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ONLY BE BARCELONIAN
Only-Be Barcelonian
Maldita Nerea in Barcelona
It seems that the recession is also affecting pop music on an international level. The downfall of so many current pop stars means a resuscitation of rock which is inevitably something which is going to happen. Not long ago, they edited for the first time the documentary ´1991: The Year Punk Broke´ in DVD. This documentary, quite a legendary one, shows Sonic Youth during their European Tour of 1991. Also, to everyone´s surprise, it presents a new band who was going to become well known, a new discovery for rock: Nirvana. And so, the film shows the mature Sonic Youth demolishing the European crowd with their noise rock while, a young Nirvana, before fame and before ´Nevermind´ and the fall of their charismatic singer, showing that yes, they were made to become an important part of the history of rock music. The phenomenon was predictable. The radio stations from around the world were full of pathetic versions of Milli Vanilli, Rick Astley, Michael Jackson and Madonna, the worst of Guns N´ Roses, etc. The emerging of alternative rock was necessary and inevitable; it´s not that it was really a revolution as they thought, but more of developing a curtain which covered a whole public and bands which had been concentrating for a whole decade. People like Dinosaur Jr., Meat Puppets, Babes in Toyland, Mudhoney and others all appear in this film that, without trying, would be a statement of the 90s. We find ourselves in a similar circle now. The most commercial pop dominates the radios, the internet, Facebook, twitter, youtube… There´s no Nirvana or Sonic Youth to save us, these...
Dark Christmas Festival Barcelona
Another of the excellent festivals that year after year mark the beginning of the Christmas and New Year´s festivities is Dark Christmas Festival in Barcelona, which this year shines with three excellent bands: Nitzer ebb, Interfront and Architect. Sturm Promotions has been in charge of this task for ten years now, and they´ve been very successful, because they always set a high standard for the festivals in the dark world which follow it in the ´Darkcelona trend´, and this isn´t an exception, because the three bands have plenty of energy for the lovers of good dark electronica. Firstly Nitzer ebb, an English band who hasn´t visited Barcelona for nearly two years, and who are always good to see again. Since the release of their first single in 1985 until today, plenty of time has passed, which is reflected in the musical richness of a band who have experimented with different musical styles inside electronica and also powerful danceable rhythms. On their behalf, Interfront have a cult career inside and outside Spain, and their return to the stage a while ago with new material, is one of the pleasant surprises on the Spanish scene. Lastly, the interesting and intelligent German project Architect, a trio who will make this festival an unmissable one. Dark Christmas Festival will take place on the 16th of December at Sala Bikini in Barcelona, located on Deu i Mata 105. The prices of the tickets are 25 euros for early bird ones and 28 euros on the gate. You can buy them in the following stores: Bibian Blue, FNAC, Discos Revolver, CD Drome or on Ticketmaster....
Flamenco at the Palau de la Música in Barcelona
If there´s a passion which sparks the most phlegmatic of people that would be flamenco. That mix of music, gypsy and moorish dancing which was considered Immaterial Cultural World Heritage by UNESCO in 2010, is going to delight us from the 8th until the 31st of December at the Palau de la Música in Barcelona, with the show ´Gran Gala de Flamenco´ (Great Gala of Flamenco). This show of international dimensions, traps the spectator in nostalgia and passion of a music and a rhythm which is about cadence and harmony. One of the attractions of this staging is that it represents a new generation of artists who, like their predecessors, mark the different expressions of flamenco with stamp dancing. For this particular gala, they will present shows of Fandango, Seguidilla, Farruca, Guajira, Soleá by Bulerías and Alegrías. Flamenco was born in Andalucía in the 18th century. Despite its origins coming from the passionate discussion between musicians, anthropologists, historians and even the Spanish Royal Academy of Language, which defines it as gypsy origin, the majority lean towards the thesis of cross-breeding and the conjunction of Andalucian culture with Arabic, Muslim, Christian, Gypsy and Jewish cultures. According to Blas Infante Pérez de Vargas, the flamenco voice comes from the Andalucian expression ´fellah min gueir ard´, which means ´peasants without land´. This denomination was given to the many moors who integrated to gypsy communities, with whom they shared social exclusion, an exclusion for belonging to rejected ethnic groups, and from that encounter flamenco originated, which was a freedom song against the attempt of cultural annihilation. Despite this theory being an interesting one, what´s...
Friendly Fires in Barcelona
Just in the name of the band we can appreciate some of the characteristics which make the acclaimed British band Friendly Fires – who will present ´Pala´, their second album, at Sala Razzmatazz in Barcelona (http://www.salarazzmatazz.com/) on the 10th of December – something special in the scene that they essentially come from. The fires to which the second word makes reference to can be fitting with the independent spirit of a band which has been self-sufficient from the beginning. Friendly Fires began as an essentially live band who released their singles (the second of which ´Paris´, was chosen as the single of the week by The Guardian, the NME and BBC Radio 1) by themselves and at their own risk. Actually, at the end of 2007, they were the first band without a label to appear on ´Transmission´, the musical programme on Channel 4. Such pedigree of a genuinely independent band coming from a scene which can be labelled a mix of dance-punk and shoegazing, is toned by the adjective ´friendly´, which in some way rhymes with their declared vocation as a pop band, understanding the term in relation with the association of this type of music with creations of catchy music and melodies. Despite the rejection that it generates in an important part of their fans, who find this type of music limited and confined to the demands of the industry, the truth is that the members of Friendly Fires have defined themselves essentially as a pop group, in good measure to avoid being labelled in a determined type of scene and trying to escape any type of...
