Yesterday I was in a bit of funk. January can kind of do that to you. Not even a trip to the organic food market in the Alameda could raise my spirits. A WhatsApp invite to a gig starting due to start an hour later stirred me out of my malaise, so off I trotted, dog in tow to the Garrapateria on Calle Castellar. ‘Una Garrapata’ is something I’ve become quite familiar thanks to my aforementioned pooch and is a tick, not the kind you see encouraging you to ‘Just do it’, but the ones that attach themselves to animals and proceed to suck their blood and/or spread diseases. So presumably a garrapateria would be somewhere to buy ticks or maybe where they just hang out for fun.
Either way, La Garrapateria is a private rooftop, sitting above cultural association ‘La Trompeta Verde’. The words ‘private rooftop’ evoke an air of exclusivity and elite glamour, which is definitely not the vibe at La Garrapateria. Winding your way up some grimy stairs, which are sure to have seen their fit bit of action over the years, it’s hard not to enter with some in trepidation, but on reaching the top you’re greeted with a roof top buzzing with every variety of life.Reggae Ska band ‘La Pompa’ were playing yesterday afternoon, making the most of the break in what recently has been daily deluges of much needed rain. The atmosphere was more summer festival than second week in January, the terrace a sea of smiling, sunglasses-clad faces, bottles of Estrella del Sur in hand, soaking up those precious winter rays, dancing and swaying or just hanging out.
Nearly all forms of Seville life could be found there; from somewhat addled, hard-living souls, to fresh-faced, enthusiastic erasmus students, all united by a love of music and cold beer. And even down in the dumps, little ole me managed to cheer up and bust some grooves, hard not to while listening to fun tunes, as the pale January sun disappears behind the rooftops.
La Garrapateria puts on live music on an ad hoc basis, i.e. on weekend afternoons and in good weather, so the best way to find out is by contacting them via Facebook. Their intention is to promote young up-and-coming artists of every genre and you’ll usually find a paella or a BBQ accompanying the compulsory cold beer.
La Garrapateria, Calle Castellar 48
La Pompa
- Uniquely Seville - El Rincón del Buho - 25th January 2016
- When you need a bit of countyside in the city - 22nd January 2016
- Chi Kung - Get some balance in your life - 21st January 2016
