The Barcelona suburbs are filled with cultural events for the summer.
There was a time when summer cultural activity was concentrated around Barcelona's Grec Festival and various events on the Costa Brava. This is no longer the case, not only because Barcelona has multiplied its offerings—with festivals like Alma and Nits de Barcelona—but also because the towns surrounding the capital offer an attractive selection of music, theater, film, circus, dance, and art. Those spending the summer on the outskirts of the great metropolis can enjoy concerts by artists such as Mayte Martín, Els Pets, Alanis Morisette, Amparanoia, Alfred Garcia, and others, listen to music in the caves of Montserrat, dance to electronic music in a park in El Prat, see the latest films by Clint Eastwood or Karla Sofía Gascón, or admire the on-stage performances of actors such as Emma Vilarasau, Jordi Bosch, and Lloll Bertran.
Martorell Music on a historic bridgeJust over a decade ago, Martorell began programming the Pont a les Arts Sonores (PAS). It's a music festival under the Devil's Bridge, the city's most emblematic architectural element. It takes place from July 4th to 19th, spread over three weekends. Singer-songwriter Daniel Anglès and English soul artist Myles Sanko have already performed there, and Mayte Martín (July 18th) performing her album Tatuajes (Tattoos) and Elena García's pop (July 12th), among others, will be performing on the Roman bridge. This year, two sections are being launched: one to showcase new local musical offerings and another featuring DJs to liven up the evenings before the main performances.
Collbató Twenty years of concerts in the caves of MontserratAttend concerts in an unusual setting, the Collbató Saltpeter Caves in the Montserrat Mountains. This is what the Gong Festival offers, which celebrates its twentieth edition this year, offering a different experience than usual. It will take place on July 11, 12, and 13. Artists such as Alicia Corral, Ricardo Passos, Hirundo Maris, and Nacho Melús will perform there. According to the organizers, this year the festival returns to its roots and focuses on the cave. Therefore, other open-air concerts within the same area are no longer being held.
The Prat de Llobregat Electronics in a large parkFor the first time, the large Parc Nou venue in El Prat de Llobregat will host the Soundit festival, a showcase of independent electronic music, on July 18 and 19. There will be five stages and more than 60 artists. Akua b2b Luke Slater, Avalon Emerson, Carista, Chez Damier, Djrum b2b upsammy, Eris Drew, and Goldie b2b Special Request are all on the lineup.
Sant Boi de Llobregat The Altaveu reflects on sound identityTowards the end of summer comes the prestigious Altaveu festival in Sant Boi de Llobregat, one of the longest-running in the Baix Llobregat region, with more than 35 years of history. The lineup won't be announced until mid-month. However, the organizers anticipate that this year's festival will focus on its sound identity. "We're focusing on artists with their own unique and unique voices," they state. With pre-event activities, the main events will run from September 12th to 14th.
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat A Summer of 90 activitiesThroughout the month of July, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat offers Summer, a series of nearly ninety decentralized cultural activities spread across the city's different districts. Circus (this Saturday, Mary Jones Grandiosa by the Maria Cavagnero company in Parc de la Marquesa), dance, music, cabaret, visual and urban art, and also workshops on hip-hop and science.
Calella Els Pets and Javier GurruchagaThe first musical offering in the Maresme region is the NEC (Calella Summer Nights) festival. An event far removed from the tourist hubbub, it's held in the idyllic setting of the lighthouse. Between June 27 and August 29, artists of various styles such as Alfred Garcia, Tomeu Penya, Lucrecia, Els Pets, The Flaming Skackers, and even the festive offerings of Javier Gurruchaga and his Mondragón Orchestra perform under the light of the coast.
Tiana and Saint Susanna Jazz and rockabillyFor jazz lovers, a bucolic spot is Can Reon in Tiana, featuring artists such as the Branford Marsalis Quartet and Seamus Blake, which will take place from July 9th to 11th. From jazz bonanza to rockabilly and punk, all of these come together at the well-established Psycobilly Meeting held in Santa Susanna from July 1st to 9th.
Mataró and Cabrera de Mar Amparanoia and tribute bandsPopular music also finds its place in the coastal region's musical scene, such as the Nosaltres Festival, which includes performing arts and popular culture, with performances by Amparanoia and the Big Band Jazz Maresme, among others. Those more nostalgic should travel to Cabrera de Mar to enjoy tributes to La Oreja de Van Gogh and Michael Jackson at Mas Pujol, accompanied by afternoon parties between July 15 and August 26. The festival caravan culminates with the Posidònia Fest in the port of Mataró, between August 27 and 30, featuring a variety of styles, including indie and pop, and artists such as Alfred Garcia, Manu Guix, and Meritxell Neddermann.
Sant Vicenç de Montalt Miki Núñez and Andrea MotisA multifaceted festival that emerges from the idyllic setting of the Gabrielist Brothers Park in Sant Vicenç de Montalt becomes another summer must-see with performances by Miki Núñez and Andrea Motis, from July 31 to August 3.
