Last Updated on 29 April 2024 by gerry

We were very lucky on our Friday morning in Igualada as Pep had free time to take out in the car see some of the sights on the high ground beyond the town. He drove us first to La Tossa which had fantastic views in all directions. Towards Montserrat, the Pyrenees and down the Llobregat / Anoia river valley towards Barcelona.

Then we were taken to the Castell de Miralles, the castle of the Miralles family. This raised an eyebrow with us as the Catalan architect who designed the Scottish parliament was Enric Miralles and we had recently discovered he was buried here in Igualada. The family name clearly has a history in these parts. The buildings at the Miralles castle summit are pictured above.

Soon after our return to Igualada it was time to rehearse for the evening’s concert in the local community centre “the local of the barri de Xauxa”. Pep had invited Albert to play bass and Pau to play drums and Albert had already access to recordings of the songs we were to perform, so our impromptu band was pretty tight from the get-go. What a thrill for me to play with a band – always some that I crave. What an honour and thrill to play with such great musicians.

Here is the set list of the songs we performed and a video of one of them: Clara Ponsatí

1. L’onada d’amistat (wave of friendship)
2. Heroes and Survivors
3. Hallelujah
4. Bona Nit
5. Spirit of 2014
6. A la vora de l’Ebre / Both Sides The Tweed
7. Black Is The Colour
8. Footsteps of the young James Connolly
9. The L&N Don’t Stop Here Any More
10. I’m A Believer
11. Clara Ponsatí
12. Dear Catalonia
13. L’estaca
14. It’s All Good