Sónar is an annual three-day music
festival held in Barcelona, Spain. It is described officially
as a festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Art. Music
is by far the main aspect of the festival. The festival runs
for three days and nights, usually starting on a Thursday
in the third week of June. The sixteenth edition of the Sónar
festival was held on the 18th, 19th, & 20th of June 2009.
Annually there are around 80,000 visitors to the festival.
The official website describes the festival as 'Three days
and three nights in touch with the most up-to-date developments
and featuring the most relevant national and international
artists.' 'Sónar is the essential meeting point for
an alert public, cutting-edge artists and the most influential
professionals from the sectors of music and modern arts.'
Sonar Festival Review...
The Sonar festival in Barcelona has been gaining a fabulous
reputation over the last few years as a music festival with
a difference.
Featuring alternative dance, hip hop and electro music from
all over the globe, Sonar prides it's self on its standing
within the avant-garde music community and I was going to
spend a day and night making my own assessment.
Now, I am well and truly a UK club junkie and it was with
slight apprehension that I embarked on my quest to sample
the finer aspects of Finish Euro pop and Spanish minimal electro.
My thinking was that even if I did find the music slightly
obscure the fact that I was sunning my self in Barcelona would
make up for any discrepancies. Any hesitation was to be short
lived, though, as I was about to spend an amazing day finding
out what alternative music has to offer in fantastic surroundings.
Due to time constraints Friday was my day of choice.
Friday is the first day of the weekend which encompasses
'Sonar By Night' and was also when the headlining Beastie
Boys were playing.
At around one o'clock I wandered down to the Museu d'Art
Contemporari de Barcelona (MACBA): a set of modern contemporary
buildings containing exhibitions of contemporary art from
the 20th century; surrounded by ancient and middle age buildings.
Situated in Barcelona's 'Las Ramblas' this is in the true
old town and made for spectacular surroundings in which to
party.
The day event it's self was split into three main parts,
Sonar Hall, Sonar Village and Sonar Dome.
Sonar Village was the biggest of the three and consisted
of a large court yard with capacity for several thousand people.
After a quick wander around we decided first port of call
would be Sonar Dome, SR Click was half way through his minimal
set and it seemed like the perfect warm up to the day.
After an hour or so when it had started to fill up, it became
apparent that the place to be was Sonar Village. This astro
turf covered courtyard was playing host to DJ Code's first
set with Fatkut and I wanted to get a prime seat for their
soul enthused hip hop.
With mojito in one hand and a cigarette in the other, we
found a prime spot in some shade under a tree. DJ Code failed
to disappoint as his blend of hip hop, soul and scratching
brought about sporadic fits of dancing and arm flailing.
By four o'clock the place was filling up nicely and the six
euro mojito's were flowing like the Yangtze. Perfect timing
for the US group Emanon.
This lot really are a mixed bag blending live trumpet playing,
human beat boxing, rapping and some extremely high pitched
vocals they produce happy dancey hip hop perfect for any summer
outing. Like Jurassic 5 before them, good US hip hop without
the attitude.
After another serving of DJ Code, it transpired that the
rest of the afternoon's music was going to be supplied by
the Finns!
First up was Nicole Willis & the Soul Investigators.
Admittedly my immediate, slightly xenophobic, impression
of Finnish soul was a group of pale faced blond people harmonising
after devouring a platter of partially cooked fish, but boy
was I wrong!
This lot were as soulful and funky as The Brand New Heavies
and their lead singer belted out some awesome soul vibes.
I defy anyone to determine there Finnish origins on a first
listen and it will certainly be one new addition to my music
collection.
Day was turning to evening and before we left for a quick
food and beer break we decided to take in another Finnish
group, ACCU.
This Finnish Euro pop band prance around the stage like a
mixture of Bucks fizz and the Scissor Sisters. If you can
see past the 80's style Pat Sharpe hair do's and keyboard
guitars you are actually in for a pleasant surprise, I especially
liked their tune Nightfreak which blends pumping keyboards
and Bee Gees style high pitched vocals.
Well Sonar Day was now complete for me, and after a quick
spruce up and a pizza I was heading to Sonar by night to stake
claim to my prime spot for the Beastie Boys. The day had certainly
been one to remember and my initial apprehension had now completely
disappeared in place of excitement at the prospect of the
evenings festivities.
Darkness had now fallen and as we approached the Gran Via
exhibition centre in Barcelona's western suburbs the enormity
of the night's event was starting to hit home. Like a mini
city sat within Barcelona's industrial west, the Gran Vin
is a huge exhibition centre consisting of a group of huge
rooms with a capacity of tens of thousands. Resembling a 1960's
vision of a space station, the centre was packed full of impressive
neon lighting and huge cinema screens showcasing some of Europe's
excellent VJing talent.
After an initial awe inspiring exploration, we set up base
right at the front of the stage for the Beastie Boys. The
fact we got there early was a huge blessing as within half
an hour the place was packed full of terns of thousands of
European clubbers, music lovers and general party animals.
After listening to the end of the excellent DJ2D2 set the
Beastie Boys entered the limelight in blazing glory with a
few of their early heavy metal style hits.
With excellent lighting and the groups effervescent energy
this set was a blinder,
Playing all the hits such as Ch-Check it out and Oh Word!
It proved middle age hasn't done anything to dumb these fellows
down. Seeing legends like this, so close up, is an experience
that can make any festival, but with all the amazing new music
I had experienced so far the Beastie Boys merely added another
reason to brag to my friends back home.
We left the Beastie Boys early to get a good spot for one
of the bands I had eagerly awaited, The New Young Pony Club.
Unfortunately, and I'm not sure why, they didn't show so we
instead headed to the Sonar Lab to see Cornelius. Cornelius
are a Japanese electro rock group signed to the British Ninja
Tune label.
These guys were recommended to me by a friend and their subtle
electo beats and Japanese vocals really make for some interesting
listening. At this point my dance had given way to more of
a sway due to several (with a capital S) mojito's and the
more rocky vibes of Cornelius.
After sampling the best Japanese rock has to offer I felt
it time to get a bit filthy and listen to some seriously dirty
beats. This left only one serious option, Dub Step.
This new brand of slowed down drum and bass has been taking
London by storm and I had been anxious to listen to DJ Skream
since I read about him in the national press. Oh boy was it
good! With beats comparable to drum and base meets speed garage,
Skream well and truly did Sonar!! Expect to see Dub Step infusing
the underground club scene soon!
Dizzie Rascal next. This boy needs no introduction and is
to UK hip hop what Tupac and Jay-Z are to the US. His new
album Maths and English, has been hailed as the best UK hip
hop album ever and although I am not sure if it pips Roots
Manuva's Awfully Deep to that post it certainly went down
pretty well at Sonar.
At this point weariness was starting to take hold and I was
holding on to listen to the 5am set by Timo Mass.
Timo Mass never fails to disappoint and this would be a fantastic
farewell to an amazing day. Timo Mass seemed right at home
in the space age surroundings and the plethora or teeth grinding
clubbers surrounding me seemed to agree.
Well 7am had arrived and the sun had well and truly risen
and after a 18 hour session my body was insisting on sleep.
Sonar was well and truly a fantastic experience and my only
regret was that I could only be there for one day.
Many people might say that with all the festivals held in
the UK this year, what is the point of travelling all the
way to Spain to do it
Well, for a change from the usual globalised commercial music
UK dance festivals have become renowned for, coupled with
guaranteed weather and some amazing surroundings Sonar really
offers something completely different, new and fresh and I
am sure even those with truly commercial tastes couldn't help
but get absorbed into the startling atmosphere, and the six
euro mojito's help too!
