The village of Formigal in the Spanish Pyrenees is a hot-spot for ski and snowboard fanatics in the winter and for ramblers and mountain bikers in the summer. And during a month at the height of thºe summer it turns into a mountainous Mecca for music-lovers when the Pirineos Sur festival takes over. An event celebrated by locals and visitors alike for the past 19 years, the pictures of famous artists from Bebo Valdés, Compay Segundo to Jimmy Cliff, Tiken Jah Fakoly and Randy Western adorning the walls of the NieveSol hotel, where all festival participants stay, bearing witness to just how much this festival has become a part of this village's life.
The weather being what it is, the combination of heat and humidity did what any meteorologist knows it will: thick clouds soon rolled in hiding the peaks and unleashing a spectacular amount of water onto the village and the stage in Sallent de Gallego where Colombian salsa's finest, La 33, did their best to finish their sound check. From Bogotá, the second highest capital in the world, the 10-piece band was anything but thwarted by the Spanish mountain range's attempt at intimidation and they were back at 10.30pm as planned, ready to dish out their power-house salsa to the decidedly resistant audience, armed with blankets, waterproofs or plastic bags.
La 33 is an urban band deeply-rooted in the barrio of Teusaquillo in Bogotá and takes inspiration in the mambo, boogaloo and salsa of New York from the 1960s and 1970s. Inspired in the past but well and truly part of the present, as songs such as their surprisingly good cover of The Police classic "Roxane" and "Pantera Mambo", based in the theme tune from the Pink Panther, show. Their water-tight arrangements (conveniently so), powerful horn section, vocals and percussion are quite simply irresistible, and they know how to put on a good show, with choreographies and videos projected behind the band creating a visually-exciting experience.
The official online radio for this year's festival, the Radio Gladys Palmera team was lucky enough to be under cover during the live broadcast of the concert and an interview with two of its key members, founders Sergio and Santiago Meíja. A fantastic evening to celebrate the bicentenary of Colombia's independence, and a special big-up to the crowd in Sallent de Gallego, whose love for great music warmed their spirits while the skies practically fell on their heads.
Marushka
