Eldorado

The Anvil, Bournemouth

It’s April and as an unseasonal icy wind blasted down the Holdenhurst Road a rock band from Madrid took shelter in the cosy confines of the Anvil bar.

Eldorado have made the journey from their base in Liverpool to play a one off southern show during their first European tour. Unluckily they played a Wednesday night after a bank Holiday 4 day weekend and people are thin on the ground in the Anvil basement venue. Those that were there had the good fortune to see a band that look like they are going places. Eldorado, with their Beatles influenced good time retro rock, have a certain something about them and they played to the fifteen people, or so who braved the weather as though they were playing to fifteen hundred. Borrowing the Big Jam Backline they proved that good musicians don’t need the best kit to make a huge impression. Jesus Trujilloís vocals are immense, ranging from soaring harmonics to softly sung melodies. The musicianship is top-notch; Cesar Sanchez’s Bass rhythms wound their funky way through the songs enhancing Javier Planelles drumming technique.

Eldorado 1–2–3–4–5–6

We were treated to a drum solo as well, something most British bands have dropped from their sets and for a moment it was almost like the ghost of John Bonham was present. To say Andre Duende is a good guitarist is an understatement. He is a superb one and seems to lose himself in the music, letting it consume him totally. This is rock played with a passion, mixing 70’s influences, like Free and Led Zepp with the modern sounds of Wolfmother and The Answer but putting their own individual stamp on it. I for one had a fantastic night and also got to have a good chat with the band who were very down to earth and made time for all the folks that had turned out to see them play.

I hope that Bournemouth can accommodate them with a gig sometime in the future when they next hit our shores again as I believe that they are possibly the best rock band to come out of Spain since Baron Rojo made a splash over here in the 80’s supporting Iron Maiden.