Potaje de Utrera

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Potaje de Utrera

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zata

Posts: 659
Joined: Jul. 17 2003

Potaje de Utrera

Me and Phil were at the Potaje in Utrera on Saturday... I wrote a little review with pictures and the English translation is up at:

http://www.deflamenco.com/actuaciones/potaje04/indexi.jsp

Phil, if you plan on going to any more, there's La Puebla on the 10th, which I highly recommend, you'll love it...rustic, intimate setting, no unruly crowds, good artists.. Then there's Lebrija on the 17th, more of a crowd scene, Casabermeja on the 24th, I'll be going for the first time so I don't know what to expect.

Estela 'Zata'

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 30 2004 1:26:10

Phil

Posts: 382
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Rota, Spain

RE: Potaje de Utrera (in reply to zata)

Not having access to the internet from my home makes it almost impossible to respond. I end up using my limited time trying to catch up with what´s going on.

Estela´s review of the Potaje was very diplomatic for reasons that I fully understand. The fact of the matter is that there was an absolute absence of any kind of Flamenco ambience.
I think a reasonable person would have expected to hear Flamenco played over the sound system during the (typical) hour long delay in starting and during the hour long intermission. Instead we were treated to jazz, blues, Jose Mercé singing blues, and just about everthing except Flamenco. They did play a very short cut of Fernanda singing and that was about it. Keep in mind that this was in UTRERA at the oldest Flamenco festival in Spain! For chrissakes, the Gypsy Kings would have been a better choice.

I now feel that dedicating the festival to Alejandro Sanz was a mistake. The place was filled with mini-skirted teenaged girls (not a bad thing in itself mind you :-) who had no interest in Flamenco, while dozens of aficionados were turned away at the door because they didn´t know that tickets had been sold out for several days. It had never happened before. Scalpers were asking 50 euros for the 20 euro tickets.

The table I had was actually a little closer to Morón than tho the stage in Utrera, so I was very greatful for the 2 big screen TV´s that were set up. I must say that the camera work for the TV´s was very professional and very well done. I got to see some good close-ups of the guitarists.

The only thing I disagree about Estelas´s review is Archangel. To me he´s Flamenco to sleep by. Howeer, opportunity to see Bernarda de Utrera and Farruquito´s short performances was worth the price of admission. I´m going to try to make it to the Gazpacho de Morón. I really want to see Diego de Morón play.

Phil

PS. I got my tickets to see Paco de Lucia in Sevilla in September!!!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 9 2004 15:53:03

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: Potaje de Utrera (in reply to Phil)

Phil,
Always a pleasure to hear from you man!
Hope everything's going OK for ya.
Are you still seeing El Carbonero?
Is it my imagination, or did you mention something about "al Golpe"?
I see you've edited your post since....
I'd completely forgotten about that other meaning of the phrase! LOL!

cheers Phil!

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 9 2004 20:19:13

zata

Posts: 659
Joined: Jul. 17 2003

RE: Potaje de Utrera (in reply to Ron.M)

quote:

Is it my imagination, or did you mention something about "al Golpe"?
I see you've edited your post since....
I'd completely forgotten about that other meaning of the phrase! LOL!

I posted on that earlier when Andy used the phrase, but haven't seen the message materialize. "Bulerías al golpe" is another name for "soleá por bulería". I know that makes a lot of people unhappy but you'll have to take it up with the jerezanos, it's their fault.

Estela 'Zata'

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 9 2004 21:16:05

Phil

Posts: 382
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Rota, Spain

RE: Potaje de Utrera (in reply to Ron.M)

quote:

Is it my imagination, or did you mention something about "al Golpe"?
I see you've edited your post since..

I originally hit the wrong button and posted before I was finished, so I edited it and reposted. I don´t know where my comment about 'al golpe' went

What I said was, 'Be careful throwing the term 'al golpe' around, in Jerez it doesn´t mean what you think it means.' Estela explained it in her post.

I haven´t seen El Carbonero since January. I moved to Morón in February (about 5 kms outside of Morón actually. I haven´t had time for guitar lessons, but since I still haven´t learned what El C taught me further lessons at this time wouldn't help.