- It will be held from Thursday July 25 to Saturday July 27 at the facilities of La Térmica Cultural.
- It will bring together singers, dancers and guitarists such as Israel Fernández and Diego del Morao, Martirio and Chano Dominguez, Pepe Habichuela and Josemi Carmona, among others.
- The festival will feature parallel activities, including a children's workshop at La Fábrica de Luz. Energy Museum
The director of musical shows, Miguel Morán and Conchi Fernández, director of the area of museums, heritage and culture of the Foundation Ciudad de la Energía (CIUDEN) have presented this morning the 2nd edition of the flamenco festival 'Bierzo al Toque' to be held from Thursday 25 to Saturday July 27 at La Térmica Cultural. This 2nd edition of the festival, which will bring together singers, dancers and guitarists such as Israel Fernández and Diego del Morao, Martirio and Chano Domínguez, Pepe Habichuela and Josemi Carmona, among others, is presented as a musical journey that starts from flamenco to delve into the many possible fusions and sound languages. In addition, in parallel, the event combines concerts with a program that includes conferences, workshops and a photography exhibition.
At the end of July, La Térmica Cultural will become the venue for this festival that proposes a journey through all the disciplines of flamenco, an art form declared intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO. Thus, on Thursday, July 25, the musical performances will begin with the show De tal palo, which will bring together José del Tomate, El Bola and José Maya, to later give way to the union of the singing of Israel Fernández and the guitar of Diego del Morao. The day will end with the rhythms of DJ Gufi. One day later, on Saturday 26 it will be the turn of the
cantaor David de Jacoba, to later give the stage to two legendary figures of flamenco fusion roots as Martirio and Chano Domínguez. Javier Lorbada DJ session will close the program. Sunday 27, the last day of this year's edition, will feature the dancing of Macarena López, followed by a historic generational encounter with two basic guitarists of recent flamenco history, Pepe Habichuela and Josemi Carmona, accompanied by the double bass player Javier Colina, Bandolero on percussion and the singing of Lela Soto. The closing will be in charge of Fernando Vacas aka DJ Vallellano.
Bierzo al Toque' is born with the purpose of becoming the flamenco festival of reference in the northwest of Spain, giving continuity to the "Flamenco on fire" that takes place in Pamplona. Its vocation is to be a festival that goes through the music from flamenco as a starting point (singing, guitar playing, dancing) opening up to the multiple fusions with which it is associated. Likewise, the event aims to be a great cultural showcase that combines culture with the rest of the tourist values of the area such as architectural, historical, gastronomic, wine culture and all expressions of the highest quality with which the region of El Bierzo has.
Tickets for the festival are available here.
Complementary programming
The 2nd edition of 'Bierzo al Toque' is complemented by an intense program of free activities related to the world of flamenco. Thus, on Thursday 25 at 13:00 hours will take place in La Térmica Cultural the opening of the photography exhibition by Ana Palma, an exhibition that can be visited freely in the lobby of the cultural center in Ponferrada. That same day at 7:00 pm Pepe Habichuela and Jose Maria Velazquez Gaztelu, honored this year by the festival, will hold a discussion-interview moderated by the singer Arcangel.
On Friday 26 at 11:30 am at La Fábrica de Luz. Museo de la Energía will take place a children's hand-clapping workshop given by the Sevillian bailaor and palmero El Torombo. The day will continue at La Térmica Cultural where, at 13:00 hours and for adults, you can attend a round table on the coexistence of wine and flamenco moderated by Manuel Moraga, journalist for Radio Nacional de España, with the participation of the winemaker Raúl Pérez, the communicator David Montes and the artist Arcángel. At 17:30 the dancer Macarena López will give a flamenco dance workshop for adults. To end the day at 7:00 pm José María Velázquez Gaztelu will present his book De la noche a la mañana. Half a century in the voice of the flamencos.
On Saturday 27 at 11:30 am will start again at La Fábrica de Luz. Museo de la Energía with a new pass of the children's workshop of palmas taught by the dancer and palmero sevillano El Torombo. Already in La Térmica Cultural at 13:00 hours José María Velázquez Gaztelu will chat with Pepe Habichuela and Josemi Carmona. And at 7:00 p.m. the master guitar maker, Juan Barba, will give a lecture on The handcrafted construction of the Spanish guitar.
Bierzo al toque, a festival with a vocation to be a reference in northwestern Spain
The flamenco festival 'Bierzo al Toque' was born in July 2023 and closed its first edition with a high participation so that more than 2,000 people enjoyed last year this event with activities offered between La Térmica Cultural and La Fábrica de Luz. Energy Museum in Ponferrada.
'Bierzo al Toque' has the support of Miguel Morán, director of Pamplona's "Flamenco On Fire" since 2014 and of the Benicássim International Festival for 14 years. With extensive experience in the direction, organization and coordination of festivals, especially flamenco, Miguel Morán is originally from San Facundo (Torre del Bierzo, León). Founder and director of the Festival "Flamenco on Fire" in Pamplona from 2014 to 2019, he has directed the programming and coordinated other areas as co-founder and Director of the FIB - Benicàssim International Festival (1994-2009). In addition, he exercises different management functions,
specializing in Artistic and Production Management and co-founder and co-director of the Sala Maravillas in Madrid (1992-2000) and is a national reference of music venues and epicenter of the "alternative" culture.
