THE TOWN of Albox rocked out for the 40th anniversary of the legendary Rock Albox Festival on Saturday, October 18, which attracted nearly 2,500 rock fans to its stage. Albox became the capital of the rock 'n' roll spirit when the streets of Albox were filled, the stage lit up, and people from all across Spain rushed to the charming town to witness the famed Festival.
Saturday marked the historic 40th edition of the gathering, which has been a tradition in Albox for decades. Among the most anticipated performers was headliner Evaristo, a whole four decades after his first performance at the Festival. Rock Albox has a special place in the vocalist's heart, as in 1985 the singer wrote the title of his famed would-be punk anthem, "No somos nada" on the door of a closet in the local La Parrilla hostel.
Thousands of fans rushed in the streets of the town to see not only Evaristo, but other performers including Kaótico, Puraposse, and Chamarreta. Not only this, an afternoon party was organised a few hours before the Festival began, starting at 5:30pm in the Plaza Mayor, where local Albox bands took to the stage and got the crowd into high spirits.
The Albox Town Council had previously organised a year's worth of rock-related activities, acknowledging the residents' love affair with the genre. Concerts in the various pubs in town, rock-related talks, and two rock 'n' roll exhibitions made up the programme, and saw booming success and buzz in the municipality. "The Rock Passion Project," a tribute to the rockers of Albox by local photographer Raquel Caparrós and "Momentos Estelares del Rock Albox," a collection of memorabilia from forty years of rock history, organised by Diego Cerdán, Pedro García Carrillo, and Martín Berbel, were both exhibitions that received endless enthusiasm from rockers in the area.
Albox is one of Almeria's municipalities where rock is considered not only a popular genre, but a part of the culture. The town's storied history with the genre goes back decades, and continues today, as younger visitors get into the classic rock spirit and punk rock lights up the nights.
Said the mayor of Albox, María del Mar Alfonso, on the day before the event: "There's not a rocker who doesn't know Rock Albox, and this year they deserved a great lineup like the one we brought. We've made a huge effort to celebrate this anniversary, with numerous activities throughout the year. The big day has arrived. I hope that tomorrow we'll enjoy punk rock and that Albox will once again be the capital of this type of music, even if it's just for a day."