Sant Adrià de Besòs His Majesty the Cruïlla and lots of outdoor cinemaThe Cruïlla Festival, held in the Parc du Fòrum in Sant Adrià de Besòs from yesterday until this Saturday, is the main musical event of the summer in the Barcelonès Nord neighborhood. Among the diverse stages by the sea, an extensive and ambitious program emerges to celebrate the festival's fifteen years of history. Yesterday's headliners were American Gracie Abrams, and today and in the coming days, Alanis Morissette, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Sex Pistols & Frank Carter, and Love of Lesbian will perform twice. Nearby, Les Tres Xemeneies is this year's venue – until August 6 – for Sala Montjuïc, the open-air film series. Still to be screened are The Substance (July 11) by Coralie Fargeat, starring Demi Moore; the musical Wicked (July 12) by Jon M. Chu, starring Ariana Grande; A Real Pain (July 16) by Jesse Eisenberg, starring Kieran Culkin; the Oscar-winning I'm Still Here (July 18) by Walter Salles, starring Fernanda Torres; the Korean classic Old Boy (July 19) by Park Chan-wook; This Too Shall Pass (July 23) by Maria Ripoll, based on the novel by Milena Busquets; the disturbing Jury Number 2 (July 25) by Clint Eastwood; the legendary The Apartment (July 26) by Billy Wilder; Beetlejuice (July 30) by Tim Burton; Forrest Gump (August 1) by Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks; Emilia Pérez (August 2) with the controversial Karla Sofía Gascón; and a surprise film (August 6) as a farewell. Before all the screenings, which take place at 10 pm, there is live music at 8:45 pm.
Read also Badalona Vicco and 31 FAM, on the Los 40 Principales tourIn Badalona, the City Council is offering free concerts at the l'Escorxador center. On July 22nd, popular music will be provided by Saetas, Urpi Barco, La Ruka, Le Big Sur, Missex, and The Claxon, with DJs Huex and Malafama. On July 27th, the free Los 40 Summer Live tour will stop on the city's seafront, with performances by Paul Thin, Chema Rivas, Vicco, Bombay, and Miquel Bueno. Los 40 Principales will be in Badalona for the festival on the Rambla on August 14th, followed the following day by urban music by 31 FAM.
Cerdanyola and Castellar del Vallès Geeky cinema and musical allergiesThe summer in Valles boasts a host of established events, such as the 26th edition of Fantosfreak, the Cerdanyola del Vallès International Festival of Fantastic and Freak Short Films, with a highly competitive competition at the Parc del Turonet on 15 and 16 July, and the fifth edition of the Fem Festival in Castellar del Vallès, held from 3 to 6 July, where the Barcelona sextet Al·lèrgiques al Pol·len presented their latest album Al·larma.
Sabadell Theater starsAnother long-established event, now in its eighth edition, is the Fresc Festival, Sabadell's small Grec festival, which closes on the 11th with most tickets sold out. Its epicenter is a small amphitheater at the Fundació Antiga Caixa Sabadell 1859, which offered 15 shows—including theater and music—with 275 seats. Forty percent of the audience is from outside Sabadell. This is confirmed by BBVA's Vallès Occidental region director, Andrés Cabello: "It's a cultural attraction." On June 25th, the festival's first co-production with the alGalliner company, Una ciutat brillant, premiered. The Brodas Bros, Lluís Homar and Xavier Albertí followed with Una llum constant, Emma Vilarasau and Jordi Bosch recited Venus i Adonis and La paella dels Dijous, with Lloll Bertran, Jordi Andújar and Núria Cuyàs has already sold out the tickets for today, Thursday, like Blaumut in the presentation of their latest album, Abisme, on the 11th.
Sant Cugat del Vallès Music in the monasteryThe cloister garden of the monastery of Sant Cugat del Vallès hosts, in its 14th edition, the Nits de Música al Claustre, a series that includes concerts by the Cobla Jovenívola of Sabadell (11) and the singer-songwriter Lídia Pujol, on the 18th, who will present her work Babel: dels fems i les flors.
Terrassa Chamber musicAnother ecclesiastical setting with a musical presence is the Seu d'Ègara, the Esglésies de Sant Pere, a 2,500-year-old heritage site, which hosts the thirteenth edition of the Terrassa Chamber Orchestra's Summer Festival, from July 10 to 20.
Granollers A fair that hybridizes the artsIn Granollers, on Wednesdays and Thursdays in July, the Roca Umbert Fàbrica de les Arts venue becomes a stage for enjoying activities for all audiences from six in the evening to eleven at night. In addition to food trucks and DJs, there will be contemporary circus performances with companies such as Joan Català, Soon Circus Company, Sweet Chilli Circus, and La Corcoles. You can also enjoy two interactive art installations: Animated Graphics after the Flood, by Laura Ginés Bataller, is a combination of image, music, and poetry that only comes to life when the viewer touches the keys of a piano. The work is part of a film project about Noah's Ark, a piano suite by composer Xavier Montsalvatge. And artist Maria Solà has created the Selfiematon, an autonomous, interactive, and playful device with bizarre filters for the enjoyment of participants.
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