Els Pets and Goat Soup in Roses: a historic night of Catalan rock

RosesAll Catalan rock fans have their favorite bands and legendary songs. Some have closely followed the career of Goat Soup, others prefer The Pets. However, beyond personal affinities and tastes, there's no doubt that these two bands—with the permission, of course, of Lax'n Busto, who completes the golden trident—are an inescapable part of the musical and emotional landscape of an entire country. And, for the first time in 25 years, since the legendary Senglar Rock in Prades, Els Pets and Sopa have once again shared the stage on the same night.

They were there this weekend at the Sons del Món Festival in Roses, where there was a historic double performance, full of complicity and raw emotions. The reunion didn't disappoint: more than 5,400 people sold out tickets to enjoy the thrill of both groups, each one the protagonist of their own concert, one after the other, prolonging the party until after 1 a.m. with renewed energy and a high level of quality, without falling into cloying nostalgia or showing signs of exhaustion. Those from Constantí, immersed in their 40th anniversary tour, propose a varied and delicious combination of the four most emblematic albums they have chosen for the celebration – ¡Calla y baila!, Agost, Som and Bon dia–; while Sopa de Cabra presents its summer tour, Animal, inspired by the 2001 tour, combining hits with the best recent songs.

Two concerts and a cake

Els Pets were in charge of opening the night, entrusting themselves to the impulse of Lluís Gavaldà, always charismatic, approachable, and playful with the audience, with plenty of energy to sing and jump up and down without losing steam. On this birthday tour, practically no famous song is missing, such as Peace, Good morning, Come to the party, A bit of heaven either Tarragona shakes me, All of them with a natural gift for stringing together epic and glorious tunes, which are impossible to forget. From the album Somos, From 2018, calmer pieces were also heard, really and well-woven, such as Life is very beautiful without your body either I don't want you to like this song..

Immediately after a rather long break to rearrange the stage and perform sound checks, Gerard Quintana burst onto the scene with his unmistakable "Good night, you bastards!" to kick off the second round of Catalan rock of the evening. The band, which will also celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2026, will feature pieces that are now national heritage. The southern lighthouse, You will never find either Don't be in a hurry–, the group put together a solid and vibrant performance, culminating with Circles, L'Empordà and Paths.

Now, although many expected some shared musical moments on stage, there was no joint performance. A shame. Only after the final song by Els Pets did the Girona group unexpectedly bring in a giant cake with candles, and all the musicians embraced each other in a hug, a sign of affection, recognition, and long-standing friendship. Undoubtedly a memorable image, a moving and splendid testament to the past and present of two of the most important groups in the history of Catalan music.