The José Saramago Hall at the César Manrique Foundation, in Arrecife, once again filled to capacity and hung the "sold out" sign for the second of the talks included in the program of Memoria de los Jueves 2026, the conference cycle that is celebrating its third edition and is organized by the Cabildo de Lanzarote through Memoria de Lanzarote.
A hundred people attended this roundtable discussion, which analyzed the evolution of pop and rock on the islands of Lanzarote and La Graciosa. The event was moderated by journalist, musician, and writer José María de Páiz, and featured musicians Mame Spínola, Elio Pérez, Óscar Pérez, and music promoter Neftalí Acosta.
Throughout the debate, an exhaustive review was presented of many of the musical groups or solo artists who have shaped the history of pop-rock on the island from the mid-20th century to the present day, with topics such as musical styles, the scene's atmosphere, rehearsal spaces, venues and stages, live performances, institutional support, etc., being exposed and discussed.
In the hour-long roundtable discussion, and the subsequent debate with audience participation, many names came up. From pioneers Los Rebeldes, in the 1960s, to current acts like Zombie Love, through Rubicón, Maraballas Band, Papita Rala, Subproducto Tóxico, Grupo Insular, Cesagueli y sus Músicos, Besos y Rasguños, Sin Sentido, Marca Acme, Cerrajeros, Tal como suena, La Trinchera, El Nombre Es Lo De Menos, La Isla, Galiot, Blackened, Atril, Océano, Inadaptados, King Trash Fandango, Pechuga Band, Kardomillo, Metalmorfosis, Infernal Hate, Oscartienealas, Zürich, and an endless number of bands impossible to mention in such a short space.
Themes and songs of all styles could be heard, unpublished photos and some videos were shown. The role of rock and live music festivals throughout these decades was also discussed, as well as their role as a showcase and promotion for local bands and talent.Another of the topics discussed was the role of the media, fanzines, or cultural publications and sources that allow for the preservation of that past, with references to Memoria Digital de Lanzarote itself or the fanzine Sancocho Metálico, now a website, directed by Jonás Martín. The participants in the panel insisted on the idea of doing everything possible to preserve the material that allows for the preservation of that part of the island's musical history.Precisely, at the end of the round table, it was announced that the Cabildo de Lanzarote, through Digital Memory of Lanzarote, has already begun the work of compiling these musical styles to include them on the website Memoria Sonora de Lanzarote, which depends on the institution, and which already features recordings of folk and traditional music groups.
For those interested individuals who could not attend the roundtable discussion in person, please remember that all talks are streamed live and are available as recordings on the website of Memoria de Los Jueves and on the Memoria de Lanzarote YouTube channel.
Memory of Thursdays 2026
The lecture series Memoria de los Jueves is organized by the Centro de Datos and Memoria Digital de Lanzarote, departments of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, and has the collaboration of the César Manrique Foundation. Its main objective is to reflect on the role of photographic and audiovisual archives in today's society, as well as to make the public aware of the collections, content, and work developed by Memoria Digital de Lanzarote.
On the other hand, the Publishing Service of the Cabildo de Lanzarote will also collaborate in the cycle, making copies of some of the cultural books published by the corporation available to attendees of the talks.
The rest of the 2026 edition program is as follows:
- Thursday, January 29: A visual tour of love in Lanzarote
Lana Corujo and David Machado
- Thursday, February 5: Island of Cinema. The Cinematic Memory of Lanzarote
Saúl Rojas