Adult Murga Contest Kicks Off with Incisive Social Commentary

The Adult Murga Contest is one of the most anticipated events for Carnival fans, especially for the murga groups themselves, second only to Carnival Monday. The evening kicked off at 8:30 PM with a round of applause for the 'flock' of Redoblones, who performed as the opening act. This was a well-deserved spot, following their third-place win for Interpretation in the children's murga competition. Their performance was so strong that the group from 'El Pirata' could easily have competed in the adult category.

Although tickets were officially "sold out," the venue at the Fairground wasn't completely full on the night we heard the first six groups perform. Twenty-one groups will take to the stage, known as the 'streets of Latin America,' leading up to an eight-group final on Saturday, January 31st. A new feature this year is the return of four separate phases, a format that encourages the audience to stay until the end and allows everyone to leave at a more reasonable hour.

Chaladas, arriving from Icod with a Criticón Award already to their name, performed at the Santa Cruz Carnival for the second year. They had already reached a murga final in their first appearance, and their reputation as a favorite was clear from the palpable anticipation in the venue during their presentation. They began with a voice-over describing their costume, a traditional touch from years past that has become less common among murgas. This was followed by a tribute to the seamstresses, who joined them on stage.

Their performance was powerful and in tune, a pleasure to listen to. Their first song, "Señales" (Signals), started humorously, listing small everyday annoyances for murga members. "The weather is changing, I know it because my knees are already creaking," they sang, warning us to pay attention to the signals "that are everywhere trying to speak."

They began with traffic signs: using construction signs to criticize their constant presence in Santa Cruz during election years, and a stop sign to denounce child abuse and false accusations of mistreatment. They then moved to body signals: "If you see Bermúdez, you get a rash," "if you listen to a murga and get goosebumps," or "if something burns inside you...", to speak out about a child abuse case in a Madrid nursery. They also highlighted unseen signals, like children isolating themselves in schools, concluding with criticism of institutions that lack proper measures or protocols.

More was expected of them, and this was noticeable in the atmosphere. Their performance gained momentum with their second song, "El poder del miedo" (The Power of Fear). They started by listing fears instilled from childhood: "fear of not being loved," "fear of being free," or "fear of speaking clearly." From there, they delivered a strong message in defense of women: "Silence kills us. Let's break the silence. Today there are more women unafraid to speak out," which earned applause from the audience.

They also addressed fears related to the healthcare system and the lack of opportunities for teachers in the Canary Islands. To symbolize overcoming fear, they attempted a play with jackets and stage effects that wasn't entirely clear. However, the ending was epic: Ceci Wallace, a candidate for Carnival Queen 2026, and Ana Benavides, a candidate for Carnival Queen 2020, joined them on stage. They delivered a message about breaking internal fears and loving oneself "without complexes," demonstrating that any woman can represent the festival. In summary, many signals without a clear destination.

Did someone accidentally plug in a Spotify disc? Primi's group sounds that good. In tune and powerful, they began with a presentation that paid tribute to their core identity and passion. Many expected a traditional Canarian eatery, a stew, or a recipe to appear, but it wasn't necessary to move the audience: "Money won over effort. I won't change for anything or anyone. I will stay here, for me and for you."

"If you've been uneasy lately due to news about earthquakes, seismic movements, or tremors, don't worry: everything is under control thanks to Rosa Dávila," Primi commented, among other things, to introduce their first song. This was an ode to the President of the Cabildo (Island Council), with subtle and cleverly crafted lyrics, full of criticism and the satirical touch that makes the group from El Cardonal masters of content, not just presentation. They unveiled an emergency kit designed to "ensure your survival," humorously detailing its contents, including a deep pot for "wrinkling" potatoes. And, they noted, you could choose sparkling or still water. But most importantly, they sang, "the little picture of Santa Rosa, don't forget it."

With the kit came an evacuation drill: first the 'foreign tourists,' then the influencers, a spot for Chago Melián, some 'Canariones' (people from Gran Canaria), and, "please, the people from Tenerife stand behind me." They closed triumphantly with a critique of the Cabildo, using the potential eruption of Teide as a metaphor. It was sublime.

For those wanting more, the group with eight first prizes for Interpretation, seven second, and ten third prizes in their almost 45-year history, took the stage. Their enduring purpose needs nothing more than their voices. Thank you for existing. Their song, "National Health Lottery," arrived on stage. This was a critique of public healthcare, a single theme proving that less is more, which drew applause and cheers. It was a direct complaint about the situation in hospitals: "The Oncology ward at over 40 degrees and the manager in his office with air conditioning." Because, in the end, "health for Canarians is a matter of luck." There were nods to the eternal "substitute, substitute, substitute..." who never arrives, to suspended surgeries, lack of beds, or "there aren't even sizes for your pajamas."

The song used the lottery metaphor to describe the experience of receiving healthcare. On stage, a lottery drum and children from Echeyde school participated in a game that drew laughter. To close, they paid tribute to healthcare workers and defended their precarious situation, marked by instability and patient overload: "If you refuse, you end up at Mercadona." A final jab at Fernando Clavijo: "If the competition is here, I blame only you." And so, they finished triumphantly.

