El Petit de Cal Eril Returns with Eril, Eril, Eril at Half-Full Andorra Gig

Joan Pons, known as El Petit de Cal Eril, performed his new album *Eril, Eril, Eril* to a half-full house at Andorra's Centre de Congressos on Thursday night, marking his return after a five-year sabbatical and 15 years since his Andorran debut.

The show came months after the album's release, which Pons presented as a creative reset following nearly a decade of near-constant output—eight records from *Per què es grillen les patates?* (2007) to *N.S.C.A.H.L.* (2021). He described the hiatus as difficult and risky but necessary after 20 years in music, allowing him to shift from cerebral composition to intuitive, gut-driven work. "Songs are already made; the only thing I do is fish for them," he said, pulling these from "the bottom of the sea."

The intimate, psychedelic pop set stayed true to his metaphysical style but felt lighter and more elemental, with heavier drums, no keyboards live, and lyrics pondering life's changes—"I am no longer who I was"—while connecting to an enduring inner essence. Tracks like "Si no fos tan fàcil," a tribute to his mother that ignited the project amid self-doubt, and "Aigua fosca," written swiftly to reflect turbulent times, blended tenderness with darker reflections on "wild, terrible" events. The band played the full album, or nearly so, plus hits from *Vol i dol* onward, including "Jo ja no soc qui era," "Ara no sé què dir-te," "Ni rei, ni déu ni mestre," and "La por i l'oblit," closing with "Cendres."

Pons, now 44 and recently awarded the Premi Ciutat de Barcelona, called composing an eternal, vital search he'll take to his grave. He prioritised the album's integrity over singles, a choice he now sees as almost political. The Andorran gig held personal weight: fans here bought his first guitar, a turning point in his career. Children in the audience inspired him, though the reviewer suggested parents consider their needs next time.

Pons feels clearer than ever about his path, knowing what he wants—and doesn't.