- It wasn't just any Saturday in Bilbao. Euskera and Basque culture felt more than ever on the street corners. In Miribilla we had the first quote: The final of the Bertsolaris Championship in Bizkaia was played. We were able to enjoy the performances of the young bertsolaris, and some tear escaped us with Onintza Enbeita. However, we had to start the road to the Kafe Antzokia at a faster pace than expected, as Ruper Ordorika and his team were waiting for us there. We were probably not the only ones who joined the two events. Perhaps that is why the delay of almost half an hour of what was going to start at ten (or at ten and a half did you want to make a gesture to the album? ).
Although it's turned from year to year, it's not always the same. Every time Ordorika plays at the Kafe Antzokia, we all know: we have Christmas on top. We knew it was going to be a special evening, because on Saturday and Sunday concerts the album would be recorded live, but also because the Kafe Antzokia of Bilbao was celebrating: He was 23 years old. Year after year, Ruper and the Ruperists have been there for 23 years.
Ordorika held the recently published Bakarka album, but did not act alone on the stage. He presented us about five times to his fellow travellers. The program started with the song Oxydarena, which is almost forty years old and followed by Martin Larralde. “It was sung,” I say, because in the audience there was no one who didn’t know the song.
They felt comfortable on the stage. Throughout the session, Ordorika's smile became more apparent. He had a moment to remember Josu Muguruza, through the song dedicated to him Ez makes possible. Also, as usual, the famous song Cares for what you love with the closure of Egunkaria. We were surprised, though, when they brought the song Redemption song by the late Bob Marley. One of the people around me expected me to sing in English just as much as listening to the melody, but not, translated into Basque: “Let’s sing, I sing for freedom.”
The entrances had run out two weeks ago and you would see: the Theater was crowded. It was a very nice concert for people to enjoy. There was a lot of applause, because it was three or four times to rest. Ordorika, which has a wide repertoire – as it could not be otherwise, has 17 records – returned to the public and responded with famous, famous and old songs like Fas Fatum. The songs include Beltzarana and Berandu. With the latter, as you would expect, he finished the concert. He took off the guitar, stood up and, with his two hands up, drowned among the applause of the viewers. Ordorika sent us away with great affection, surely to thank the Theatre for the affection it has given in all these years. Winter 23 for the Theatre and 23 for Ruper in the Theatre.