For an evening of the 15th of August in Almuñécar, there weren’t that many people about last night; except for the surprise firework display, spirits were low.

At Almuñécar’s top night-bar for live music, Robert’s, a band was play, The Weekenders, but José Montalvo, despite being busy sound checking and working the mixing table during the gig, had his mind elsewhere – how was he to survive with the imminent closure of the nightlife sector across the country.

I’ve known José since he was 17; I was playing the bass at now-long-gone Poli’s, where many foreign musicians got together to jam – that was back in the mid-80s. He asked me if I would like to join him and Erik the drummer to form a 3-piece band playing Jazz & Swing classics. That’s how we started a friendship and musical association back in July 1985 that would last over 35 years.

José Montalvo comes from a very talented family; his father is a talented draughtsman and water-colour painter whom Sean Connery once invited to design his planned Marbella home. His youngest sister is a ballet teacher at a top-notch conservatory. His younger brother, Dani, is probably the best drummer in Granada and a honed lawyer as well. His other sister, the eldest offspring in the family, gave up the life of a ballet dancer to become a state teacher, following her mother’s footsteps.

José has been playing the guitar since before he wore long pants and went on to become a professional sound engineer covering live gigs and studio recordings – he has his own small recording studio. But shortly after his 50th birthday, he tired of shifting equipments, setting up, sound checking, working the mixer, packing it up, loading it all back up – he wasn’t getting any younger – so together with his beautiful live-in partner, he decided to obtain a loan and restore Robert’s (Top) to it’s 80s function, and become a live-music venue.

Every foreign resident who had ever attended one of Almuñécar’s Jam Nights in the various pubs, knew José for his superb guitarmanship, so when he took over Robert’s, they all started becoming regulars there.

It was a tremendous success… then came Covid-19.

Last night José was depressed and angry, although he had more success in not showing the latter than the former. This was probably going to be one of the last nights that he could legally open his doors thanks to this latest governmental move, effectively snuffing out pubs and discotheques… and it just was not fair.

And of course it is not fair, not for any one of the 16,000 people that work in this sector in Granada alone but especially for a venue like José’s it’s not fair because his regulars are all 40-odd or over and mostly foreign residents. Everybody wears a mask and they respect social distancing. Robert’s is not a bar that relies on teenage and 20-year-olds that really couldn’t give a damn and are the primary reason that the nightlife sector has taken this hit.

“So, what are you going to do, Mate,” I asked him. There was a pause… “God knows,” he replied. There were bills to pay and no income to cover them… and no economic aid from the Government, either.

As we spoke outside the pub, I observed his terrace tables where people sat – two to five at a table, masks in evidence, chatting, smiles, but no shouting or boisterous behaviour.”

“How did we get here – was it the niñacos? (brats)” I asked. Two walked past at that moment, catching the term banded between us knowing full well what we were discussing. He responded with just one word, “Hombre!” with an intonation that clearly implied, “of course it bloody was.”

The next question was an obvious one: “What should the Government have done.” His answer was simple.

“You don’t close down everybody indiscriminately. The police should walk around the bars, see which ones are problematic and close them. If they can’t control their customers, that’s their problem.”

I replied, “the day that they start fining los niñacos 3,000 euros for taking the piss is the day that this crap will stop.”

And it’s true – not because I said it, but because getting a blow to the wallet equivalent to a kick in the grollies makes you think twice. If they don’t have that sort of money, then you embargo their car, their bike or salary. If they’re still legal minors, let the parents pay it – there would be a sudden interest in knowing what their teenage kids were up to.

Unless there is some kind of massive economic retribution put in place for behaving like an idiot, then even with all the bars closed, these culprits are going to find another way to gather, get infected and kill their grandparents.

Almuñécar can’t afford to lose Robert’s – not for José’s sake, but for everybody’s sake who enjoys going to a pub and watching a live band.

(News/Editorial: Robert’s, Almuñécar)