Jorge Drexler in Gijón: A Lesson in Empathy and Perspective

• Uruguayan singer-songwriter Jorge Drexler held an immersive concert in Gijón that challenged audience perspectives by physically shifting the focus away from the stage.
• The performance served as a meditation on empathy, communication, and the importance of looking beyond conventional viewpoints.
• The set drew on African and Uruguayan rhythms, particularly candombe, while referencing the artist's ancestral ties to the Asturias region.

Redefining the Stage

• In a pivotal moment, Drexler left the stage and moved to a platform at the back of the venue near the sound and light technicians.
• By forcing the audience to turn around and face the back, he inverted the traditional hierarchy of a concert, highlighting the beauty in the "margins" and the underprivileged spaces.
• He used this shift to demonstrate that life is not a single point and that horizons are not defined by one narrow perspective.

Music as a Bridge

• Drawing from his latest work, Taracá, Drexler emphasized music as a tool to bridge divides and confront global fears that he noted have been escalating since 2017.
• He explored themes of belonging, stating that he is not from this place, but neither is anyone else, advocating for a broader sense of global empathy.
• The performance included lyrical reflections on the "small drum" (tambor chico) of candombe, using it as a metaphor for a world that is spinning out of sync.

Audience Connection

• Drexler reflected on his career path, recalling his arrival in Spain in 1995 when he had only sold 33 copies of his first album, connecting with the multi-generational audience present in Gijón.
• The concert bridged the gap between different generations, with the artist engaging both young fans and long-time listeners through humorous storytelling and poignant song choices.
• The evening concluded as a celebration of human connection, time, and the act of choosing to love despite the complexities of the current era.