Folkfest 2025: Roots music can also be danced in the 21st Century
The fifth edition of FolkFest Región de Murcia 2025 has shown that roots music and the taste for traditions are still very much alive. Although in these times, to some people it may seem that folklore is something of the past, in reality, this musical style inherent to the cultural diversity of the country, has proven to be very capable of reinventing itself, without losing its essence.
From January 24 to February 16, the festival has offered a very complete program adapted to audiences of all ages. From Murcianeo we applaud this festival, increasingly consolidated as a benchmark of folk music throughout the country.
Barranda: A tribute to its roots
The Fiesta de las Cuadrillas de Barranda, in Caravaca de la Cruz, was the place chosen to start the festival. The choice of this festival was no coincidence. The meeting was born in 1979 and its merit is to have become a classic among the popular festivals in the Spanish territory. In addition, the district houses the Museum of Ethnic Music, a place that should not be missed by lovers of traditional music...
The opening concert was given by Miguel Ángel Montesinos, artistically known as "El Pantorrillas". His new album "Palomo Cojo" is inspired by the "Trilogía del olvido" by the Murcian writer Jan J. Martí. In it he pays tribute to the stories of love silenced in times past, fusing traditional coplas with a contemporary perspective. The evening was a moving encounter capable of celebrating the richness of Murcian folklore and its ability to connect generations.
The capital as the epicenter of folk music
From February 13 to 16, the festival moved its activities to various stages in the city of Murcia. With a fairly full capacity, the Castilian duo Fetén Fetén Fetén, delivered to the audience at the Teatro Circo. Their performance was a real party of Iberian rhythms where waltzes, jotas, seguidillas and other roots rhythms, was accompanied by brief explanations about the origin of many of the musical instruments they use.
The night was enriched with the participation of Murcian artists such as Manuel Luna, Juan José Robles and Crudo Pimento, as well as the Cuadrilla, formed by outstanding troubadours from the region who made the audience laugh with their improvisations. This collaboration made clear the ability of folk music to cross the different borders between provinces, as well as the brotherhood that has always characterized this group.
The following day, the Auditorio Víctor Villegas was the stage for a double concert that brought together Los Hermanos Cubero and La Banda Morisca. The former, with their unmistakable style that mixes traditional Castilian music with bluegrass, presented songs from their album "Cubero bueno, Cubero malo", surprising the audience with their authenticity and freshness. For their part, La Banda Morisca offered a proposal that fuses Andalusian sounds with contemporary influences, which seemed to take the audience on a musical journey along the Mediterranean.
Reflection and learning days
The festival also included time for training activities and the recording of a live Radio 3 program.
On the morning of the 15th, Juan Francisco Murcia Galián, PhD in Musicology, gave a talk entitled "Strategies and sources for research in traditional music: state of the art in the Region of Murcia". The colloquium provided tools and perspectives to deepen the study of traditional music from Murcia.
Afterwards, the documentary: FOLK! A look at traditional music, which offers a reflective view on the relevance and evolution of folk music in our culture.
The day continued with the live recording of the Radio 3 program Tarataña, directed by Fernando Íñiguez. Among others, it featured a performance by the Murcian group Túa. This initiative allowed the public to be part of this radio program, which arose in response to the renewed interest in Spanish roots music. I can't think of a better place to record it live than in the middle of Folkfest. Saturday ended with a concert by Galician bagpiper Carlos Núñez, who presented his new album: "Celtic Sea". As its title indicates, Núñez, representative of Celtic music, offered a fusion performance between tradition and modernity through melodies that evoke the essence of the Atlantic.
Sunday for technofolk dancing and jacks singing
The sun did not want to miss a minute of the last day of the festival. The surroundings of the Centro Párraga and the old Artillery Park hosted the workshop "Come and sing a jota", led by Carmen María Martínez Salazar. Everyone who wanted, children and adults, participated in this workshop to learn and enjoy the dance and the Murcian song par excellence.
Then, the parades of El Tío de la Pita and the Cabezudos de Cehegín, filled the streets of Murcia with color. The "pita" is how the dulzaina is known in the Region of Murcia, in La Mancha albaceteña and Cuenca. The player, known as "el tío de la pita", is usually accompanied by other musicians with drums or snare drum. In this case, he was also accompanied by "cabezudos" (big-heads), being the whole cast. Its sound is typical of festivals and popular manifestations, especially in parades and parades.
The concert of La ChicaCharcos & The Katiuskas Band was a sold-out show. Their playful and educational show, which combines music and theater, delighted young and old alike.
The closing of the festival took place on the terrace of the Centro Párraga where DJ Castora Herz, fused traditional rhythms with electronic music. Despite the sun that was already hitting hard, no one could resist dancing with this dj who made clear the versatility of folk to become danceable to the rhythm of each one.
This last session with beer in hand - all said and done - was a good way to end the 2025 edition and look forward to the next festival.
From Murcianeo we would also like to thank Surefolk for inviting us to the festival and for trusting in our platform for the promotion of the event. Also for working during the last 25 years in the production and coordination of cultural activities of folk origin or base in the Region of Murcia, which by not being so lucrative and oriented to the general public, are no less necessary.
Long live folk!
