Sand castles crumbled, barbecues hissed, and even the chilled out hippies in the rocks and sand dunes leapt to their feet. Oi Se Arma were pounding the tiny stage attached to the Matinal Beach Club in Las Galletas and their hard core mix of punk and ska filled the evening air.
Back in the UK the rain was heading for Glastonbury, it would be mud and wet wellies for them but at the small beach between El Fraile and Las Galletas the rocky coast and surrounding areas were still full of families and the sea was gently lapping at the shore. I had been to the beach bar before to see Pornosurf last year, that was a good gig eventually after much waiting but with Oi Se Arma due on stage in La Laguna they were prompt for their 8 pm start.
It must be at least seven years since I last saw Oi Se Arma live, the Santa Cruz five piece have built a big following since then and play regular gigs on the mainland as well as in Tenerife. With their roots in the CD Tenerife peña Frente Blanquiazul their songs have become rallying anthems for many of us and that passion extends to their music and politics. The crowd was small and select but the reception was warm as they burst into action with power and venom. Songs like Clockwork Oi and Balas Perdidas soon woke up the late sun bathers.
It was interesting to see the reactions of passers by using the paths as a short cut, many stopped and stared in astonishment, some small children were having a bop out on the sand, definitely future rude boys and punks. I was with a few of the Armada Sur, it was nice of lead singer Rocco to give us a name check, well The General has followed them since their first chaotic gig. Vamos Tenerife got one of the best responses, always a big football favourite and full of pride for the island and history of Tenerife.
It was a shortish set of just under an hour with one eye on the later gig up north but a good reminder of the best aspects of live rock. The closing number, Working Class Kids, was a frenzy of power and thrashing guitars, and as prickly as the cactus plants that surrounded the hippie tents, hopefully we will see them in the south again soon. If you want to hear them you can find loads of their work on You Tube. As for the venue, they have regular live music on Fridays and Sundays, look them up on www.matinalbeachclub.com