“I love your t-shirt” – with a Spanish accent – “I really love that band”.

I had just taken a picture with Pipas: Mark, Lupe, Erico (from Poppolar) and me for the postcard. Lupe must have been surprised that someone was wearing a Cola Jet Set t-shirt in New York. How many chances there are that someone in America will be supporting Felipe Fresón sugary indiepop band? She had seen them live. She had seen Los Fresones Rebeldes live too. I only had a t-shirt that had just become an icebreaker.

I had one badge of the Plastilina Records label, I thought it was a good idea to give it to her. She seemed very enthusiastic to speak some Spanish during that 2007 summer weekend. To my surprise, she knew the label! Wow! “You’ve released many nice things, we know it very well in Spain”. That was thrilling to hear. Not that very sure if it’s well known in Spain, but anyways… the compliment was ace!

They were next up to play. I asked Lupe to save me her setlist. I have had bad luck getting the Ballboy setlist the day before. Some hipster kid got it first, I bet he just listened the band for the first time. So better ask the bands now I thought. It was my first indiepop festival and may as well be the first indiepop gigs I attended. Strange as I’ve been listening to guitar pop for years now. They played OK. The sound wasn’t the best and they made a couple of mistakes. But I was happy to see them play, singing songs I’ve grew up to enjoy so much like: Run Run Run, Hiding in the Park, Riff Raff and more.

I try not to be negative with bands, but the Cause Co-Motion guys were a bit annoying. Their set was really bad and they asked Lupe and Mark to wear their Cause Co-Motion t-shirts. I guess it’s a matter of community and helping each other, but for me, in between the two bands there are light years of difference. I never liked or enjoyed the concept behind Cause Co-Motion’s music. A matter of taste I guess, but please, don’t compare them to bands like The McTells, those were genius doing crash-pop! Anyhow, they got what they wanted, promotion from Pipas. A bit disappointing for me, but maybe Lupe likes the band?

After the gig I saw the duo outside the venue. From the other side of the door Lupe waved me. She got the setlist for me! Now it resides in a big cork board I have in my room. I see it everyday, it’s just behind my computer. And as everything is a vicious cycle, and this is about t-shirts, I also got a t-shirt, a dark blue one with the words Pipas inside bowling pins.

I guess style is not on my side. I’ll never be a Twee as Fuck kid. But a band t-shirt, jeans and chucks are what I like.

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Listen
Pipas – Hiding in the Park