In Esplugues de Llobregat there is an entity that this year celebrates two decades of trajectory betting on live rock. This is Esplurock, an association that, since 2007, organizes the eponymous festival dedicated to punk, rock and metal, becoming one of the main references of these genres in Baix Llobregat.
But behind the festival there is much more. "There is a lot of trajectory. During these twenty years we have also organized a lot of concerts and activities related to the world of rock," explains the president of the entity, Aleix Costa. However, he acknowledges that the festival is the most emblematic project of the association.
The twentieth edition of Esplurock will be held this Saturday, July 25, starting at eight in the evening, at Parc dels Torrents.
From modest festival to rock reference
The origins of Esplurock date back twenty years, when a group of young people linked to the city's punk, metal and hardcore scene decided to promote a festival within the Esplugues en Viu cycle, organized by the defunct entity Glaz.
"That was the first edition and the seed of what is today our festival," recalls Costa. Since then, growth has been constant. "We have been chipping away and the evolution is abysmal. The music, the budget, the logistics have changed... Even, when we started, we had to borrow the stage from the City Council," he explains.
During these years they have also been changing locations until they found their ideal space: Parc dels Torrents. "We don't want to leave here. We like it because we don't bother the neighbors, it's a very large park and it allows us to do our activity as it deserves. It's a luxury," assures the president.
Costa also highlights that his entity is experiencing "a very sweet moment" and that, despite the passage of time, the driving core remains practically the same as when it started: "We are still the same as twenty years ago and we are happy because we have managed to create a referentiality. We were born from our cultural restlessness and from the love for punk, metal and hardcore."
A special lineup to celebrate 20 years
To commemorate this anniversary, Esplurock has prepared a lineup that they consider "one of the most powerful in its history." In fact, they say they are "very proud" of the quality of this twentieth edition.
The headliners will be the veterans Parabellum, one of the most recognized Basque rock bands. "It's a group that has to be seen live and is very well known within our field," highlights Costa. Mean Machine, hard rock references, another of the bands that the organization was very eager to bring to the festival, will also perform. The program is completed with performances by Grètel, Kskaos, and Infante Alonso.
For the second consecutive year, the party will start before the festival with a pre-event in Plaça de Catalunya, from five in the afternoon, with a session by PD Grosz. Throughout the day, the music will continue with sessions by PD Ignacid, who will play at the beginning of the festival, between performances and also at the end of the night.
Admission to the festival will be free and, as usual, there will be a bar service with popular prices.
The pending demand: more spaces for music
Beyond the organization of the festival, Esplurock maintains a historical demand: the need for Esplugues to have rehearsal rooms so that local bands do not have to travel to neighboring municipalities such as l'Hospitalet or Cornellà. It is a demand that has not yet found a response, but now the entity looks to the future with optimism thanks to the construction of the new Esplugues Auditorium-Theater. Costa trusts that this facility will allow for the promotion of activities throughout the year, beyond the festival: "We don't have enough live music offerings and we really need it. We would like to organize smaller format concerts and give more life to the city's music scene." All of this, with the aim of giving opportunities to emerging groups that are born in the city because if there is no generational change "the scene dies."
Looking to the future
After twenty years of volunteer work, Costa admits that maintaining a festival of this size is demanding, but assures that they still have "plenty of rope for a while." "We will last until we get tired. What we do is very demanding, but if our health allows it and we continue to have the support of the City Council, we still have many years left," he summarizes.
In fact, Esplugues is fortunate, because it is not common to find an entity dedicated exclusively to the promotion of rock. In Baix Llobregat, one of the regions with the most rock in Catalonia, there are only four more. And they consider that this is not enough. "There should be a rock entity in every municipality," says this musician.
For now, Esplugues can boast of having one that reaches twenty years of life, also celebrating the twentieth edition of a festival that has become an essential event for lovers of punk, rock, and metal.
From the red belt to the rocker belt: the musical history of Baix Llobregat
