La Pèrgola

4 hours ago

3 min read

Grey skies, a few clouds hanging overhead and absolutely no shortage of people ready to party. La Pèrgola made its much-anticipated return last Saturday, and Valencia's live music crowd turned out in force to welcome back one of the city's favourite musical traditions.

The weather might have been threatening to spoil the party, but nobody seemed remotely interested in taking notice. Sold out, packed with music fans and buzzing from the first note, La Pèrgola delivered a brilliant reminder of just why these Saturday lunchtime sessions have become such an important part of Valencia's live music scene.

Set against the waterfront backdrop of La Marina, there's something rather special about watching live bands with the Mediterranean just a few steps away. No dark rooms, no late-night finishes and no need to wait until the weekend is nearly over to get your live music fix. Just great bands, cold drinks, good company and hundreds of people ready to throw themselves into the afternoon. It's a winning formula, and Saturday proved it still has plenty of life in it.

Opening duties fell to Anabel Lee, and they wasted absolutely no time getting the party started. From the moment they hit the stage, there was an infectious energy running through their performance. Full of attitude, urgency and plenty of movement, the band seemed determined to make sure nobody was standing around for too long.

Jumping around the stage, throwing themselves into the performance and even getting down into the crowd, Anabel Lee brought the kind of unfiltered energy that makes live music such a pleasure to experience. Their emotionally charged alternative pop-rock, driven by punchy guitars and huge singalong moments, quickly found its audience.

There was no gentle easing into the afternoon here. Anabel Lee came out swinging, got the crowd involved and set a pretty high bar for what was to follow. A cracking opening set from a band who clearly know how to work a live audience.

Next up, Karavana took control, and the crowd was more than ready for them. With their infectious blend of indie rock, scruffy rock 'n' roll attitude, sharp guitar work and hooks that refuse to leave your head, the band had everything needed for this kind of occasion. They picked up exactly where Anabel Lee had left off, keeping the energy levels firmly in the red and giving the packed waterfront crowd plenty to get excited about.

Karavana have that knack of making indie rock feel immediate and gloriously uncomplicated. Big guitars, catchy choruses and a performance that feels just as good in the middle of the crowd as it does from the front of the stage. They connected with the audience, kept the momentum rolling and gave everyone another reason to forget about the clouds.

By this point, the whole place was bouncing. Singing, dancing, jumping and generally making a glorious racket. The sort of atmosphere that makes you glad you got out of bed on a Saturday morning.

Credit where it's due, because putting on events like Concerts de la Pèrgola takes plenty of work behind the scenes. The organisers, production team, venue staff and supporting partners all play their part in keeping live music accessible and giving both established names and emerging artists a platform in such a fantastic setting.

The backing of its collaborating brands and partners, including Bodegas Vegalfaro, is another important part of making the project happen. It's that combination of organisation, community support and a genuine commitment to live music that helps keep La Pèrgola such a valuable fixture on Valencia's cultural calendar.

And the venue itself deserves plenty of recognition. La Marina provides a setting that is difficult to beat, bringing together the city's music community in an open-air space where the atmosphere is as much a part of the experience as the bands on stage. There's a real sense of occasion about these events, without losing the relaxed, friendly spirit that makes them so appealing.

Saturday was a perfect example. The clouds couldn't keep people away, the sold-out crowd brought the noise and both bands delivered exactly what was needed to get the autumn season underway.

After a summer break, La Pèrgola is back doing what it does best: putting great live music in front of a crowd that knows how to enjoy itself. And there's already another date to get excited about! The next Concerts de la Pèrgola session welcomes Nacho Vegas and Ela Vin to the waterfront, with doors opening at 11am and music starting at midday.

If Saturday's return was anything to go by, tickets won't be something to leave until the last minute. The clouds can do their worst. La Pèrgola is back, the guitars are ringing out across La Marina and Valencia's Saturday lunchtime soundtrack is well and truly restored.

Words and photos: Rhyan Paul

For tickets and more information: La Pèrgola