Don’t forget where you come from
Although judging by the temperatures it may not seem like it, we have changed the season, at least on an astronomical level. We entered autumn and the latest edition of the festival of Sound Stations 2026but something more than the heat weighed on the atmosphere. Days before the event, the organization made a publication on social networks that raised an uncomfortable question about the continuity of the project. Was it due to a specific lack of response from the public? Would it be a long-term problem that would compromise the project? In any case, this shadow was flying over the old school yard.
Moving on to the musical level, we were presented with a poster that was not as loaded with recognized names as in previous editions. But in Cascante it is already known that the festival gives few explanations and requires some faith from those who approach it without having done their homework. And faith, once again, had its reward.
On Friday the Gipuzkoan ones opened Neomaka group of young women who have chosen Basque folk as a basis to express their story. Theme and context with ancient roots, which this group updates by providing a new perspective, where tambourines and trikitixas meet more electronic ambient sounds and synthesized percussions. I perceived an audience eager for them to exploit their electronic side more to break out into dancing, but in any case trance is guaranteed on the current tour of Neomak.
Immediately afterwards Your Other Beautiful entered the scene. Second visit of this Madrid band to Cascante, who have been maintaining their characteristic fusion sound but with a strong influence of the classic sound of Extremoduro, which has characterized them since their last reference “Puta vida”. Unfortunately the band had to battle with technical failures that produced intermittent cuts in the sound facing the audience, which forced them to stop the concert for a few minutes, apologizing for the complications. From there the band showed off their experience on stage, and far from collapsing, they grew with their return to the stage, turning a setback into a demonstration of character. In this way, and honoring the title of their latest album, the band relativized the setbacks that arise in life and concluded a show worthy of the festival’s closing, but there was still something more left for the first day of this fall edition.
Polish Girl was in charge of closing on Friday, the Madrid-Alicante quartet has been consolidating itself in the national independent scene for several years with a very personal pop proposal and a sense of humor that does not disgust anything. Four years after their last visit, the band returned to Cascante restructured, more mature and with a work released in April of this year well shot on stage. They played “San Francisco the Great”, “CSI Alicante (My Generation)”, “Naughty” and “The Death of Mufasa” among others. Successful choice of new songs to discover, along with their most established references, which the audience chanted from beginning to end. In this way they showed that the band is gaining weight for a reason, leaving a very good taste in the mouth to end Friday’s live shows. The Zaragoza native Sopelana DJ He was in charge of closing the day with a powerful session that reviewed indie and pop reference themes on an electronic basis.
As is customary in Sound Stationsthe festival is not limited to the concert venue and on Saturday morning there was already activity with the programming of performances by groups such as The Nest and Paco Sin either A. Theo DJwhich together with the food from Reyno Sonoro enlivened these previous hours.
In the afternoon, and with a spectacular full moon over Cascante, Jumelagand they began the last day of this autumn edition. With a risky choice of colors in the group’s image, this band from Pamplona entered the scene encouraging an audience that was still static, as is usually the case at openings. But they knew how to win over the public, asking for a standing ovation for our night star, they chained together “Llantos y Carnations”, and from there everything went into a crescendo. For those of you who don’t know them, Jumelage is a curious group that bets on a mix of rumba, with nuances of rap and rock, and with a theme inherited from the Basque country. Sounds more typical from the south of the country, which suddenly take you to the north with songs in Basque. The medley of legendary rumba covers passed through their own filter ended up convincing the audience that entered, leaving a well-heated patio for what would come next.
After an hour of preparations, and just before The Wonderful Orchestra of Alcohol (header photo) entered the scene, the organization took advantage of the expectation to issue a statement that cleared up the doubts raised about the project. An emotional voice-over acknowledged the public’s support, promising us that they will put all the firewood on the grill, regardless of whether it is in the courtyard of the old school or somewhere else, but that they have every intention of giving continuity to the Sonora Stationss. Thus, the dark clouds, in this edition figuratively, cleared, “Un Beso y una Flor” by Nino Bravo was played as an introduction, so that MODA could start with its fourth participation in this festival. The people from Burgos are at a moment of maturity in their career, something that I think is evident in their latest album. “Saint Happy” but without forgetting at any time his career within the current musical panorama, since he treasures several hymns that are now indispensable. They impeccably wove new songs with other not so current but indispensable ones, supported by a stage design that made the audience get more involved, if possible, in the musical proposal to which this band has accustomed us, with more banjo changes than I remembered, although I suppose that the authenticity of the five strings requires it. The most beautiful moment of the night came when seven boys and girls from the town took the stage for the song “I Don’t Need You to Be Happy”, taking the opportunity to sing happy birthday to one of the participants. An improvised moment that the old school playground will not easily forget. In total, almost an hour and a half of musical extravagance that gave way to the last group of the night.
Guadiana leeches They started taking advantage of their intro song to link with “100 Amapolas” and more songs from their album “Revolá”energetic, almost without breathing between songs. This band from Extremadura has only been on the scene for a short time, but they have made a place for themselves on the national tour with a proposal that mixes rock, electronics and more urban nuances, with the rural roots of Extremadura and a very personal and very honest narrative. Before delving into their live performance, the Extremadurans took a moment to explain the stage props: warehouse door, refrigerator, old calendars. They talked about the typical garages where they gather to celebrate and hang out in the towns and the intention of taking theirs on tour, to share it with their audience and at the same time feel closer to their land. And that’s what it’s about, Sanguijuelas’ music talks about the migration from rural areas to capitals in search of a future and the longing for everything that is left behind. Something that, I attest, they share with a large part of the audience at this festival, and that in the courtyard of the old Cascante school found an unparalleled space for its staging. Paying tribute to Robe Iniesta with his version of “I Have Nothing to Lose”, the concert gained in intensity, alternating sentimental moments with moments of pogo, until closing with one of his headline songs “Septiembre” and the very personal “Llevadme a Mi Extremadura”. The whirlwind of Extremadura gave way to Zoe DJ and the animated Angel Carmona in their DJ role, who were in charge of extending this last edition of 2026 until well into the early hours of Sunday.
Once this autumn’s delivery is closed and after the doubts published by the organization on networks, it is time to take stock. The Ribera Navarra is practically a musical desert, where the towns do not change the formula, they only rely on orchestras in major festivals and beyond the programming of a theater in Tudela, there is no space where live music has a place on a regular basis. But Sound Stations It has shown, against all odds, that things can be done differently, bring cultural proposals for all tastes and energize the activity of a rural area. Just with the first concerts that were scheduled at the retirees’ bar, there was much more effort and involvement than any nearby town to bring cultural news to the area. Whatever the future of the festival, in the old school yard or elsewhere, the organization and the town have reason to be more than proud of what they have built. Because there will be more or less powerful editions, but they cannot forget where they come from, much less all the way they have traveled.
