Image: Sergio Betancort
?Color, fun and lots of criticism were some of the ingredients of the first phase of the twenty-sixth edition of the Arrecife Carnival Murgas Contest. More than six months of rehearsal for many of the groups and that has been reflected in the half hour of performance that each of them has. Unlike Sunday, the stands and chairs of the Arrecife Fairgrounds were filled to enjoy the first phase of the contest. On stage, colorful costumes and lyrics that had as a common denominator the crisis, evictions, cuts or unemployment. On Monday night, Los Desperdigaos made their debut, a murga that is premiering this year at the Arrecife Carnival.
Los Simplones
Design: "With the aroma of yesteryear, more criticism..." designed by Mencey Curbelo
1st Song: "The almost four fantastic ones"
2nd Song: "First person singular of the present indicative of the verb to work... I pass word".
Those in charge of breaking the ice acting in the first place were the 57 members of Los Simplones, a murga that is usually in all the pools to fight for one of the three prizes of interpretation, lyrics and music. They wore a costume in which they pretended to be soccer players and therefore, a large part of the stage became a large soccer field.
In the first song they tried to unmask four villains, among whom were Mariano Rajoy, Paulino Rivero, Pedro San Ginés and the one they baptized as "Manuel Tarantula Suspicious Ugly". A song in which they claimed to see the mayor of Arrecife for the first time. In their second interpretation, they got into the role of the thousands of unemployed people in the country and tried to find work. Different professions paraded on stage.
Los Intoxicados
Design: "We go singing as firefighters and with the hose hanging" designed by the murga itself.
1st Song: "For our body"
2nd Song: "Brother of Beelzebub"
Los Intoxicados is one of the oldest murgas in the Arrecife Carnival, with more than 32 years participating in the different events and that in this edition have 32 members. They went on stage dressed as firefighters, not being very tuned throughout the performance, having many lows and highs in their voices.
In the first song titled "For our body", they sang to control and annoy all those who do wrong, defending, above all, the elderly. In the second song, they made an invocation to the brother "Beelzebub", having during the interpretation as protagonists the accused, the politicians who "only think about collecting" and among those criticized the councilman Pedro de Armas.
Las Intoxicadas
Design: "Ozú, Mi Arma" designed by the murga itself
1st Song: "And all this for just one euro"
2nd Song: "Example of bad management"
The third to perform and the first female murga of the night, were the 42 members of Las Intoxicadas, a murga that has been participating in the Carnival since 1997. They wore a fantasy in which they dressed up as gypsies with lots of color.
The first song was titled "And all this for a euro", a song in which the members of Las Intoxicadas went to the fair, reviewing the most common problems, such as the cuts or the expense that was made in the San Ginés festivities to make a dinner for the elderly. And in the second song titled "Example of bad management", they called the politicians "thieves and shameless".
Los Desperdigaos
Design: "A dream, an illusion, desperdigaos from the heart" designed by Iván Martín
1st Song: "Simply Robbery"
2nd Song: "My first year in Carnival, mandatory to criticize"
It is the first year of the murga Los Desperdigaos, debuting in the Carnival of Arrecife and starring in a good performance that surprised more than one. The costume worn by Los Desperdigaos had a lot of color, being one of the most striking costumes of the night and that will surely have a good score by the jury.
The first song was titled "Simply robbery", in which they alluded to the mismanagement of politicians from there and here, causing a disastrous social reality. A song in which they accused the mayor of Arrecife of "discriminating against the disabled" with hundreds of architectural barriers in the streets of the city. The second song titled "My first year in Carnival, mandatory to criticize", made references to issues such as child abuse.
Las Pijoletas
Design: "I escaped from the circus and in the Olympics of my Carnival I found myself", designed by the murga itself
1st Song: "Sitting looking for a song this reflection came to me"
2nd Song: "With chairs and jury, we have set up this program"
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The first phase of the Murgas Contest closed with the performance of Las Pijoletas, a murga that has been participating since 2011 and that in this edition has 44 members. They also wore a costume with a lot of color.
In the first song, "Sitting looking for a song this reflection came to me", they reviewed everything they consider to be wrong, not saving from criticism the Coast Law, Juan Francisco Rosa or the multitude of properties of Pedro de Armas. In the second song of the night titled "With chair and jury, we have set up this program", they made a parody about the program La Voz, counting with "coaches" such as Victor Sanginés, José Manuel Soria or Mariano Rajoy, reviewing problems such as the delay in the collection of subsidies by the murgas, the oil platforms and evictions.
Jury
The XXVI Arrecife Carnival Murgas Contest has two juries. On the one hand, one that values the Design and Fantasy that the murgas carry. And another that qualifies the lyrics, interpretation and music, and that will be in charge of choosing the six murgas that will qualify for the final next Friday.
The Design and Fantasy jury is composed of: Gabriela Mendieta (Queen of the Carnival 2014), Ruz Quesada (Photographer), Gemma García (Sculpture), Ilenia Delgado (Makeup Artist) and Lupe Villalba (Craft Workshop). The Jury of Interpretation, Lyrics and Music, is composed of: Pepito "El Caja" (Chirigota), Ramón Guimerá (Writer), Iván Padrón (Presenter), Antonio Rodríguez and Deisi Cabrera (Percussionist)
Second Phase
On Tuesday night will be held the second phase of the Arrecife Carnival Murgas Contest. It will be a night in which the great protagonists will be the female murgas. The second phase opens with the performance of the Titi Roys, followed by Ladys Golosina, Las Atrevidas, Las Rebuscadas, Las Tunantonas and Las Inadaptas. From 21:00 hours in the Arrecife Fairgrounds.
