Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 81/2/10
The spirit of The International Pop Overthrow isn’t perhaps in the meaning of Pop but in the two words either side of it, International, for which it always is and Overthrow.
International is fairly self-explanatory when it comes to watching a lot of music from as far away as you can think of and the exotic nature in which those bands play, the beautiful way a band from Spain can enlighten your day just as much as group as close to home as coming from the same part of the city as the wandering visitor to the Cavern Club. Overthrow though should perhaps arguably be looked upon as overthrowing not the old order of pop supremoes, who have given so much pleasure, especially the period between 1963 and 1988, but the overthrowing of your mind and opening it up to a realm of exciting new possibilities. It isn’t perhaps Revolution but evolution.
For anybody finding themselves in the back stage area of The Cavern, to come across the Valencian Band Vinente Prats and their Spanish Power Pop delight might well have been the flavour of the week for those bands making their way across many shores and miles to perform in the home of pop music, Liverpool.
Regardless of whether you were able to understand the lyrics or not that truly didn’t matter, for what was played, the effect of hybridisation of Spanish entertainment and good old fashioned pop music was more than enough to crush any language barrier that might have popped up along the 30 minutes the band were on stage for. It was a meeting of cultures, not tempered by the futility and destruction of war, this was no Henry V moment in which the future Queen is romanced after the battle, this convention of cultures was enhanced by the one true great leveller in life, music.
With tracks such as Mi Mundo, Desaparezco, Encuentros, Empieza el Juego and the very cool Un Verano mas all being played and more importantly being enjoyed by the audience, this was the true meaning of overthrow, the great leveller in life, music of another culture, of another’s outlook and dreams, being accepted, cheered and experienced for all that it was worth.
Vicente Prats bought home that leveller to many perhaps for the first time. Stirring stuff!
Ian D. Hall