Oscar Briz & Planet 8

There are gigs, and then there are mornings like this—sun high, sea breeze rolling in, beer already cold before noon—where everything just clicks into place. That was the scene at La Pèrgola de La Marina, where Oscar Briz and Planet 8 didn’t just play a concert—they detonated a matinal ritual.

Doors at 11. Music at 12. No darkness, no build-up—just daylight and expectation. That’s the magic of Concerts de la Pèrgola: Saturday morning gigs by the sea, where indie kids, families, veterans, and the mildly hungover all collide in one sunlit blur. By the time Briz and his band hit the stage, the place was already humming. Sunglasses on. Heads nodding. That low murmur that says: this could go anywhere. This wasn’t just a set—it was a 45-year love letter to R.E.M., and it landed exactly where it needed to.

From the first chords, the crowd was in.

“It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” didn’t just get a reaction—it triggered a full-body singalong. Arms up, voices cracking, that strange joy of shouting existential lyrics under a cloudless Valencian sky. Then came “Shiny Happy People”—and whatever resistance was left in the crowd disappeared completely. Smiles everywhere. Dancing that started ironic and ended sincere. Total release. This is what these shows do: they take songs you’ve heard a hundred times and give them back to you, louder, closer, and somehow new again. The set dug through classics and deeper cuts alike, exactly as promised—a full-spectrum tribute for casual fans and diehards alike.

What really tipped it over wasn’t just the band—it was the people. Kids on shoulders. Groups of friends already halfway into their second round before lunch. Strangers locking into the same chorus like they’d known each other for years. No barriers. No distance. Just that rare thing: a crowd fully present. And when it hit—those big choruses, those universal hooks—the place went properly wild. Because here’s the thing: Concerts de la Pèrgola isn’t trying to be anything else. It’s simple. Open-air. By the sea. Every Saturday morning. And that simplicity is exactly why it works. No clashes. No chaos. Just one stage, one band, one moment at a time.

If this felt like a peak, it’s because the rest of May is stacked.

• May 2 – Camellos + Cien Galgos

• May 9 – Los Estanques & El Canijo de Jerez

• May 16 – Wau y los Arrrghs + Tumba Swing

• May 23 – Rupatrupa + Intraperlo

• May 30 – Viva Belgrado + Bestia Bebé

Every one of them kicks off the same way: doors at 11, music at 12, sun overhead, sea just metres away.

Oscar Briz and Planet 8 didn’t just honour R.E.M.—they proved why this format matters. Because sometimes the best gigs don’t happen at midnight in dark rooms.Sometimes they happen at noon, under a blue sky, with a plastic cup in your hand and a chorus you forgot you loved. And at La Pèrgola, that’s not a one-off. It’s every Saturday.

For tickets and more information on remaining events: Concerts De La Pèrgola