What’s not to like about June? The longest days of the year coincide with peak festival season as this year the big guys escape earthly privacy and copyright laws by marketing in space. This world famous week dedicated to four-on-the-floor kick drums is flanked by more scaled-down options to wild out. Very decent goings on can be found in a neighbouring industrial town, or on an industrial estate to celebrate the patron saint of terrorising canines by chucking bangers down small alleys: Sant Joan.
Barcelona now hosts over four trillion events clinging on, off and around Sónar, which can fall into four categories: Sónar, Off Sonar (official), Off Week and perhaps Anti Sónar, which may still go down on a yearly basis in dusty corners of L’H, welcoming more dogs than people. The ones really worth your time fall into the first category (14th-17th). We concede that it is full of spangled tourists, features some daft producers and is a dear do. However, its bookings are generally as imaginative and ambitious as any on the planet (or off it) its production values are stellar, and there is a very healthy selection of national talent including controversy’s Valtònyc.
Greater Barcelona also has plenty to offer when it comes to music festivals. Largely free of price-hiking temporary visitors, your trip out of town will be worth your while on the 8th and 9th of the month as you head to Sabadell, host town of Embassa’t. The public pool complex welcomes some genuinely talented individuals and good-time groups for your enjoyment, with styles varying from the garage shanties of Mujeres to Núria Graham’s sweet folk and intelligent selections of hometown homeboy Lucient. Twenty euros will get you in.
This just in: this column is hearing interesting noises regarding the annual gunpowder celebration in the name of Sant Joan on 23rd June. Deepest L’Hospi will be the place to head, avoiding the played out madness of the beach completely. Salut!
