The viejo and the apollado rock and roll. It is the language of the XX siglo that many people have lost through amortization. Ultimately, it’s all about action. With global and peripheral vision. Know how to surround yourself with good companies. Resist the invitations of time, even if the subject suffers. Keep a good eye out. Let this be said to José María Sanz, aware that he does not need to be a virtuoso before the microphone or before the blank folio to rise to a leader sin paragon on the state scene, of those who are not estilan, of those who are clearly threatened with extinction. Not just because he is meters tall or because he is bigger than an eye: his charisma cannot be measured in millimeters.
He demonstrated his anoche during an exultant concert at the Roig Arena in Valencia, in front of more than 9,000 people. An incredible two-hour long show, with incredible sound and based on the repertoire of Legendary Hearts (2025), a latest album which covers several classics from his 45-year career in duet with other artists (Bunbury, Calamaro, Raphael, Manolo García): that’s why I’m still there Legendary Hearts by Lou Reed before a concert for which I don’t need to count on anyone among the illustrious sequences that accompanied him on the disc.
If this is enough, it is not little (from Luego) with a superlative group, which embraces the virtues of everything it plays, meeting the most panoramic and colorful version, for moments even arañando the epic Springsteenianawith its theme: mainly by the sax of Dani Herrero, but also by the sharp guitars of Igor Paskual and Josu García, the keyboards of Jorge Rebenque, the bass of Alfonso Alcalá and the drums of Laurent Castagnet. It was like the expansive reverse side of the tour, much more sheltered and intimate, which last year visited the theaters and small halls of Spain, which 30 years of transgressions in which he revises his most poetic vision. At this point I have not followed, much less, each of Loquillo’s tours (I immediately record in my memory his visits to Viveros in 1989, to the MIMED in Mislata in 2005, to the Roxy hall – although it was not called then – in 2009 or to the Olympia theater in 2012), but I cannot remember a more convincing version of a Valencian scene.
Because I was one to show electrifying, without respite, sent to the top from the minute. With a clenched jaw. A ball of rock and roll. No more, no less. As basic as sonar can be. Those who did not know it require a particular prior complicity because it is very difficult not to commune with songs which are part of our popular collection, heritage of our music, flesh of community singing, anoche expressed as if they had just been born. From the initial greeting (“Feliz Navidad, Valencia, bona vesprada”) to the introduction of the group members, after which it was defined as that chic of the El Clot neighborhood that continues to endure. Twenty songs with many memorable moments: it ends with In the streets of Madridpop radios Sun (what a good creative renaissance album it was Balmoral), the memory of Johnny Halliday in Crossing paradisethe mention of Jorge Martínez (Jorge Ilegal, bravo) against the ravishing soft rockthe traditional call to Johnny Cash at a gallop The black manthe turning point that was Breakups (opening the way to the last line of the classics), a very difficult course I’m going to kill you (fine without banning her because of the giant political correction law), the happy version of The king of glamor (from Alaska and Dinarama, with Igor Paskual emphasizing backing vocals on the T Rex component of the song: you were warned when you silenced him riff of Get It’s lit) and other popular hymns like Rock’n’roll attitude, The rhythm of the garage, Feo, strong and formal, Rock and roll star you are one Lonely Cadillac that we only dream of reliving, without having a few routine concessions to nostalgia to cover the working day.
I always had time for Loquillo to tell us that he coincided, when he was ball coach at Cotonificio (because he wore a Valencia Basket t-shirt with his name and number, 33, at the back of the stage), with a companion named Pedro Martínez, today coach of the Valencian team, whom he defined as “the best coach in Europe”. It was also a source of motivation, even if it came from the banks. Another story of resistance.
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