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Urban Gran Canaria

Fermin Romero

June 7, 2014

Eight sharp

Back in our university days, we were members of an elite group: the eight sharpers. Membership of this group depended on punctuality, arriving at International Hall’s bar as it opened. Setting the alarm on our Casio meant we were never thrown out of the group; although we can’t say the same about being ejected from the bar.

Fermin Romero and group

A singer with his band

Fermin and his band of merry men and women

Fermin Romero, the MC at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria's San Martin

Fermin on the mic

Mike control with Fermin Romero at San Martin, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

The night's as bright as the lights at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria's San Martin

Bright lights bright night

See the bright lights at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria’s San Martin

Fermin Romero and Calidos Mecanicos conclude their set at San Martin

All played out in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

All played out at San Martin

Gigs like clockwork

We’ve noticed that, regarding gigs at least, they’re also a stickler for being on time in Gran Canaria. We recall pitching up slightly late to a Good Company gig at CICCA and sweating whether they’d let us in or not. They did, but only when the band had finished one of their prog-rock-length numbers.

Running on time

So we were fairly legging it, pegging it, through the streets of Vegueta. To reach a venue we’d been to before, but for art not music. We were sweating, and by end of his promptly-started first number, so was Fermin Romero. So much so, that he removed his smart blue blazer to reveal a plain white T-shirt underneath. As the stage lights illuminated a moustache of perspiration on Fermin Romero’s upper lip.

Fermin Romero, the melody of rock

Having shamefully not listened to the back catalogue of a celebrated Canarian singer stretching back 20 years, we nonetheless saw some of our musical heroes up on stage in Fermin Romero. There was the intensity of Elvis Costello, the quirkiness of Jonathan Richman, and the forthright blokeyness of Billy Bragg. Romero surfed genres, one minute coming on as a experimental jazz singer, Mar de Palabras (Sea of Words); the next an earnest busker, Te Fuiste (You Left).

Disclaimer: We received a press pass in order to take photos and videos. Although the €5 entry fee looked a steal. For a 90-minute set which saw Romero play songs new and old.