The most intense week of flamenco in the north of Spain, Flamenco On Fire, is already underway between the 18th and 27th of August. A festival that mixes the traditional and the more heterodox with a programme of artists that mingle in a super popular atmosphere. Its emblem is the guitar master Sabicas, to whose figure the entire event has been dedicated since 2014.
Flamenco On Fire
Flamenco On Fire was basically the brainchild of a former waiter at Madrid’s iconic Casa Patas, Miguel Morán. Ten years later, it is one of the most loved festivals by its neighbours. Pamplona is the centre of almost all the activities, but on the 18th there will be shows in Viana and on the 19th of August in Tudela.
Miguel was in charge until, around 2019, he suggested to Arturo Fernández that he should be his replacement. After 15 years after the Benicassin Festival and after this festival in Navarre, Miguel is no longer “on fire”. However, he is not out of the circuit: he is devising Bierzo al Toque (confirmed in Diario de Navarra).
Flamenco in Navarra?
Putting on a flamenco festival in Navarre was a somewhat unique idea. Apart from the great, great Sabicas -the Pamplona-born guitarist to whom this festival is dedicated-, there is not much culture of this style in the province. Even politicians were incredulous about the support of the mayor’s office in its uncertain beginnings.
This support from the City Council continues. Also that of the Diputación, although the organisation and resources are mostly private, and under the Fundación Flamenco On Fire. So ticket revenue is vital: the range is very wide, from €22 to €76. The tablao dinners are going up in price. For example, for 7 people in the “tablao” on 27 August with Cancanilla from Malaga is 309 euros.
What kind of flamenco is concentrated in On Fire?
It is a transgressive festival, because its identity is that it has no identity. In other words, you can enjoy the most jondo and the most innovative. The philosophy that all types of fans should be represented is at the heart of the event. The leitmotif is the figure of Agustín Castellón Campos “Sabicas”. The purpose of recovering the name and work of this master of guitar playing was one of the reasons for its foundation.
It is also always repeated that each edition has a slogan that brings together its programme. This 2023 is “Alzapua”. The alzapua is a characteristic flamenco playing technique that uses the thumb to strike the strings. It is a new reaffirmation of the On Fire style: guitar, then singing and, to a lesser extent, dancing.
A programme that is “several” programmes
The programme is divided into several parts. The free one, which is a street programme (open-air recitals, workshops, exhibitions, round tables…), and the large-scale shows, hosted by large theatres. In turn, within these shows, the most orthodox flamenco shows are usually at the Baluarte theatre and the most modern at the 21st Century Stage of the Zentral.
At night, the Ciclo Nocturno takes place, where the festival becomes a tablao and the performances are more group-based. And for the little ones there is always a workshop which, in this edition, consists of dance lessons of about 60 minutes. Juan Vargas will be in charge with the collaboration of the three dance schools of Pamplona: Sandra Gallardo, Cuarto Corralillos and El Juncal.
Sara Baras con Medusa en la primera edición de On Fire.
En 2018, dedicaron Flamenco On Fire a la mujer.
Flamenco On Fire takes to the streets in 2016
This date is relevant for the popularisation of this annual event. The idea of bringing flamenco to the balconies of emblematic buildings to offer free performances to ordinary citizens is not an invention of the Navarrese festival. But when a recital section of this kind was added to the programme in 2026, the reception of Flamenco On Fire grew exponentially.
Just as other proposals have come and gone (such as Sabicas’ pincho), singing, playing and dancing from the terrace is now part of the event.
El flamenco sale a los balcones. Foto de 2019.
Pepe Habichuela, embajador de Flamenco On Fire.
The ambassador: Pepe Habichuela
Pepe Habichuela (Granada, 1944), is the other emblematic guitarist of Flamenco On Fire besides Sabicas. He has been the festival’s ambassador since 2017. Pepe has been an active participant in a golden age of flamenco. He accompanied Enrique Morente on such emblematic albums as Homenaje a Antonio Chacón and Despegando, even appearing on the cover of both. Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts, he took the sounds of Granada to Madrid, where he lives, in the hands of his brother Juan Habichuela. He has also recorded alone for the Nuevos Medios label. He was a cornerstone for the emergence of Ketama, the group of his son, Josemi Carmona, and his nephews.
Program 2023. Great Concerts Section
There was a performance in March by Miguel Poveda to coincide with the exact birthday of the festival.
Official opening. 18 August. David Lagos
Ruinas de San Pedro (Viana). 21.00
Lo jondo in a modern way with Clásico Personal.
19 August. Farruquito and Juan El Moreno
Gaztambide Theatre (Tudela). 21 30
The dancer from Seville opens with intimacy in this project, Bajañí, in which he is accompanied by the youngest of the saga, his son Juan el Moreno.
23 August. Tribute at Caracol
Vicente Soto Sordera, La Tremendita, Antonio Reyes, Orquesta Sinfónica de Navarra
Teatro Baluarte (Pamplona/Iruña). 21.30
It is the 50th anniversary of the death of Manolo Caracol, one of the most important flamenco artists. Zambras and fandangos, seguirillas, bulerías, soleares and other twists and forms created by Caracol now revisited.
24 August. Tomatito. With Guadiana and Duquende
Baluarte (Pamplona/Iruña). 21.30
The eternal accompanist of Camarón de la Isla comes to Pamplona with the cantaores Guadiana and Duquende.
