Honeys and homies, here’s your monthly dose of musical matters que merecen la pena. It’s a shame our venues aren’t all that, but the good news is that festival season starts now and ends late September. You ready for another round?
Ameba Park Fest are back on May 20th for their 3rd edition in slept-on Sants. El Parc de l’Espanya Industrial provides the backdrop to DJs and live shows from electronic specialists, a vinyl market, live urban art, a street ball contest and workshops for sprogs. There’s food, a bar and plenty of public space to picnic upon. It’s all free so it’s all good. Full support!
Now, let me put you up on a legendary national producer who remained hidden in plain sight until Dutch label Music From Memory released a pair of his albums in the last couple of years. Suso Sáiz is an Andalusian pioneer of electronic new-age music whose wealth of material stretches back to the early 80s and is well worth an evening of your life. The where and when: Guitar Bcn ’17 at Barts on May 5th.
Another type of historical hero comes to town on 14th May. Big Daddy Kane started releasing seminal wax in 1984 with Biz Markie and the Juice crew, and is widely regarded as one of the finest to have ever grabbed the mic thanks to his flow on rap anthems like Set It Off, Raw and Ain’t No Half Steppin’. He plays just one date on Iberian soil, so go pay respect.
Managing listening parties in a society where folk find it hard to keep their cakehole closed for more than a hot minute must be quite the challenge, but they have arrived in Barcelona. You have two opportunities to chinstroke to timeless LPs this month at Artte: the late David Axelrod’s Song Of Innocence on the 10th and Selected Ambient Works (1985 – 92) by Aphex on 24th.
And, once again, Primavera Sound smashes into town with a free programme on the Wednesday (the 31st) before the Forum becomes Clapham-On-Sea. Gordi, Local Natives and Anímic are dope discoveries, Saint Etienne are unmissable. It will probably rain.
