Mishima and poetic friendships celebrate Sant Jordi

Mishima completed their first Olympic cycle of La Nit de les Roses this Wednesday. It has been four years since they were the first band to perform at the historic La Paloma venue in the heart of Barcelona's Raval after its renovation, and they did so by proposing a pre-Sant Jordi party that fuses words and music, as befits the most literary band on the contemporary Catalan scene. As Manuel de Pedrolo said, if they are roses, they will bloom. And these have burst forth proudly: if seeing them chanting Mishima's songs and the applause for the writers who acted as openers are the barometer, this is a tradition that has come to stay. 

In times of concern for the future of Catalan, David Carabén sent an optimistic message: “We have the language in good enough shape that we have had to go over it a few times these days to select the authors”. The lineup was certainly a luxury. Opening the proceedings was the latest recipient of the Premi d'Honor de les Lletres Catalanes, the poet Biel Mesquida, who recited the last three pieces from his latest book, Biel Mesquida, who torrentially recited the last three pieces from his latest book, Trast. He spoke of earthquakes, hammer-quakes, and letter-quakes and recalled the unjust imprisonment of rapper Pablo Hasél, a mention that received great applause.

Another award-winner followed, this time with Anagrama: Carlota Gurt. Els erms is a book about disenchantment and the author read a caustic passage about the abyss between who we are and who we would like to be, expressed in terms of a meager ejaculation. Eva Baltasar offered a passage from her fifth novel, Els peixos, about a painfully asymmetrical love story in which one woman experiences it from dismemberment and the other from hedonism. The literary part was closed by Pol Guasch, who chose not to read from his latest book, Relíquia (which narrates his father's suicide), and opted to present a new text composed from some of Mishima's most famous verses and reflect on love from them. “Having arrived here, knowing we have to leave, if you could escape, do you know where I would go?”, she concluded with a delicate voice, seconds before receiving one of the ovations of the night.

The Night of the Roses is also charitable. Part of the ticket price goes to the Arrels foundation, which looks after the homeless. Like Victor, who came on stage to explain how he had managed after five years living on the street. “The problem of the street is mental health”, he recalled, about the consequences it has on people who cannot have a home.

After this generous and brilliant first half, it was time for the concert of a triumphant Mishima, playing at home. The audience sang everything – more women than men – and a carefree and joyful atmosphere reigned, even during the most melancholic songs.

A micro-tradition within this neo-tradition is the live premiere of the latest group version, which this year corresponds to Només amics, the adaptation of Back to friends by Sombr. The song arrived after a string of chained covers that began with El llibre de l’amor (Peter Gabriel) and continued with the covers from previous editions of this pre Sant Jordi festival: Roses (by Miley Cyrus), La diablessa (by Xavi) and HdHFMD (by Bad Bunny). The festival ended with two of their own classics: Un tros de fang and Tot torna a començar.