25 August. Eva Yerbabuena
Baluarte (Pamplona/Iruña). 21.30
Re-fraction (from my eyes) is a bet in which the talented choreographer Juan Kruz joins in from the prism of the performative and contemporary.
26 August. Alzapua with, among others, Alejandro Hurtado, David de Arahal, José del Tomate and Víctor Franco.
Baluarte (Pamplona/Iruña). 21.30
Under the artistic direction of Rycardo Moreno, a musician from Lebrija with a strong personality, the guitar boasts young age. “Alzapua” has only one protagonist: the instrument.
Closing of Flamenco On Fire. 27 August. Estrella Morente
Baluarte (Pamplona/Iruña). 21.30
Medal of Andalusia, Ondas Award and Latin Grammy nominee, muse of Pedro Almodóvar and Carlos Saura. Estrella presents Desde la Cuna, a show created by her and Montoyita.
Program 2023. Great concerts section in the Stage s. XXI
23 August. Soleá Morente.
Teatro Zentral (Pamplona/Iruña). 20.00
The artist presents her latest album, Aurora y Enrique, dedicated to her parents.
25 August. La Plazuela
Teatro Zentral (Pamplona/Iruña). 20.00
Electronic, flamenco, rock and youth. On these pillars, from Granada, La Plazuela has built a project that has attracted the attention of locals and foreigners alike, a new musical line.
25 August. Tomasito
Teatro Zentral (Pamplona/Iruña). 20.00
Tomasito’s style is casual and radically his own, and he has spent a lifetime on stage. He comes to Pamplona with his latest solo album: Agustisimísimo, a song to music in flip-flops.
Program 2023. Section NIGHT SESSION
22 August. Manolo Franco
Garden of the Palace of Navarre (Pamplona/Iruña). 21.30
Manolo Franco is one of the most intimate and critically acclaimed guitarists in contemporary sonata.
24 August. Miguel Vargas, Juan Vargas, La Kaíta and Guadiana
Hotel Tres Reyes (Pamplona/Iruña). 23.30
Extremadura is set to cante and toque in a night of tablao. It does so, moreover, through a party full of intimacy that features some of its most important references.
25 August. Iván Vargas and Nazaret Reyes
Hotel Tres Reyes (Pamplona/Iruña). 23.30
Iván Vargas was born in Sacromonte, Granada, where he took his first steps with his family: the Maya. Nazaret was born into a family of great ancestry, the daughter of two dancers: Cristóbal Reyes and Juana Amaya. More details about this performance.
26 August. Belén López
Hotel Tres Reyes (Pamplona/Iruña). 23.30
She will present her show Tiempos, accompanied on vocals by Perrete and Rafita de Madrid, and the guitars of Carlos and Juan Jiménez.
27 August. Cancanilla de Málaga and more
Hotel Tres Reyes (Pamplona/Iruña). 23.30
Cancanilla de Málaga sings and dances. It has been doing so for sixty years. Also performing is the Yeyé de Cádiz, so called because they belonged to the carnival group Los Beatles de The third in discord, Enrique Pantoja, from Jerez, has proclaimed himself the alma mater of every fin de fiesta consummate naturality. Rafael Rodríguez El Cabeza, from Seville, is one of the most expressive tocaores, a “classic of the counterculture”.
RELEVANT ADDRESSES
Program 2023. Section Streets, Balconies and Patios
18 August. Viana.
19:00 Balcony of the Town Hall
Miguel Jiménez Jiménez
19 August. Tudela
18:30 Balcony of the Town Hall
Morenito de Íllora Hijo and Ivan Losada
19:15 Conservatory Fernando Remacha
Jesús Carbonell
20:30 Headquarters of the Royal Borderlands
Niño Ruven
23 de August (Pamplona/Iruña)
11:00 Mañueta Street
Guadiana and Jesús Carbonell, in honour of Maestro Sabicas
12:00 San Lorenzo Church. San Fermin Chapel
Urrutia and Juanjo Navas + Lorena Jiménez and Pedro Planillo
19:45 Ezpeleta Palace. Manolo Franco
24 August (Pamplona/Iruña)
12:00 Balcony of the Town Hall
Antonio Reyes and Nono Reyes
12:45 Hotel La Perla
Potito and José del Tomate
19:45 Ezpeleta Palace.
José Carpio ‘Mijita’ and Antonio Higuero
25 August (Pamplona/Iruña)
12:00 Balcony of the Town Hall
Vicente Soto Sordera and Vicente Santiago
12:45 Hotel La Perla
La Kaita and Juan Vargas
19:45 Ezpeleta Palace.
Potito and Pepe Habichuela
26 August (Pamplona/Iruña)
12:00 Balcony of the Town Hall
Tomatito
12:45 Hotel La Perla
Segundo Falcón and Paco Jarana
19:45 Ezpeleta Palace.
Luis el Zambo and Miguel Salado
27 August (Pamplona/Iruña)
12:00 Balcony of the Town Hall
Luis el Zampo and Miguel Salado
12:45 Hotel La Perla
Fernanda Peña and Rycardo Moreno
19:45 Ezpeleta Palace.
José Luis Montón and Gorka Hermosa + Sandra Carrasco