Two bands from Madrid, King Sapo and Alber Solo & The Firebirdblues, and two from Ibiza, Uncle Sal and Cotton Cactus, make up the line-up for the 4th edition of the Rock Island Festival, which was postponed on the 13th of May due to the threat of torrential rain and will be held this Saturday, the day of San Juan, in the outdoor enclosure of the Caló de s’Oli Auditorium, in the evening to avoid the midday heat. There will also be food trucks and the musical entertainment between performances will be provided by Ibiza-born Betterman Dj.
The music will start at 4 p.mwith Betterman Dj, followed by Cotton Cactus (5 pm), Alber Solo & The Firebirdblues (6.15 pm), Uncle Sal (7.45 pm) and, finally, King Sapo (9.15 pm). There will also be stalls selling vinyl, in collaboration with the Retro Association. This American-style rock party is organized jointly by the City Council of Sant Josep and the Cultural Association Great River Road, with the collaboration of Can Jordi Blues Station, Ibiza 5 Sentidos, Joan F. Ribas Estudio de Fotografía, Pinturas Real and Colores de Bes.
The bands
King Sapo is a solid rock band with its own label, born in Madrid, that updates the sounds of the 70’s and 90’s in a style they define as ‘grunge and roll’. It is formed by Jesús Trujillo (vocals), Andrés Duende (guitar), José Alberto Solís (bass) and Ramiro Unceta (drums). The group was shortlisted for its first album to two categories in the 2019 Latin Grammys. “It stands out for its powerful and elegant live performances, both electric and acoustic, and the impressive previous experience of its components, who have passed through bands like Eldorado, SCR, Última Experiencia or Wyoming y los Insolventes, among others,” the organizers said yesterday in a note. They have released three albums, ‘Niño Gurú’, the EP ‘Lengua púrpura’ and ‘Sexo en Marte’, last year.
Uncle Sal, already classics of Ibizan rock. | JOAN F. RIBAS
Alber Solo, guitarist, composer and singer born in l’Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona) and resident in Madrid, is one of the main current figures of blues in Spain. He is currently touring with his band, The Firebirdblues, with whom he has just released the album ‘Esperando a que baje el sol’, which was released just six months ago and which, combining blues patterns that swing towards other genres, such as soul or funk, presents lyrics with a powerful social content, as it was conceived in times of crisis and pandemic. The band is a power trio formed by Alber Solo (guitar and vocals), Paul Rodas (bass) and Alberto Mármol (drums).
The Ibizan band Uncle Salborn in 2011, stands out for the powerful southern rock it displays and the brutal energy it transmits from the stage. The band has already released four albums: ‘Little Cabin Music’ (2015), ‘You Ain’t No Bluesman’ (2017), ‘The American Dream’ (2019) and ‘Darken My Door’ (2021), with which they have achieved countless successes, such as the Gravelroad76 award for best album of the year for Little Cabin Music and The American Dream or their presence in major festivals and concert halls around the country.
Cotton Cactus is a recently created Ibizan group, with a wide repertoire of blues, rock and roll, country and bluegrass covers. It is formed by Sílvia San (acoustic guitar and vocals), José David Cruz (harmonica and electric guitar), Dennis Herman (dobro), Sara Arribas (bass) and P. J. González (drums). Its five members are veterans of the Ibiza music scene.
The Great River Road Cultural Association arises in Ibiza in 2019 and is made up of a group of Ibizan lovers of American rock and blues, including music promoter Paco Bobberman, concert photographer Joan F. Ribas, musician Pedro J. González and journalist Xescu Prats.
For the full article, please visit Diario de Ibiza website here.