March to Your Own Musical Beat at These Barcelona Festivals

As one of Europe’s most dynamic, cosmopolitan cities, with enviable year-round climes to boot, it should come as little surprise that Barcelona boasts some of the best music festivals on the continent.

From one-off underground showcases and multi-day rock concerts to a jazzy entertainment lineup that lasts for months each year, clearly this vibrant town is marching to everyone’s musical beat.

Here is a brief sampling of some of Barcelona’s most established (and entertaining) music festivals.

Sónar Barcelona

Spotlighting both established and emerging international electronic acts and DJs since 1994, Sónar — a combo music festival and technology conference (think SXSW) — is arguably the most highly anticipated three-day festival in town.

Every summer, an average of 80,000 visitors descend on a trio of megawatt events: Sónar by Day at the mammoth Fira Montjuïc, Sónar by Night at the super high-tech Fira Gran Via and Sónar+D, an ambitious creativity conference launched in 2013. The latter event aims to educate and inspire innovators through meetings and seminars led by leaders in film, technology, design and music.

Breakout talents who have graced the festival either as performers or speakers over the years include M.I.A., De La Soul, Janelle Monáe, Björk, Brian Eno, Skrillex, Beastie Boys and Diplo, among countless others.

Primavera Sound

A stalwart on the music festival circuit since 2001, Primavera Sound entices visitors with three heart-pounding days of rock, pop and underground concerts by the sea.

The festival is held every spring between Barcelona’s sandy shores and urban development Parc del Fòrum, and recent additions to the agenda include a sister festival in Porto, Portugal, and Primavera Pro, a conference geared toward music-industry pros and aspiring newcomers. Legendary performers hobnobbing with current headliners have included Radiohead, Marianne Faithfull and Neil Young.

Revelers rubbing elbows as they dance to the beat are as diverse and eclectic as the festival itself; of the more than 100,000 attendees in recent years, ages ranged from early 20s to well over 50 years old, proving that quality multi-genre events attract multigenerational crowds.

Voll-Damm Barcelona International Jazz Festival

One of the longest running festivals in the city, Barcelona’s International Jazz Festival is a months-long, multi-venue extravaganza celebrating this popular musical genre paired with gospel, swing, blues and other instrumental sounds.

Concerts of varying styles are offered throughout the city from late September until December in outdoor arenas, conservatories, nightclubs and prestigious concert halls. Aficionados also have the opportunity to attend jazz-related workshops, master classes and conferences.

Newcomers to the jazz scene are welcome to attend the free pop-up concerts at Moll de la Fusta, a port-side venue featuring up-and-coming acts and a collection of quirky vintage food trucks serving street food versions of everything from tapas to burgers to tacos.

BAM Barcelona

Though similar to its music festival counterparts in terms of content and genre styles, BAM (Barcelona Acció Musical) is distinguished by its primary focus on emerging local talent. Each year, more than 40 musicians, dancers and performance artists perform in various venues across the city in an effort to showcase their varied talents.

Presented annually during Catalonia’s patron saint celebration, Le Mercè, acts are often found in the unlikeliest of places, including neighborhood ramblas (pedestrian walkways), nightclubs and even at the onetime factory of local brewery Estrella Damm.

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