After Bastardgeist’s knockout show, we hang around in street smoking for a while in the crowd, then watch a Bilbao band called Jupiter Jon blast out some tightly played Sonic Youth-esque compositions. The glamorous drummer/singer is especially impressive. Hanging out later, we’re amazed to find out later that this only their second gig in this configuration. Impressive.
Napoleon IIIrd takes to the stage as people file back in from the smokey street to fill the hall. James stands dramatically poised as the opening loop of ‘The Unknown Unknown’ grinds away, building the tension, the lights flashing from behind and silhouetting him. Joel Bastardgeist joins in on keys, loops, backing vocals. The set erupts to a roar from the crowd. ‘Rough Music’ is a highlight, building the pressure perfectly with it’s layers and vocal drones before exploding into it’s euphoric conclusion. ‘Leaving Copenhagen’ is the encore, a rich mixture of hypnotic melody and pounding rhythm - it feels like a true headline set, and everyone leaves smiling.
After a heavy night in the last open bar in San Sebastian, we head to Bilbao where Joel flies back alone to reconvene with Bleeding Heart Narrative for his Oxford show. We later find out he’s run into unexpected problems at immigration in Heathrow, and fickle fate dictates that he misses his remaining UK shows due to an overzealous immigration trainee.
James, Roberto and I spend the day driving around Spain’s northern coast, oblivious to Joel’s predicament. We find a spectacular secluded beach (pictured) before spending the evening in Bilbao, taking tapas and wine in the city’s famous ‘seven streets’ for a few hours. After countless tapas bars (and wines), we and up utterly wasted in a dodgy rock bar. Roberto vanishes at some point in the haze, nowhere to be found, so James and I head to back the hotel to try and fit in a few hours sleep.
Roberto reappears at 8am with a blank memory, having missed his Madrid flight and somehow lost his worldly possessions, including his passport. We check out and head for the airport, pausing only to see the amazing Louise Bougeois and Jeff Koons sculptures outside the Bilbao Guggenheim.
Roberto drops us off and goes to catch a coach back to the Spanish capital and, he says with a raised eyebrow, to ‘start a new life’. At the airport terminal, we sip coffee, buy duty free and prepare to return to the darkness, where chill and a week-long hangover awaiting us back in London town. We sit in the warm Spanish sun for a few last minutes, reflecting on how comparatively unscathed we have emerged out of all the chaos, and wondering when we’ll be brought back for more gigs, chaos and fun.
Listen to a set of tracks from Napoleon IIIrd here.
Featuring Yard Act, Death Cab For Cutie, Graham Coxon, Maisie Peters and more.