Here comes Year of the Dog according to the Chinese Horoscope. It’s already looking like an animated annum for my musical mutts. New spots are opening, local produce is on the up and festivals are in rude health. Let’s resolve to support the lil’ guy in 2018.
New Age music garnered a bunch of interest last year, with particular focus on reissues of forgotten or discontinued material from times past. One such artist, whose stock has suddenly skyrocketed, is the gaditano Suso Sáiz, producer of lush ambient soundscapes ideally suited to the elegant surroundings and expensive sonics at Artte. Emil joins the veteran composer to inaugurate the Ritual of Lights as part of the Magic Mixture cycle at the uptown bar. They say it’ll go down on the 16th.
We’re occasionally slow to pick up on news and would like to apologise for not waxing a little shine onto the revamped Sala BeGood in Poblenou since its takeover by L’Afluent, best known for their tireless toil at L’Associació Cultural Heliogàbal. Saturday the 24th is our excuse to rediscover the spot, with the live offering of column favourite Nightcrawler. The synthwave wizard cuts a dramatic figure on stage and his tough guy presence, 80s visuals and melodramatic tracks come across like an instrumental tale by John Carpenter. Aftershow tracks come from dark disco selector Jordi Ares.
This column always aims to give a nod to original bookings, projects and concepts which often have scant chance of covering costs, let alone the countless hours of work previously invested to get things up and running. None more than our last entry: a night called Naturaleza Acústica at Màgia Roja. The occult cultural den in Gràcia regularly promotes left-field concerts and the improvised free jazz textures of Völga are no exception The night aims to stimulate further with a culinary offer from high-end chefs Laura Veraguas and Laura López. Give it a go on the 25th. €35 cover.
