The bonfires are about to sound. The bands finalize essays and refine the instruments for one of the most anticipated moments of the party: the Banding. More than a parade, this act has become a statement of intentions, where each musician, each pasodoble and every step of the parade mark the character of the fires. “It's the way of saying: we are already at parties”summarizes Aurora Martínez, president of the bonfire Port d'Alacant.
“When our pasodoble sounds when we arrive at the Rambla we feel that all the work has been worth it.”
Behind each award there are Much more than score and rhythm. There is a careful bet for music as a soul of the party. “Without music there are no bonfires”says Manuel Castillo, president of the Bonalúa bonfire. For Castillo, investing in a great band is not an expense, it is an identity sign. “We bet on having the one that for us is the best band in the province, they come with us, more than 80 musicians. While the budget allows it, we will continue like this. ”
“More than 80 musicians come with us. While the budget allows it, we will continue like this,”
Pasodobles with emotion
Emotion is also written with Musical notes. This is the case of The Harmony Musical Society of Alicante, That this year celebrates its twentieth anniversary. “We will play two very special pasodobles: one is the”Pepe Balaguer “, of Azael Tormo, dedicated to our deceased former president; And another, “The harmony of Alicante“that Luis Molina composed us and that we have reissued for this entry of bands, “explains its director, José Tomás. With more than 60 musicians at the entrance next to the San Antón Alto bonfire, they aspire to everything.”Musical quality must be the first. The entrance of bands must show off and that is only achieved with A full and well balanced band “.
“The entrance of bands must look and that is only achieved with a full and well balanced band”
In Benalúa the pasodoble will be heard for the first time “We are sea and burning”dedicated to your former president, Amparo Martínez. The music society of Villafranqueza will play it, a formation that last year was first in the contest. Its director, Eduardo Peris, defends that the secret is in the solidity of the set. “All voices have to sound, not only the first. A band You can't go out with less than 40 musiciansbecause that doesn't sound. “
“All voices have to sound, not only the first. A band cannot leave with less than 40 musicians”
The strength of the collas
In this collective effort to highlight, also the sweet and tabal gangs They have found their space, defending the weight of the Alicante tradition. “Popular culture is not understood without Dolçaina and Tabal. If we bet on the regional at the party, we must also bet on the music of Alicante,” says José Blas, director of Colla L'Embolic, winner of the first prize of the entrance of bands since 2017. “In a colla had 10 musicians, now groups of up to 30 are seen. It requires more work, more essays, but Sounds with entity“, says Blas, who emphasizes that this year they will interpret the” Julia Vicent “and” Josep Tomás “pasoble as essential.
“If we bet on the regional at the party, we must also bet on Alicante's music”
From the bonfire José María Py, his president Lucía Durá also bets on the dolçaina and the tabal As identity sound. “Is more traditional, more than here. We have been parading with the San Blas colla and adapt the pasodobles of our commission. They cannot be missing “Miguel Díaz”, “Paco Cortés” y “Always with me”. It is the sound that connects us with the big days of bonfires. “
“It's more traditional, more here. It is the sound that connects us with the big days of bonfires.”
Staging
Behind the brightness of the entrance of bands there is also a great economic effort. They recognize it from Port d'Alacant: “Bring a band like ours demands a high budget, But it deserves it. When our pasodoble sounds when you reach the Rambla, We feel that all work has been worth it“Aurora Martínez explains. Saturday's appointment is presented as an authentic Sound competition in which the bands should not only sound good, They must sound big.
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