Five Rising Artists from Spain to see at Bilbao BBK Live this week
Sónar and Primavera Sound are the most relevant and important festivals in Spain - and the hottest places to be in June - but what about the rest?
If you want to escape from the massive Mad Cool in Madrid, you can check out BBK Live in Bilbao. Located in the north of Spain, you'll find good weather (not so sunny but perfect for the Spanish heat) at an amazing event on the top of a mountain. Like a tiny Shire, but with actual music.
The headliners are the iconic Depeche Mode, French electro duo Justice and trash-talking Afrikaaners Die Antwoord. Of course you don't need an explanation about The Killers, The 1975, Fleet Foxes, Brian Wilson, !!! or Blonde Redhead - but you do need to know about the hot young homegrown talent on the line-up.
Dellafuente & Maka
It's a golden era right now for trap, rap, flamenco and urban music in Spain. Years ago (and not so long too) these styles were treated like second class music. Luckily, times are changing and avant-garde music/musicians like Dellafuente (pictured above) represent a new generation of rap that combines rap/flamenco with bachata beats.
Like all the young musicians who wants to break the clichés, Dellafuente looks beyond the styles and reaches forward with an open minded musical approach combined with a very mysterious social media presence. His last self-released album, Ansia Viva was a massive success and he has the press, industry and public behind him. At BBK he'll be accompanied by his collaborator Maka.
Los Bengala
Los Bengala are two guys from Zaragoza that love to play garage rock but in their own unique way. They're energetic, wild and unpredectible in their live shows and although it's just the two of them - Guillermo (guitars, vocals) and Borja (drums, vocals) - it feels like there's ten people on the stage. Their crazy attitude got the attention of London label Dirty Water Records for the release of the Incluso Festivos album.
Kaixo
Kaixo is a member of Banana Bahia Music - an important rap collective/group from the North of Spain - and while rap is the new pop, Kaixo is the encarnation of the new punk. A new attitude, free-spirited and without stage rules - the classic punk with a a rapper-twist. We can say that he's like the Spanish GG Allin.
With his unique voice and look, Kaixo is performing at the most important festivals in Spain this year and this week is going to warm up for Ho99o9 in Madrid. If you're tired of the normal stages, he's going to perform inside a boat at BBK Live.
Vulk
These four guys from Bilbao represent the new generation of the Spanish new wave of punk - akin to what Slaves are doing in the UK. Formed less than a year ago, they're already playing many of Spain's most iconic venues. They're also known for being unpredictable at their shows and with their mood - the perfect example of Spanish punk!
King Cayman
Daniel Treviño is the man behind King Cayman as well as the frontman in punk-pop band FAVX and a touring member of The Parrots. His one-man-band concept in this solo project combines punk with experimental noise, like Ho99o9, The Garden or Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Releasing two albums over three years, his new record is due soon and he played at SXSW last year.
Bilbao BKK Live runs from 6-9 July. Find out more at bilbaobbklive.com
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