Sonia Núñez's group took to the stage after a difficult year where they considered withdrawing from the contest due to not having a rehearsal space. As a gesture of protest against this situation, they turned their backs on the municipal corporation during their presentation, arguing that there are empty, unused premises. Lolo Tavío's group sounded good and showed vocal improvement compared to last year.

In their first song, they transformed into the "Citizens' Congress" to critique the Congress of Deputies, starting with official cars and politicians' homes, connecting it to the housing situation in the Canary Islands. However, some diction issues meant parts of the lyrics were lost, along with the song's main message. They continued with a battle cry proposing the elimination of the Senate: "We no longer line the pockets of any criminal," suggesting those resources be used to improve services for "an impoverished people."

From the Congress, they moved to the Museum of the Jocicudas in a second song that lacked cohesion. Through various paintings on display, they advocated for nature conservation to avoid "seeing innocents die," with references to El Delta, criticized road congestion, and the precarious situation of public transport workers. There was also space to discuss migrant minors arriving on the Canarian coasts, adding color to a picture with a future they described as bleak.

They concluded their performance with a tribute to the arts in the Canary Islands, represented by statues that came to life: an end to the sexualization of dance, a defense of musicians, the presence of production companies with a clear message: "Canarian groups are given the leftovers," and a curtain call that denounced that the play was also over for theater. Although they finished to a half-empty venue after the audience stampede following Bambones' performance, they maintained their composure.

Tatiana García's group arrived at the Ritmos Latinos stage with a carefully crafted presentation honoring women. They "change their history for the show" to make way for the street parade. This year marks their debut with musical director Rubén García, and one thing is clear: they improve every year.

In their first song, "Exigimos derechos" (We Demand Rights), they became somewhat frantic in choosing what to sing. Between one decision and another, a jumble of demands emerged: the right to live, to dignified work, to housing, to a fair wage, to education, or to healthcare. It was so much that it ended up being nothing, and attention was diluted. They closed the song with a criticism of the squatters' situation.

From there, they made a radical change in a second song that seemed humorous but again relied on criticism. The El Sobradillo girls' hair salon, "Desatándome la peluca" (Untying My Wig), served as the setting to receive several well-known Canarian personalities, all of whom got a good haircut. Ruymán passed through the salon, with a nod to the conflict between the influencer and Trapaseros and Mamelucos after the accusation of allegedly calling them racists. There was also a face-off between Bermúdez and Patricia Hernández: "I'll give you my car in exchange for the mayoralty," she sang, and appearances by Humberto Gonar and Bolorino, with their dose of humor. The closing was the best part of the song: a tribute to women with cancer, with the presence of an affected woman on stage, which drew long applause from the audience.

Cris Moralongo's group, Malcriadas, performed for the first time on the Santa Cruz Carnival stage. A murga member at heart and from the North, Cris is committed to her project by also taking Malcriadas to the regional contest. Their street parade, a song to their personality —"spoiled" and "capricious"— was engaging from the start. They sounded good.

Their first competition song, "La trastienda del paraíso" (The Backroom of Paradise), was a defense of the Canary Islands with critical lyrics addressing issues such as the housing situation, lack of resources, poverty, or the need for soup kitchens: "There are families who don't have enough to fill their table." It was a medley that lacked originality in its storytelling.

And, to the audience's surprise, Malcriadas opted for a second humorous song: "Los santos" (The Saints). They transformed the Ritmos Latinos stage into a church, waited for the priest to leave mass, and intoned a string of humorous nods naming different saints. "Saint Lucia also appeared to sell a policy and didn't succeed" or "Miracles to Lourdes, as the saying goes, but what I hear here are whims." To close, palo santo was used to cleanse energies. They tried and took a risk, but if there's anything harder than criticism and irony, it's humor. Nevertheless, welcome to the Carnival.

At approximately 00:15, Triqui-Traques arrived on stage, celebrating 20 years since "La Posesa," a song that marked a turning point in their career. In their first competition song, "Las marionetas" (The Puppets), they delivered a direct criticism of a system that informs but does not emotionally educate. Mountain ranges, rivers... a lot of information and little help to learn how to manage what we feel.

The song progressed by focusing on children who are different, transformed, they sang, into "puppets of this society." Of school bullying, "better not to speak," they denounced, because "a protocol, damn it, is a lie." And the blow came directly with a clear reference: "Let them ask Lucía's parents, another suicide and we don't want one more." There was also space to criticize the situation in La Palma and for a string of comments about healthcare that brought the audience to their feet, chanting a clear message: "Enough of being puppets." A song with ups and downs and so many powerful lines that the remaining audience couldn't help but stand up and applaud.

In their second song, "Los incomprendidos" (The Misunderstood), they advocated for unity: "Why don't all murgas unite?" From there, a long string of everyday situations where one feels misunderstood, among which stood out the endless queues on the TF-5 highway, the bathroom queues at the Murga Final, queues at football matches, or queues at McDonald's, in short: "queues everywhere."

The most powerful moment came with the reference to the squatters' situation in El Toscal: "We are all the family of the house in El Toscal," a message that brought the venue to its feet in support of the demand. They closed with a more serious tone, speaking of the incomprehension felt when, in the midst of Carnival, a young person dies, to deliver a final message of identity and commitment: "Let's not lose our essence," in a song advocating defense against violence. Will we see the Triquis of two decades ago again?