Gary Beaumont
IN recent years there has been a proliferation of major music festivals in Spain. The likes of Arenal Sound, Sonar, FIB, Primavera Sound, Sonar, Rototom Sunsplash reflect the growing global trend for musical marathons.
This has been mirrored at local level with some great mini festivals, one such being Ojen’s Ojeando Festival.
Held every summer for the past ten years, Ojen near Marbella gives itself over to two days of the best indie music from Andalucia and beyond.
Highlights of past editions have seen bands such as Izal, Supersubmarina, Guadalupe Plata, Nacho Vegas, Love of Lesbian, Russian Red and Airbag, amongst many others, headlining the main stage and this year promises to be just as good.
Early confirmations include the winners and runners-up of the latest Ojeando New Talents contest in which dozens of indie bands from across the region battled it out for prize money and a chance to perform at the Ojeando Festival.
The winners were Hungry Butterfly, an electronic duo from Malaga comprising Paloma Bresca and Armando Gil; runners-up were Harakiri Beach, an electro pop trio from Granada; and Caballito de Mar Man, another trio from Ubeda in Jaen whose music pays homage to comic book heroes.
A special prize for the best band from Malaga went to post rock quartet Alfred Larios.
Other confirmations are pop rock quartet Full from Seville and Glaciar, a popular indie pop band from Malaga who will be returning to Ojeando for the second year running.
This year also sees a guest appearance by Irish indie rockers Delorentos.
So make sure you make a note in your diaries for Friday 1 and Saturday 2 July. With performances across three venues, including free concerts in the town square, as well as headline gigs in the schoolyard, and with a two-day ticket costing a mere €7, this musical feast is great value for money.
Tickets can be purchased from your local post office or on the festival website www.ojeando-festival.es
