Relevant BCN - Music, Arts & Events by Creative People in Barcelona

Aqui viene verano! It’s coming up to summer season here in Barcelona and that means, among other treats, festivals! This week we cover Sonar 2012 which promises to bring us another epic instalment of electronic music for our delectation.

The festival is split into two parts, Sonar by Day and Sonar by Night. The former takes place at MACBA (Museum of Contemporary Art) in the centre of the city, about a five minute walk from Las Ramblas. This offers some concerts, with the focus on unearthing and giving exposure to new talent, as well as the SonarPro Forum, an enterprise with the objective of putting specialised labels in touch with the public, a “Meet The Expert” talk where people are able to receive advice and insider tips with experts in different sectors from the creative and cultural industries, and the Demo Area showcasing latest trends in upcoming media technology.

What is ostensibly a supercharged trade fair truly becomes a festival in Sonar by Night. This is where international artists, this year including the likes of Amon Tobin, Fatboy Slim and Annie Mac from the electronic genres, the voluptuous and throaty ballads of Lana Del Rey, the hiphop group The Roots and indie music from the likes of the Friendly Fires. 80s music lovers will also be delighted at the chance to see New Order and the opportunity to dance the night away to Blue Monday.

That said, in a sense you’d be missing out if you treated this as a standard music festival, waiting and drinking all day for the music to start in the evening. In fact, it’s impossible for any one of the 80,000 expected attendees not to miss out on something. The whole city embraces the event, making the most of the host of international DJs residing there for the week, every club, every beach bar, even every hotel pool arranges parties throughout the week for residents and visitors alike.

Given the festival’s nature, that of giving exposure to new technologies and current urban music, Sonar consciously chooses to locate itself within the city, not in some far off place inhabited solely by Tollund Men for 95% of the year. Sonar does not desire the disconnection and dislocation seen in the sparse surrounds of Benicassim, Glastonbury or Woodstock. It emphasises a connection to its surrounds, to Barcelona, and that can only be a good thing.

Sonar by Night Highlights:

Friday:

Fatboy Slim

Amon Tobin

Lana Del Rey

Friendly Fires

Saturday:

New Order

The Roots

Deadmau5

Hot Chip

Artists are still coming in so follow this link to Sonar’s website for the full programme: http://www.sonar.es/en/2012/pg/program-by-days_46

Sonar runs from Thursday 14^th – Saturday 16^th June. Weekend passes cost €155.