Son Estrella Galicia Spotlights New Music At Paper Dress Vintage

Son Estrella Galicia’s showcases have been abundant of late – and for good reason. They’re not just about great food, music and (of course) beers, their ethos spreads much wider; focussing on what it is that brings people together through music. From beach litter pickups to locally sourced food vendors and zero waste initiatives, sustainability is key to their aim of organising music events that go beyond just solely being music events. Their latest microfestival at Hackney’s Paper Dress Vintage is no exception to this, once again proving that when good music, good ideas and good people combine, you’re onto something… well, pretty darn good.

Stepping inside from the bitter Autumnal cold, right from the offset the event’s newest workshop is in full swing. The clothing repair workshop encourages gig-goers to bring their treasured, but slightly knackered pieces of clothing that have lived through their most important concerts and give them a new lease of life by repairing it, on the spot. Aligning perfectly with PDV’s own roots as a vintage clothing boutique, the sewing machine rarely stops for the entirety of the evening.

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The beers are of course very delightful, ranging from Estrella Galicia’s classic Cerveza Lager to alcohol free options and their more refined Reserva Especial collection, which pair beautifully with the event’s excellent array of food options. Brought together by local cafe Yellow Warbler, their Mexican inspired finger food including jackfruit tortillas and tamarind BBQ wings go down a treat. They even have a pour your own beer workshop – unbeknownst to me however, I head behind the bar after the workshop has finished, bringing a bemused look from the bartender as I pour an embarrassingly bad pint (I’ll stick to the day job) and stroll off upstairs to the live stage.

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First up is The New Eves. Their distinct brand of Jefferson Airplane-esque psychedelia captivates the audience, fully attentive to their wide-ranging vocal harmonies, violin shrieks and spoken word interludes which give off essences of Jim Morrison. Goat Girl springs to mind as a more modern reference point, and their look on stage from huge mullets to baroque inspired clothing really shines. With only three songs sitting on their Spotify page at the minute, they’re certainly an outfit worth keeping an eye on. 

After a short beer break, headliners and Isle of Wight rock stalwarts Coach Party bring their raucous energy to the packed upstairs venue. “I fucking love London!” shouts lead singer and bassist Jess Eastwood, spearheading the band’s thrasher energy as they rotate between tracks from their latest album ‘KILLJOY’ including the gritty ‘Micro Aggression’ and the pop-punk infused ‘What’s the Point in Life’. A seasoned live act, the tight unit exudes class on stage, attacking ear drums with their abrasive distortion and bringing the crowd into full motion, befitting of the small and sweaty upstairs venue and making for a prolific end to the evening.

Another successful event full of great music, great initiatives and great people – here’s to the next one!

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Words: Jamie Wilde
Photo Credit: Alex Amorós / SON Estrella Galicia