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Beyond Andalusia

And the phenomenon soon spread beyond Andalusian borders. Festival del Cante de las Minas in the Murcia-area town of La Unión holds its forty-seventh edition in summer 2007, being moreover an example of the large-scale festivals which in their evolution went beyond the one-night duration. Moreover, it awards one of the most prestigious prizes in flamenco: the Lámpara Minera. Sara Baras, Enrique Morente and José Mercé are some of the artists who are to gather at the ‘Cathedral of Cante’ from August 2nd to 11th, including a tribute to maestro Chano Lobato.

Manuela Carrasco on Festival de las Minas (Photo José Albaladejo)

The province of Madrid gets a head start in spring with festivals as outstanding as the Flamenco Week of Alcobendas, which held its twenty-fourth edition last May, and Festival Flamenco por Tarantos at Colegio Mayor San Juan Evangelista - the setting of Camarón’s last performance -, recently having coming of age. The newest arrival to the Madrilenian festival scene has also chosen the month of May: Suma Flamenca. It has just held its second edition, sprinkling flamenco throughout the province of Madrid. But of course, there is also flamenco in the Spanish capital in summer. Two young festivals stand out on the bill. On the one hand, Festival Flamenco Pa’Tos, a charity event organized by the Fundación Gomaespuma, which is held at the emblematic auditorium of Madrid’s Colegio de Médicos. It holds its eighth edition from July 16th to 19th with artists in the line-up of the likes of Eva Yerbabuena, Chano Lobato and Cañizares. The other also chooses a special stage, outdoors, with Madrid’s Palacio Real (Royal Palace) as the backdrop. The series Flamenco en los Jardines de Sabatini Series offers performances of cante, baile and groups from August 4th to 19th within the municipal program Veranos de la Villa 2007.

	Pitingo on Jardines de Sabatini. Madrid (Photo Daniel Muñoz)

Catalonia also joined the summer flamenco map. There was a precedent in the eighties with the Barcelona Flamenco Festival, though currently it has been taken over by the Ciutat Vella Flamenco Festival. This peculiar event, sponsored by Taller de Mùsics, favors the more heterodox side of flamenco, with a program held in late spring at the Contemporary Culture Center of Barcelona. More recent is the De Cajón! Flamenco Festival, which takes large-scale performances to venues as emblematic as the Liceu and the Palau de la Música in Barcelona in the months of June and July. And that’s to name the more renowned ones, since districts in the city and many other towns in Catalonia promote other forums for live flamenco. And the same can be applied to other regions, especially Castile-La Mancha, Extremadura and Murcia.

The phenomenon went beyond Spanish borders. And there are events in other countries of real substance. That of the French city of Mont de Marsan is the main European flamenco festival, with a nineteen-year history. In this edition, which will be held from July 2nd to 7th, the star is going to be cantaor José Mercé on a bill including artists of the likes of Javier Barón and Diego Amador. Continuing in French territory, a small town on the French coast, Argelès-sur-Mer, fits a flamenco festival into its summer program. And summer flamenco events go beyond Europe. Above all, the United States offers a solid array of festivals, highlighted by the American Spanish Dance Festival, with over twenty years of history, the Alburquerque Festival Flamenco in June, the New World Flamenco Festival in the California town of Irvine in August, the Flamenco Festival in the Sun in Miami... The phenomenon occurs every season.

Living (and surviving) a summer flamenco festival

Shrip sellers at 2001 Fiesta de la bulería (Foto Flamenco-world.com)

But it’s clear that the essence of the summer festival still lies in the lands of Andalusia. That is where flamenco is experienced with all the authenticity transmitted by the people. A well-cleared white soccer field, bullring or courtyard with history serve as the setting. Good old folding chairs to sit on. And it’s therefore better to bring a cushion from home, since it’s a long night. There’s normally a starting time (more or less), but there’s no finishing time. It isn’t unusual for the last one coming out to have to say good morning, like Aurora Vargas three or four years ago at the Fiesta de la Bulería de Jerez. And how to endure such a cante marathon? Well, periodically visiting the buffet or breaking out the bag full of sandwiches you’ve brought from home. And the thing is that food is intrinsically linked to the festivals, which are named after culinary delights such as ‘Gazpacho’, ‘Potaje’, ‘Caracolá’, ‘Parpuja’... And if it isn’t in the name, it’s on the inside. Go and taste all kinds of typical tapas; fried potatoes, loin, ham with salmorejo, serranitos, shrimp. You just have to choose from the blackboard. There are those who criticize this munching business out of respect for the cante, but it’s an intrinsic part of the summer flamenco festival. And they’ve even copied that abroad. There’s nothing artier than to sip a glass of sherry and have an omelette tapa at the Singing Café at Mont de Marsan’s Place Saint Roch. It’s a question of living it.

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