A humid Friday and reunions at Mobofest

Saint JohnAfter Thursday, Friday a hopeful atmosphere welcomed the Mobofest audience as they headed towards Consolació, in Sant Joan. Atop the first flight of stairs, some letters: "Goodbye". "See you soon". "Good luck".

Sant Joan saw the birth of the festival, which has moved a few times like any millennial: from Sant Joan to Lloret and then to Porreres. While the comfort of n'Hereveta park was slightly missed, the beauty of Consolació made it impossible not to think that Mobofest "had to end here", that Consolació had to see "the last one". Well decorated with lights, hay bales, and pallets, the result of the space showed that, after 10 years, the mobers have gone from being post-adolescents to adults who know how to dress up with great taste. That's because 10 years is a lot of time.

A slightly milder evening than Thursday's - but still humid - began with singer Anna Picornell, who gave way to the women from Formentera of the duo L'Arannà, who captivated the audience at the Huguet stage with their experimental pop offering.

Fan, portable fan, spare shirts and t-shirts. The atmosphere was strained and it's unclear whether it was the heat, the humidity, or the feeling of waiting for the end (is it just the end of the Pla festival or is there a change of phase?). Among the audience were people who hadn't attended concerts since 2016, people who were attending for the first time ("a first-timer") and others who haven't missed any.

This Friday there were reunions (because there are people you only see at Mobo) in many ways. Joan Pons took the stage with the band El Petit de Cal Eril, who inaugurated the main stage (the Rosa Blanca), and assured that playing at this same festival nine years ago changed his life. He discovered Mallorca, "the authentic people of the Pla" that so reminds him of home, and made friends, many of them musicians, whom he still keeps. Thus, he called on the public to attend Sunday's demonstration against tourist overcrowding (at 7 p.m. in Plaça d'Espanya, Palma). And with his heart in his hand, he dedicated a song to Antònia Font, because Friday's day, like Thursday's, was also marked by mourning for the death of Joan Roca.

And from one stage to another to see Bilo, if they arrived between greeting and greeting, and kisses from a distance because “oh, my God, what a sweat”, “but well, it’s a little better than yesterday”, “I wasn’t there, but they told me big things”, and between a bite of falafel or pizza, and beer that started steaming after two minutes, the Argentinians had already settled on the big stage ready to unleash all their classics: Él Mató a un Policía Motorizado landed at Mobofest to delight practically everyone. The band, which recently celebrated 20 years on stage, reviewed their discography, and played songs from La dinastía scorpio (2013) to the much celebrated La síntesis O’konor (2017), among other stops. The panorama from above was spectacular: the devilish red lights outlined the bodies of a devoted audience that hinted that there was still a long, long night ahead. 

Cora Yako, Majorcans based in Madrid, played until at 00.57 Maria Jaume called everyone to attention. Some ran to reach the front row. If a star has been born from Mobofest Mallorca, it is Maria Jaume, who shines like never before with her latest album, Sant Domingo Forever. With 'Mon Cheri Go Home', the Lloret native called for people to go to Sunday's demonstration. As a farewell to Joan Roca, the band covered 'Alpinistes-samurais'. And while she made us raise our glasses in the air from the middle of the stage, the debate opened: “Is she our Aitana or our Amaia?”. She is our Maria Jaume. 

From Catalonia, with sequins, rhetoric, and joy, Svetlana put a final point to the night, singing about the miseries of tourism, gentrification, and the loss of identity. A good closing that invites us to start thinking about the void this last Mobofest will leave. We have already passed the equator. This Saturday we are heading into the final stretch.