Bilbao Blues & Battered Pastries: A Drummer's Dispatch

okay, so bilbao. i didn’t really plan to be here. touring with the Static Echoes kinda fizzled out - apparently, my polyrhythms were “too aggressive” for the Norwegian crowd. who knew? anyway, ended up with a week to kill and a vague memory of someone mentioning pintxos. and honestly? it’s been… something.

just checked and it’s drizzling sideways here right now, a proper Bilbao hug. feels like ten point eight six degrees, which is… brisk. i’m huddled in this tiny cafe, “Café Gurea” - Yelp says it’s decent, but honestly, everything tastes vaguely of salt and regret at this point. i’ve been living off these weird, fried pastry things. they’re called… something. i can’t pronounce it. they’re good though. greasy, but good.

my room’s above a laundromat. the constant whirring is surprisingly soothing, actually. beats the existential dread of being a jobless drummer. i found this place on TripAdvisor - “Pension Bilbao Centro” - it’s basic, but clean. and the owner, Maria, keeps trying to set me up with her niece. bless her heart.

“Apparently, if you want to find a decent gig here, you gotta know someone who knows someone who used to play in a Basque folk band. It’s all about connections, apparently.”

I’ve been wandering around the *Casco Viejo, getting hopelessly lost. it’s beautiful, though. all those narrow, winding streets. i stumbled upon this amazing little shop selling vintage drumsticks - seriously, like, antique ivory ones. way out of my budget, obviously. but it was a moment.

Someone told me that the Guggenheim is a bit of a tourist trap, but you can’t really come to Bilbao and not see it, right? it’s… big. and shiny. and confusing. i spent most of the time trying to figure out where the bathrooms were.

if you get bored, San Sebastián is just a short train ride away. heard it’s got better beaches. and less rain.

Pro-Tips for the Lost Drummer (or anyone, really):

*Learn a few basic Basque phrases. “Eskerrik asko” goes a long way. (thank you)
*Embrace the pintxos. Seriously, just eat all the pintxos.
*Don’t be afraid to get lost. That’s where the good stuff happens.
*Bring a raincoat. Like, a really good raincoat.
*Check out the local music scene. I’m hoping to find something, anything, to play on. Maybe a flamenco band needs a drummer? A polka band? I’m flexible.

“The locals say the best pintxos are always at the bars that are packed with locals. Avoid the ones with the menus in English.”

I’m thinking about hitting up the Ría de Bilbao tomorrow. maybe try to find a spot to busk. i’ve got my snare drum and a whole lot of pent-up frustration. i saw a post on a local forum (https://www.bilbao.com/en/) about a free concert series in the park - might check that out too.

“Don’t trust the pigeons. They’re organized. I’m serious.”

I also heard that the Mercado de la Ribera* is a must-see. Apparently, it’s the largest covered market in Europe. I need to stock up on those pastry things. and maybe some coffee. i’m running on fumes here. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187435-d192388-Reviews-Mercado_de_la_Ribera-Bilbao_Bizkaia_Province_Basque_Country.html

okay, gotta go. Maria’s niece is waving at me from across the street. wish me luck. or at least, wish me a decent cup of coffee.