The concert began with the motto “There are no men, there are no women, only people” and the song Aigua fosca. Tracks from the latest album, such as Claus dins de casa and Riu avall, resonated powerfully. The word “question” was repeated in many songs, becoming a “sea of doubts that grows,” reflecting the feeling of time slipping away without finding answers or the expected success in life.
The rhythm section, with drums and bass, displayed immense talent, with precise silences and counter-rhythms that transformed the audience into devoted dancers. Many needed to catch their breath before singing the next hit, Jo ja no soc qui era, a confession about how we change over time, an artistic trope that always strikes a chord.
Joan Pons reflected on change by listing the many towns in the País Valencià he has visited. The hesitant names of the towns revealed a fading memory, evoking nostalgia for a past sentimental landscape. This collective confession preceded the performance of Tantes vegades, with the phrase “Snow melts in spring” and a reflection on place names in a Castilianized context.
why do they govern us so badly?
Another recurring question in El Petit's songs is “why do they govern us so badly?”. Pons's proposal champions the motto “neither god nor king nor country,” the title of a 2025 song. This seemingly unresolvable question was interwoven live with Cendres, rescued from the album Vol i Dol (2010). Pons warned politicians that “you are what we were, you will be what we are,” emphasizing that everything changes except bad governance, an inferno expressed in the diptych Cendres and Totes les lleis dels homes.
Before this furious diptych, the guitar of El misteri de la mort and the dance music of Sento, from the album Energia fosca (2019), were played. Sento made the Sunday perfect, anticipating its successor from the new album, Ara no sé què dir-te. Before the encore, Pons recited an ode to maternal tenderness with Si no fos tan fàcil, an absolute emotion amidst a present dominated by male instincts.
The encore concluded with two classics from the album La figura del buit (2013), chanted by the audience: Ei, sents com refila l'òliba? and Amb tot. Today, writing and making music professionally is becoming increasingly difficult, forcing artists to find other salaried work. Nevertheless, a plea was made to El Petit not to rush their departure, as goodbyes hurt those who have invested part of their lives listening to their songs.
