Flowered hats, tiny cymbals, guitars, castanets, tamborines and dancers. It’s not flamenco, but a lesser know form of Spanish folk music – verdiales. Played mainly in a few small towns around Málaga, the lyrics usually are pastoral in nature. The director starts them off with a baton, the guitars, castanets, tamborines start an unchanging rhythm, and then a singer joins in.
Every December 28 all the bands in the area compete in a day-long festival in the Puerto de la Torre fair grounds. The real fun happens in the parking lot where the members practice, eat and drink and enjoy the day, waiting for their turn on the stage.
ROLAND WALTER 
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