If you go out for a walk in Ciutat Vella or near the sea these days, it will be almost impossible not to come across a concert. It’s the Raval festival in Barcelona and that means that each of its associations will have its own square or street to celebrate, although tonight you can also lie down on the beach and enjoy what usually plays at the Liceu or l’Auditori. And for festival-goers with a wristband, the stage is the Forum: Cruïlla is back this year with a large discotheque where attendees will have to wear headphones.
Flamenco, electronic music and free opera in the Raval
The The streets of the Raval are celebrating until this Sunday with a programme that represents the cultural and musical diversity of its residents. To start off, this evening from 6pm, the Plaza del Pedró will be the venue for the Gypsy community’s festival: the Carabutsí Association has scheduled a children’s singing course and then a Catalan rumba concert. You can also enjoy the Jam Session organised by Robadors 23 (from 7pm) or the opera that will be sung in front of the Palau Güell (from 8pm). But for those who like electronicsvarious DJs invited by the AMEBA association will be playing until dawn in Plaça Terenci Moix. And for flamenco fans, you will have to return tomorrow to Calle Robadors where the ‘Festa Major Flamenca’ will be held until dawn. There are many more activities that will fill the night. the streets of Raval until Sunday and we therefore recommend checking out the full schedule.
The best classical music on the beach
On the beach of San Sebastià there is another opportunity to enjoy Great free concerts this weekend. If yesterday (lying on the sand of the beach) you could listen to the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and Ludovic Morlot, today it will be the turn of the conductor Gustavo Dudamel who, conducting the Liceu Symphony Orchestra, will review the soundtracks of Hollywood classics such as Star Wars, Superman, ET or Jurassic Park. Although the concert starts at 9pm, we recommend arriving early: admission is free and without prior reservation. It might be a good idea to bring a nice sarong and something to snack on.
The big days of Cruïlla
If in these last two days the Parc del Fórum has resounded with urban and Latin musictoday and tomorrow will be with rock classics or with the Catalan bands in fashion. From 6 in the afternoon until 5 in the morning there are 17 concerts scheduled across 5 stages. For this evening (at 11pm) the highlight will be the return of the one who 20 years ago aroused adolescent passions: Avril Lavigne. Two hours before (at 8pm) you can enjoy the band that best represents the rock sound that was in fashion at that same time (the English The Kooks) and, right after, Amaral will be celebrating their 25-year career. Tomorrow Saturday there will be no shortage of anyone from the Catalan music scene: from 6pm you can enjoy Ginestà, followed by The Tyets, Roba Estesa and Oques Grasses.
Try the ‘Silent Disco’
This is one of the great innovations of Cruïlla in 2024: a stage and, at the same time, a discotheque called ‘silent’ because everyone will dance to the rhythm of the same DJ that no one can hear if they are not wearing headphones. It is a circular light structure that was first used in Nevada (at the popular Burning Man) and has been placed in the centre of the festival grounds. It will be in operation today and tomorrow with artists such as Nickodemus (who we recommend seeing tonight at 9:30 p.m.) or the Canarian La Diabla (tomorrow at 12:30 a.m.).
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