festnoise | Music & Festivals

Nov 18

Nov 18 Vetusta Morla @ Astra in Berlin

Vetusta Morla, or Pucho, Guille, Álvaro, Juanma, David and Jorge. Six normal guys, six talented and honest musicians. Six friends who once had a dream and then had the audacity and fortune to make it real.

Ever since 1998, when on December 30th, Vetusta Morla had their first concert at the Casa de la Juventud de Tres Cantos (Spanish municipality next to the city of Madrid where they all come from), they have not stopped trying to make us partakers of that dream. Knowing that without us nothing they have achieved would have been possible and also that without them everything would have less color for many of us. I said it when I announced their German tour and I say it again: they are one of those bands that if they did not exist we would have to invent.

Pucho from Vetusta Morla at Astra in Berlin

Last Sunday they brought their “Mismo Sitio, Distinto Lugar” tour to Berlin. And they did it thanks to a passionate Hans Mercadé to whom Pucho, as talkative as usual on the stage, would thank by taking him on stage.

When you happen to be living abroad, whether it is by necessity or by personal decision, the place of origin as it happens with friends or family, is missed. There are inevitable moments of nostalgia, especially when the cold comes and light shines by its absence in countries of Northern Europe. That is why, when bands like Vetusta get out of their comfort zone to bring some light and heat to cities like Berlin, we should be grateful and never forget. And in music, as happens in life, memory is important.

Guille from Vetusta Morla at Astra in Berlin

Far from resembling to the venues in which they usually perform, Astra in Berlin is also not exactly a tiny location (1,500) and unfortunately it was not sold out. And it turned out that Sunday was kinda weird day. Despite the evident physical distance with Spain, a political buzz floated in the air (last Sunday there were general elections in Spain) and as the show moved on, more than one person would check the cell phone to see how the count progressed. Little by little, bittersweet feelings started to appear. A strange mix of emotions. On the one hand the high produced by Vetusta sounding, on the other the downturn due to the rise of the extreme right in Spain. Luckily we will always have the music!

Juanma from Vetusta Morla at Astra in Berlin

Vetusta didn´t bring any support band. It was not going to be necessary to warm up the environment. It is true that the venue was far from being full but each person in the audience (whether they were Spanish or not) shouted for two and Vetusta from the stage, as they always do, performed as if they were in front of 20,000 people.

They took the stage with a setlist that works like a perfect gear. An endless number of elaborate songs to control the emotions of the audience with. And although I missed songs like “La Cuadratura del Círculo” or “Saharabbey Road”, it must be tough to include all the songs after an already long career and in any case, with an ending with the songs “Consejo de Sabios”, “La Deriva”, “El Hombre del Saco” and “Los Días Raros”, there is simply nothing to complain about.

Vetusta Morla, pure passion and dedication. Humility in its purest form. For things like these they are responsible for having changed the independent scene in Spain. How big they are and how much other groups would have to learn from them!