Yo musos! Not many promoters really wanted to stick their neck out last month, but the natives are now raring to go as we bid adéu to August. September has some seriously interesting proposals off the standard circuit so don’t say you weren’t warned. Decentralise, people!
I’m kicking off this column with a nod to one of Barcelona’s Most Valuable Producers. When not painting tribal fantasy scenes in menstrual blood, Marc O’Callahan finds time to perform under the guise Coàgul: an industrial statement of esoteric Catalan values, often delivered starkers. He forms part of the multi-disciplinary (free) program at La Escocesa for their annual contribution to Tallers Oberts de Poblenou, alongside an excellent array of freak-out merchants such as Chupaconcha and El Maquiniste! That’s Saturday 17th for your filofax.
From the same stable as Coàgul and coincidentally on the same dark night is the latest installment of Cønjuntø Vacíø. Six acts are lined up to stimulate folk whose three favourite colours are black. To open, the ambient ardour of Todesfuge, Fingering Eve and label emperor Titan Arch, followed by Acción Diplomatica and Paralelo’s synth sounds. Assassini brings down the house with his apocalyptic take on techno and completes the bill, which is a snip at 5 euros at the terribly-monikered Almo2bar.
This month’s gig guide would be incomplete without a shout to BAM at La Mercè (22-25 Sept). I’m pleased to report that there appears to be a broad scope of tough selections from far flung places, if not geographically then certainly in terms of style. The Congolese group Konono No. 1’s collaboration with Angolo-Portuguese Batida is an excellent booking in the tradition of Buraka Som Sistema and Principe Discos, whilst the afro-trap of the French/Senegalese/Guinean MC MHD will fill whichever public space he is granted, fijo.
