Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?

Subject: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 06:32 PM

We're planning a holiday in Northern Spain next month - starting in Bilbao and heading west until it's time to turn back! We have about ten days. Anyone know of particularly good spots for music in that general area? I know it's a big ask - and a big area - but, hell, someone may have found the perfect session on the road to Santiago...

Regards

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 08:19 AM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: Mick Tems
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 09:29 AM

No, I don't know of any musical events, but here's a simple guide to help you on way. "Northern Spain" consists of four separate language groups, and so the traditional music is quite different.

Bilbao is in the Basque Country, and the Basque language and traditions are totally different to Spanish. Look out for Kepa Junkera posters! Going west, the next stop is Cantabria, with a little-known language, Cantabru. There's a brilliant Cantabrian band (Garma? Confound my untidy CDs!)

Then it's Asturias, with a strong gaita (bagpipe) tradition, which gets stronger as you near Galicia - very celtic! Carlos Nunez, Xose Manuel Budino and Cristina Pato are just three of a long list of quite stunning gaita players. Watch out for posters advertising traditional events, and enjoy!

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: Fidjit
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 01:54 PM

Asturias is good. Capital, Aviles has a Celtic week beginning of August.
We stayed in, Cuderilo once and they built a stage right outside the hotel by the church. The "Muros" (mothers) sang the men played the Spanish bagpipes (bit like the Swedish and French ones).

Enjoy. It's my favorite Spanish area to visit.

Festival Aviles
Ah. Looks like they have it earlier this year. Pity.

Chas

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: Bainbo
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 03:02 PM

Hevia from Asturias, as well. A piper who plays lovely traditional-sounding stuff, although he has been known to play electronic pipes, which sound just as good. If you're eating there, go for cider and chicken - it's what the area's known for. But don't repeat our mistake of thinking you can have bean stew as a starter, followed by a main course. It's a full meal in itself.

For Santiago, you've probably missed the best time for music - the festival of St James (or Santiago in the local lingo, hence the name) in July. Bagpipe bands in the street, folk dancers on the stage, and buskers. You might get a tuna - a wandering band of minstrels from the university, who stroll the squares of an evening.

Basque country might be your best bet. There's a fiesta somewhere there just about every weekend. The same brass bands seem to make a living doing the rounds, going from one to the other. In Vitoria once, we had the added delight of seeing French Basque shephereds who wore fleecy waistcoats and performed a sort of morris dance on stilts. Google to find out whichtowns will have a fiesta while you're there, but be prepared to look hard for accommodaton.

I suppose Salamanca will be a bit out of your way? Sunday mornng, after Mass, in what is probably the most beautiful square in Spain, you'll find people gathering to do impromptu folk dances to pipe and tabor. Or they did a few years ago, anyway.

Enjoy! I envy you!

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 03:19 PM

Good stuff.... Keep it coming.

Regards

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: GUEST,jim mac farland
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 07:31 PM

Hi Martin
if you check with Máire Ni Chróinín from the Goilin her husband is from that area and I am sure he could put you on the right track,I enjoyed Milltown we seemed to have done a lot more singing than normal this year.

Jim

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: Neil D
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 10:24 PM

I love the Galician pipers. I recently added links to Carlos Nunez and Hevia on Mudcat's You-Tube Permathread.

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 26 Jul 08 - 02:37 AM

And there is a band called Oskorri who are great with some Ex- Bouttine Souriante when we saw them. Martin Carthy was a guest at their 25th anniversary.

We went to get tickets from the tourist office to looks of bemusement. It was free.

The big festival (you have missed it) is at the beginning of July in Ortigueira in northern galicia. Also free.

But I bet you find summat - we did and we weren't even looking for it.

Another galician piper to look out for is Susanna Seivane. (Awesome, truly awesome).

Most of these have websites which may tell you where they are. Kepa's is under construction.

Also you may have problems explaining you want "musica popular" and/or "folklorico" thought they do now realise tourists are looking for more than sun. (Well, you would around there!)

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: Fidjit
Date: 26 Jul 08 - 03:27 AM

Yes Susanna Seivane. Brilliant lady.

The "Green Coast" is where the Spanish go for their holidays so it will be packed - with Spanish. The 1.5km. beach at Gijon will be packed with them. To face the sun you lay on the beach with your head to the sea! Only other English I heard there apart from me, was some Aussie git.
Temp a steady 20 - 25'ish.

Chas

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 26 Jul 08 - 03:56 AM

Jim

Thanks for that suggestion - I'd forgotten the connection!

Regards

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 26 Jul 08 - 04:55 AM

Sheeted it down when I was there. Oskorri was the only redemption.

Well that and the food, the Guggenheim and of course Guernika - which is a must visit.

Read the story and weep.

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Jul 08 - 05:12 AM

I didn't catch much music when I was there last month, but Galicia sure was beautiful. The drive from Santiago to Leon is particularly scenic. I wish we could have stopped at a few of the smaller towns along the way.
Oh, and Santiago and Burgos were terrific towns for walking. Be sure to have some pulpa (octopus) - goes especially well with beer.

Have a good trip, Martin.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: Fidjit
Date: 26 Jul 08 - 09:58 AM

Let's have a report when you return.

There's a special technique to poring your cider there.
Chas

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Jul 08 - 10:45 AM

Dont go bare foot into a cideria, the special technique is to pour from a great height which is easy for the first few glasses

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: ThreeSheds
Date: 26 Jul 08 - 10:48 AM

Found my cookie now
I have seen a contraption that will pour your cidre on to the floor for you!

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: Neil D
Date: 26 Jul 08 - 03:24 PM

Susana Seivane

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 30 Jul 08 - 10:29 AM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 07 Sep 08 - 05:26 PM

Had a great time! Wonderful part of Spain - and very different from the South and North Eastern areas with which I'm fairly familiar. We stayed mainly in the Asturias/Cantabria area - the "middle bit", so to speak. It's a cliche to say it but it's true - it's a bit like a particularly spectacular version of Ireland! High mountains, rough seas, friendly people....Scarcely a word of English to be heard.

As for music? A few nice moments. While we were in a small town in the foothills of the Picos de Europa mountains, there was a traditional Asturian market over two days. Lots of colourful costumes, local crafts (including a working blacksmith), food and drink. A piper and drummer strolling around playing some wonderful music (including what sounded very like a version of "The Caliope Jig" to us). A woman, not unlike Margaret Barry in her prime, doing the rounds singing in a wild sean-nós like style, accompanying herself by raking the handle of a spoon along the length of what looked suspiciously like a vodka bottle!

Later, we stayed overnight in a small seaside town to the east of Bilbao (Basque country). They were in the middle of a three-day fiesta, complete with flute/tabor type bands, accordion bands, folk-rock bands at three in the morning...... Amazing!

Highly recommended.

Regards

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: Fidjit
Date: 07 Sep 08 - 05:55 PM

Thought you'd like it

Chas

Subject: RE: Northern Spain: Musical hotspots?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 07 Sep 08 - 06:17 PM

Three in the morning? They went to bed early????

Good init?!!