Peñas and txarangas

 

Music during Sanfermin is, above all, Brass-band music (rass bands that you meet up with all over the streets of the old part of town). That is to say, the typical loud wind instruments and the big drum.This is the music of the "Peñas". When you come, you will get an overdose of this continual "Thump-thump" beat. Even days after the Fiesta is over, you will have that sound echoing round your head.

The hymns of the "Peñas" are the best pieces from this limited "repertoire" of the brass bands. They play them day and night at all hours and in all sorts of places, but mainly in the street But they are at their most characteristic during the bull-fights and immediately afterwards when they parade out of the ring. All the old traditional tunes of Sanfermin are of a similar style: the riau-riau, the ice-box cart, the squad gets up, the boss is a bollocks, etc. This music is bellowed out without inhibitions.

The "Peñas" can be seen every day and night except the 6th. and especially in the old quarter of the city- around Jarauta street. They are continually instigating impromptu dances in the streets, which are one of the best things about the whole Fiesta. A good session of wild dancing with one of them will leave you feeling as good as new.

Then there are other brass bands who have been contracted by the Town Hall to enliven the streets of the town day and night. They play a similar-type of music, but without the same spontaneous sparkle even though the quality may be a little better. The best of them by far is a band called Jarauta 69, who usually gather every night at 1:00 a.m. in Descalzos street in front of the bar "Lambroa" where they create a great atmosphere where an impromptu dance gets off at about one in the morning. After that they make every day a different parade through the streets of the old part of the city.