"Expressing Ideas Comes at a Cost, Especially in Times of Tension"

In the midst of their journey, nurturing anthem-like songs that have not succumbed to the increasingly fleeting charts, Celtas Cortos will embark on a special tour next year, '40 Years of Storytelling', stopping in ten Spanish cities. It will kick off on February 7, 2026, at the Movistar Arena in Madrid and conclude at the Pisuerga Pavilion in Valladolid on April 18. In between, they will visit Valencia, Gijón, Zaragoza, Pamplona, Barcelona, Murcia, A Coruña, and Bilbao. "We want to celebrate our 40-year journey with the people who have supported us; we are long-distance runners, still in the game," announces Jesús Cifuentes (vocals and guitar) alongside Alberto García (violin and trombone) and Goyo Yeves (saxophone and whistle) at Bodegas Menade, in the Valladolid town of La Seca. Accompanied by seven other musicians on the tour produced by Live Nation, they will offer a selected repertoire from their thirteen albums, including iconic songs like 'La senda del tiempo', 'Tranquilo majete', '20 de abril', and 'Cuéntame un cuento'.

–So many years and over 2,100 concerts later, they still stand together.

–(Goyo Yeves) We have grown up as friends, getting to know each other, understanding, respecting, and inspiring each other.

–(Jesús Cifuentes) We stepped off the script. We emerged unexpectedly for the general public, coming from an unusual place due to our friendly, emotional, and musical formation. I believe that's one of the ingredients of our resilience.

–(Alberto García) I would add that we have been quite self-managing in our journey. We were born in Valladolid and remain here without the need to move to Madrid, although the idea was considered at some point. Despite being part of a multinational record company for many years, we have directed our own destiny. We never felt we were doing anything we didn't want to, which has led us to be captains of our own course, with our feet on the ground.

–What do they see in the rearview mirror?

–(A. García) Some kids starting out at Delicias High School, tinkering with instruments in 1984, joining a French teacher who played the violin... But it was in 1986 when the group truly formed, making instrumental music with the vision of blending flutes, violins, and accordions with a rock base. We were passionate about playing in bars, on the street, wherever we could have fun and express the many concerns we had through our music. We still remember the three buses filled with people from Valladolid who supported us at our first big concert in Madrid, on December 19, 1989, at the Universal Hall.

–What meaning do they give to the tour?

–(J. Cifuentes) We are celebrating 40 years with a project that is our life and a way to assert ourselves and the many people who accompany us on this journey. We want these concerts to be something memorable.

–(A. García) It will be like creating a big birthday cake, with an expanded band of musicians and a repertoire also reflecting everything we have experienced. We want people to feel that we are traversing part of their lives through our songs.

–"Today, none of the old ones remain, and those who are there have changed," they sing in their '20 de abril'. Do they see themselves reflected?

–(G. Y.) Our fan base is our age, it has changed a lot over time and also with the accompaniment. We see people who were young audiences back then and now come to see us with their descendants. Fortunately, there is a lot of generational change, and we are surprised that they know many of our songs, live them, dance to them, and enjoy them.

–How have they seen the world change over this time?

–(J. Cifuentes) We live in a chaotic mix that seems to lead nowhere. Well, to destruction, perhaps. But the formula is always the same: those in control never let go of the reins.

–(G. Yeves) But we are not defeatists. Through our songs, we try to transform or reach people so that together we can change things, at least starting with our small circle. We have hope, at least I do.

–(A. García) In politics, all of it. (laughs).

–What do they attribute to the fact that some of their songs remain alive?

–(J. Cifuentes) We grew up as grassroots citizens, with our feet close to the ground, with an ideological formation closely linked to social movements in the sense of seeking social justice. With that belief, we have continued our path and have not abandoned it. Many circumstances recounted in our songbook, seemingly simple, touch on places many people have traversed, related to melancholy, the passage of time, and the chronicle of the surrounding reality. Being chroniclers of our time is one of the keys to our repertoire. Many people see themselves in the mirror of that reality through the narrative we have established.

"Being chroniclers of our time is one of the keys to the repertoire"

–Have their protest lyrics taken a toll on them?

–(J. Cifuentes) Yes, there have been times when it has taken a toll on us because in this life, standing out and diving into the pool of ideas you defend sometimes means taking a stand for something, especially in a time of tension like the one we live in, where if you're not with me, you're against me.

–Do they feel stage fright before the concert?

–(J. Cifuentes) It's something that, five minutes after starting, if there hasn't been any catastrophe, it starts to relax, and the beast is tamed. I suppose that somewhere in our brain, in our Judeo-Christian meninges of thought, you have a very clear awareness that you have to go out there and perform, no matter what.

–Are they active on social media?

–(A. García) No. We are in kindergarten.

–(J. Cifuentes) We participate, but we don't use it to chronicle what we eat, if we go to bed, if we are traveling somewhere...

–(A. García) For us, uploading content is like bringing the shopping bags home (laughs).

–How long will Celtas Cortos last?

–(A. García) We see this 40th birthday as a milestone. A stage we will fulfill with great pride and enthusiasm.