Tucked into the hills of Kobatamendi in the Basque country – where more rain falls than in Manchester – is Bilbao BBK Live, one of Europe’s most eclectic and shapeshifting festivals. It’s a multi-generational affair. Walk through the gates, and there’s a sea of low-waist jeans, chunky belts, and tiny-bag-toting Gen Zs – but so too the occasional walking stick, and a handful of toddlers in prams.
Thursday’s line up features a laidback opening: a dreamy set from American indie-pop band Japanese Breakfast, led by frontwoman Michelle Zauner, on the festival’s main Nagusia stage. San Miguel, slightly smaller, hosts the raspy, soulful vocals of Michael Kiwanuka; the Mercury Prize winner’s mesmerising “Love and Hate” and “Cold Little Lies” have the audience swaying in the setting sun. As the dark descends, out burst Pulp, riding the wave of a Britpop revival and the release of More, their first album in 24 years, last month. Opening with “Spike Island”, Jarvis Cocker channels his supply-teacher aura and unapologetically jerky movements into a captivating and endearing stage presence. “Acrylic Afternoons” and “Mis-Shapes” are peppered with distinctly English attempts at Basque and Spanish – recited while hunched over, reading from a sheet. Before finishing on “Common People”, the eccentric musician asks for chocolates to be handed out to the crowd.
The atmosphere shifts after hours at the Basoa stage: shirts and vests whip off and sweat pours out for primal sets by electronic DJs Fafi Abdel Nour, CC:Disco! and Carista, while Kaytranada and Bicep play into the night on the larger stages. Just further up, a smattering of people gather at the mellow and atmospheric Lasai stage, overlooking the striking views of the city and its Nervión River.
Day two begins with severe thunderstorm warnings and the arrival of a much younger Friday crowd. Latin pop artist Julieta is among the highlights, delivering a sultry performance, complete with tree props, dance breaks and desert visuals. Then, recent news headline mainstays Kneecap explode onto the San Miguel stage, preceded in poetic fashion by the first outbreaks of rain, thunder and lightning: a sensory wake-up call.
The Irish rap trio pause between hits such as “Better Way to Live”, “Fine Art” and “H.O.O.D”, to talk about Palestine, projecting information about the death toll in Gaza, bringing out Palestinian band Sol to sing in Arabic, and leading the crowd in chants of “Free Palestine”. With their popularity having imploded in the months since they were booked, they joked that BBK Live “can’t afford us” for longer than 45 minutes, finishing their set with a high-octane rendition of “RECAP”.
After this, Australian punk outfit Amyl and the Sniffers deliver a strong, sweary performance on the main stage. R&B powerhouse Raye isn’t so lucky: her performance is delayed and then stopped due to the weather, the singer eventually returning to cap off her set with “Prada” and “Escapism” for those brave enough to stay through the night.
But the main draw is pop legend Kylie Minogue on the festival’s final night, impressing with her stamina and endurance through a nearly 90 minute set, complete with dance routines and outfit changes. The 57-year-old, currently in the middle of her global Tension tour, gets the crowd going with classics including “Spinning Around”, “Get Outta My Way” and “Love At First Sight”, slowing the tempo with a breathy rendition of “On A Night Like This”. Her most electrifying performance, however, is reserved for “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”, before she closes with her recent earworm “Padam”.
Priced at around €150 for a 3-day pass and €65 for a day ticket (plus booking fees), BBK Live is possibly one of the most cost-efficient destination festivals out there. It’s an event of ambitious scale, set in a city that boasts the Guggenheim, cheap wine, top-tier tapas and beautiful architecture. A bit of rain doesn't dampen a thing.
