Is procrastination a side effect of Covid-19? Weeeeeellllll, for some of us that may be the case. Music is Prana had to be put on hold for a minute as the world was getting back to normal, and what better way to proceed in the zine’s duty of promoting independent thought than to tell you a bit about the ethereal Shangril-Lah Fest that took place in Madrid a few weeks back on August 29th.
The last days of August are a throwback to my early days where I’d get the angst of getting back to school and would try to do one last awesome thing before hitting the classroom. This year’s edition of Shangri-Lah did feel like that. But in this instance, that last awesome thing outdid everything I had enjoyed in the first half of the year. You’ll find out later in this article.
´Shangri-Lah’ itself stands for “mythical Himalayan utopia – a permanently happy land, isolated from the world”, which indeed matches the mantra of the festival. With an eclectic line up, attendees (including Carlota and Ade of indie heroes Hinds) were enchanted by the very awesome performances that were able to takes us away from the rigid post-Covid world into a different universe were the power of live music crushed the invading virus without any mercy.
Taking place at Madrid’s drive-in cinema, a carefully organized set up that broke the crowd into groups (see first picture) allowed for the spirit of rock to make its way as protector of light (insane blue skies) and as an enabler of cool (killer sunsets). I dusted out my camera in an effort to emulate photographer Octavio Pires (stay tuned for his feature in the zine!) and ventured into the party to snap a few pics.
Los Nastys
Frantic punk quartet, drawing from the MC5 and Living Things, they came onstage with swagger of seasoned festival vets. I wonder if they’d still be rocking their shades if they’d be playing indoors??? They answer is yes!!! They are that cool….cool enough to play a Weezer like ballad that sung “nuestro amor”…if not a Spanish speaker, you should pick up on this lyric.
Craneo & Lasser
G-funk rap duet, with heavy Southern California vibes reminiscent of Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic”, and the unapologetic sexual imagery of Prince and Illya Kuryaki & The Valderramas.
As a hip hop fan myself, I’m always on the lookout for the mighty 808 drum kick, which these guys used with precision + style. Their laid back rap deliveries blended perfectly with the break of sunset, and their honest energy managed to drive the hints of the menacing rain away. As an artist myself (Binary Drift) who has dabbled in bossa nova, I had yet to listen to a beat based on this music genre…Craneo & Lasser nailed it with “Pijama”! Props to producers Juan RIOS & Made in M.
Penny Necklace
With Hints of Annie and her seminal album “Anniemal”, this gal took to the stage as the day was dawning and the spirt of rock wanted to make her sound -and of course look- even more beautiful.
Dreamy pop that made you want to dance and also pay attention to the words. She’s got a special way of singing, almost as if she was whispering the words to the listeners in a dream.
Mujeres
A power trio of dudes, yes their name is Mujeres (I’ll also spare the translation here). These guys were definitely raised on Green Day’s “Dookie” and Suede. They got the crowd to dance with their contagious melodies and beats…a total sign-along band. The night fell indeed, but their energy and the crowd’s only went up.
Is there a there a magic trick to step on a distortion pedal and get the crowd rowdy? Not sure myself, ask these guys who have mastered it.
Murman Tsuladze
French trio who cleverly mix world music with electronica. Unique? Mmmmmm….oui. As their set went on I could sense dance music and Italo disco. I hadn’t encounter this level of mastery when blending styles since Chop Suey by System of a Down blasted through my car’s speakers in a New Jersey highway.
Other elements of their music included spoken word and the use of Georgian (later confirmed by the los Nastys’ bass player and fellow Peruvian Omar Montalvo), and unapologetic breakdowns that showcased the band’s ability to mix synth textures with melodies and guitar riffs – all working in consonance….that’s an SAT word ; )
Joris DelaCroix
Every party needs a DJ, and Joris took to the stage with the perfect set to welcome the night and the stars that viewed over the magical fest and kept us all permanently happy, isolated from the world – at least for that fairylike last Saturday of August 2020, a date those in attendance won’t forget.
On a personal note I want to thank the organizers, particularly the great Rosa López, who kindly accredited this medium and who I look forward to interview soon to find out more of the behind the scenes and the motive behind the fest.
Shangri-Lah Fest was a much needed outlet for independent artists, who have shown that when the right forces come together there are no hurdles that can keep the everlasting light of hope, love and MUSIC away from the masses.
As I mentioned the day of the Festival and I’ll say it now, “May the power of live music live forever!!!”
Catch more of Shangri-Lah Fest here: