El Quatro de mayo

12.55. Helicopters overhead, shouting in the streets. Fireworks over Recoletos. Bangers, hooters, sirens, and cheering at Cibeles. Either Real Madrid have won, or the French are back!

Viva la Pepa!!

Hidden Treasure

I happened to leave Plaza San Ildefonso - one of my favourite places - via Calle Don Felipe, and heard live music coming from an open doorway. I looked in, and saw exposed brick, a lot of black paint, a violinist and a percussionist. There's a theatre there! Matadero Tr3s Teatro is a non-profit arts venue, and there was to be a concert tonight, at 9 o'clock. I went home, and found Habibi in a room full of steam, enjoying the first ten minutes of what he'd planned as a three hour bath with a good book. Half an hour later, we were on our way, arriving 20 minutes early (British...) for a concert which we knew would start at least ten minutes late (in Spain...).

We returned at 9.20, after a stop at a conveniently placed hostelry for purposes of pre-show refreshment. Mataderotr3s holds about 30 people, and we were numbers 4 and 5 through the door. Twenty minutes later, when all seats were occupied, the show started.

Such fun! Such music, philosophy, romance and humour, in a theatre where the musicians knew half the audience by name.

Here were three Spaniards with an odd French name - Les Bigots: composer and singer Juan Hedo on acoustic guitar, with Ángel Pastor and Luis Ángel Naranjo on violin and percussion, musical arrangement and design.

Juan Hedo sang his own songs, and adaptations of French, Italian, Portuguese and Sephardic songs. Poet, clown and teasing showman, he was supported all the way by some engaging percussion; the violin backing some songs, and playing solo passages in others. His vocal style has a very French feel to it, as do several of his songs, and in an interview on his website, he cites Jacques Brel and Georges Brassens as important influences. Even so, as this evening's programme showed, French songs are only part of an intriguing mix. Juan Hedo is an original.

Las avenidas San Germain (French chanson with a wink)

El marinero (loved this - and the percussion!)

Maravilloso

Arríon

Bocca di rosa

No mercado da Ribeira

Crear (I loved this.)

Don Ramiro

Sir Nayam (one of the sephardic songs - with tabla)

Trompettes de la Renommeé

La plaza del Dos de mayo (a picture in words and music)

Si el amor (100% romance in the real world)

Lisboa (Whoa!)

Como las catedrales (couldn't understand all of it, but enough, definitely enough, to try and find the lyrics - no luck so far)

Les Bigots are on again next week, same time (!), same place, 4€. I think I shall have to go back for more.