / Alicia Ramos / La Otra & Jhana Beat

  

• 19 December: Quinteto Resonancia @ Palacete Rodríguez Quegles, Calle Benito Pérez Galdós, 4
  Featuring Gabriel Simón (first violin), Nebojsa Milanovic (second violin), Francisco Quintana (viola), Jozef Racz (cello) and Voicu Burca (double bass), plus Margot García (vocals).

  

• 19 December: «La inmortalidad» @ Teatro Guiniguada, Plaza F. Mesa de León
  Later the same evening: a tragicomedy by Antonio Tabares tells the stories of five young students in La Laguna during the years of the Transition. Staged by Delirium Teatro (Tenerife). Actors: Silvia Criado, Delia Hernández, Abel Moral, Daniel Sanjinés and Javier Socorro; directed by Severiano García.

  

And three double councerts from the cycle «Jazz entre muros», again in Museo Castillo de Mata:

• 20 December: Esther Ovejero Trío / Esther Alfonso Da Costa
  Esther Ovejero Trio with Esther Ovejero (vocals), David Quevedo (piano) and Tana Santana (double bass); Esther Alfonso Da Costa (vocals) accompanied by Rayko León (piano), Fofi Lusson (electric bass) and Javi Montero (drums). Unfortunately the rain cut short the second set.

  

• 21 December: Yul Ballesteros / Pino Quimont
  The trio of Yul Ballesteros (guitar), Akior García (drums) and Tana Santana (double bass); Pino Quimont (vocals), Miqui Delgado (piano) and José Carlos Cejudo (electric bass).

  

• 28 December: Jonay Mesa & Luis Sánchez / La Local Jazz Band
  Jonay Mesa (electric guitar) and Luis Sánchez (piano), plus a guest vocalist Carla Vega; La Local Jazz Band featuring Miqui Delgado (piano), Miriam Fleitas (vocals), Abraham Ramos (double bass), Ernesto Montenegro (trumpet), Miguel Ramírez (tenor sax) and Suso Vega (drums).

  

And a bit of art:

• 1—14 December: Acuarelas canarias @ Ermita de San Pedro Mártir, Telde
  An exhibition of watercolours organised by La Asociación Canaria de Acuarelistas, featuring two works by Tamara.

  

• 14 December 2023 — 12 January 2024: «La aventura de encontrar un mundo mejor» @ Centro de Artes Plásticas (CAP), Calle Colón, 8
  Re-interpretation of historical and mass media photos by Paqui Martín.

  

And that was it for 2023. Happy New Year!