: Tanned Tin Festival

Take one small theatre, 650 music fans and a bill crammed full of divergent folk and international innovation, and you’ve got Spain’s Tanned Tin festival – an intimate five day affair that’ll warm your mid-November cockles with bargain-priced tickets, buckets of character and performances from Thalia Zedek Band, Jana Hunter, Mount Eerie, Mahjongg, Beach House and more. We spoke to Jesús Llorente, head of the record label Acuarela and the brains behind your best excuse for escaping the pre-Christmas hypermarkets and hopping ‘pon a ferry.

How did Tanned Tin come about?

“10 years ago, a guy in Santander wanted to organise a couple of concerts (the festival took place in the Northern Spanish city of Santander during the first six years, and the next will be the fourth edition held in Castellón, Valencia). He had the funds but didn’t know how to proceed. Acuarela was his favourite label, so he contacted me and I was so naïve that I said ‘Hey, with that money, we should do a festival, not just a couple of gigs!’ I gathered seven or eight artists and the first Tanned Tin just happened. I was not inspired by any other festivals; the first edition was kinda improvised.”

“I love to look for exciting bands all around the world, and, because no other promoter will bring them to Spain, it gives me great satisfaction to book them for the event. It´s like our letter to Santa.”

The line up for Tanned Tin this year consists, primarily, of young British and American bands; why is this? (I’m especially pleased to see that Ben Wetherill, someone I used to see play a lot in Leeds, is performing).

“It’s normal that we book mostly British and American bands, because, during the year, Spanish (and French) bands are always on tour and accessible to anyone here with an interest in new music. There is no need to introduce them to ‘our’ audience.”

“Benjamin Wetherill is coming totally recommended by David Thomas Broughton, who is curating the small stage on Saturday morning.”

Who are you most excited about seeing play this year?

“I am particularly excited about seeing Mahjongg, P.G. Six, Deer Tick and Agent Ribbons. I have seen The New Year before and they are OUTSTANDING live, one of my favourite bands in concert.”

What is your favourite festival moment?

“Feeling totally overwhelmed by the audience reaction. And also – this is kinda embarrassing – I have never been at another festival where the artists thank the organisation so many times on stage. It’s like the conclusion of months and months of hard work. To see they are happy and trying to deliver the best show of their lives; that’s very impressive. We like to feel that we are like the catalysts of their talent, and when you see that the bands are well aware of that, it’s contagious, it’s a natural high.”

Which Spanish bands should we make sure to watch at Tanned Tin?

“La Orquesta Del Caballo Ganador is the band which could appeal more to a non-Spanish audience. They are FANTASTIC live. I have no words to describe them. Vegas is probably the best singer songwriter in Spain right now. He has been a member of Spanish indie bands Migala and Manta Ray, and has pursued a solo career since 2003 or so in a Nick Drake/Leonard Cohen/Smog vein. Sr. Chinarro is a veteran band. They are a weird mix of Joy Division, flamenco music, The Fall and Mediterranean sounds.”

When you’re travelling around, you feel a notable difference between your own musical community and musical communities elsewhere?

“It’s hard to tell, especially since I am still shocked by someone who told me last night, ‘I didn’t go to the Xiu Xiu concert in Madrid because I had just watched their NYC gig on You Tube’. Then I asked, ‘And you didn’t attend the Madrid show because you didn’t like their NYC concert?’ His answer was, ‘On the contrary. I loved it so much that I felt no need to actually see them in person, right?’ This kind of attitude frightens me, and it’s the epitome of the internet bringing too much comfort to our lives. It’s something that is happening everywhere, and will get worse.”

Do you find that your local councils/local arts establishments are willing to support musical events/cultural events? Or can it be difficult to secure support/sponsorship/funding?

“It’s a total nightmare. We don’t have any ‘private’ sponsors in a world (the festival world) where every event is sponsored by one beer company or other. All the music festivals in Spain depend on beer companies, department stores, and heavy publicity of all sorts. But we are too small (650 seated people per night) to be of any interest for those, so we have to rely on the city hall and public funds etc., which can be very stressful. Whoever has ever dealt with local politicians knows what I am talking about. Sometimes it’s like talking to a wall!”

The Tanned Tin festival takes place from 12-16 November, in Castellón, Spain.

For more information about the line-up, buying tickets and how to reach Castellón, do a clicky on: www.tannedtin.com