All the letters. Filmed Correspondence in Barcelona
Until the 19th of February, 2012 the Center for Contemporary Culture of Barcelona exhibits “All the letters. Filmed Correspondence”, which addresses the issue of communication between filmmakers by using film as a support resource to the epistolary relationship. The exhibition is curated by George Ball and is produced by the CCCB, Centro Cultural Universitario Tlatelolco in Mexico, the Spanish Cultural Action and La Casa Encendida in Madrid with the collaboration of the Generalitat de Catalunya. All letters is an experience that brings together some correspondence work framed in filmmaking. This is an experimental communication format that takes place between directors, despite being located far away geographically. Their connection lies in the willingness to share ideas and thoughts on everything that inspire their work and provide new insights into the language of film. In the dialog through this correspondence experience, the directors who are part of this exhibition raise their views, where it is possible to find similarities and differences. All this dialogue is organized around a mutual interest environment, with important reflections on each of the correspondences. Among the epistolary exchanges are the filmmakers: Jose Luis Guerin from Barcelona, who exchanges work with Jonas Mekas from New York, Isaki Lacuesta from Girona, with Naomi Kawase from Nara, Alberto Serra from Banyotes, with Lisandro Alonso from Buenos Aires, Victor Erice from Madrid with Abbas Kiarostami from Tehran, Jaime Rosales from Madrid with Wang Bing from Shaanxi and Fernando Eimbcke from Mexico City, with So Yong Kim from New York. Jose Luis Guerin is a film director. His filmography is mainly based on a poetic and reflective look on conflicting aspects...Tibidabo Theme Park Barcelona
The Tibidabo Theme Park in Barcelona is one of the oldest in the world with activities for the whole family, where they´ll spend an unforgettable time.
The Best Terraces in Barcelona
Barcelona’s café and bar terraces are a real city institution. There are all kinds, catering to a variety of tastes. It’s just a case of looking for the one that best suits your budget and tastes. The terrace of the Museu d´Historia de Catalunya (Museum of Catalan History) in a great place in a privileged location: Barcelona’s Port Vell in Barcelona. From this terrace you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city while having your pre-dinner aperitif. Another famous terrace that mixes leisure with culture is that of Café d’Estiu, in the Frederic Marès Museum. This café offers a relaxing environment for conversation or reading surrounded by atmospheric Gothic architecture. The lovely terrace of the Textile Museum is situated in Carrer de Moncada, in the old city. The cuisine is light and is based primarily on natural products, mainly salads, quiche, guacamole, cuscus and fresh vegetables. The menu deal costs 10.50 euros during the day and 17.50 euros in the evening and on weekends. The venue has been adapted for people with disabilities. The terrace of El Cangrejo Loco (The Crazy Crab) has one of the best views over the Mediterranean. Located in the Olympic Port, it’s an ideal place to celebrate a family event or to just to go with friends and sample the delights of Mediterranean cuisine. Its specialties are seafood and rice dishes, with prices of between ?? between 30 and 40 euros. Advance reservations are recommended. Another good place is Opium del Mar, a spectacular restaurant with a dance floor and terrace overlooking the Mediterranean. Located on the Paseo Marítimo, its architecture and minimalist interior design make it one of the...
Carmina Burana in Barcelona
A new season of the traditional Promoconcerts brings classical music to the public interested in learning a little more of the greatest composers of all time returns once again this Fall. This time the program has a range of unmissable concerts including Carmina Burana and Beethoven´s Ninth Symphony on the same day. This is the thirteenth edition of the fall concert series and on this occasion, two different cycles are presented: The traditional classical music concerts in the two most distinguished venues of the two cities (Madrid and Barcelona) for this type of events and on the other hand, a cycle called “Gospel, jazz and much more”, which as its name implies, will focus on jazz music concerts, gospel, soul, swing and other similar styles. In this edition classical music concerts for specific dates such as Christmas will include “The Messiah” by Handel and the New Year´s concert with the “Strauss Festival Orchestra”, which is an addition to two Easter concert which will close the cycle of the autumn-winter agenda with the “Requiem” by Mozart. Carmina Burana and Beethoven´s 9th Symphony concerts are scheduled for December 3rd. The first of these pieces, from the composer Carl Orff, is a collection of medieval poems and songs dedicated to life and love and is primarily the most important work of this composer that was best known for his role as educator until he dedicated his life entirely to music. Moreover, the Ninth Symphony of Beethoven is the universal anthem of brotherhood, the original score of the symphony was declared by UNESCO as world heritage, it is certainly one of the greatest...
What not to do in Barcelona if you don’t want to be a ‘guiri’
Every city has its customs and its behaviours, which generate common codes and they assimilate us in such a way that only a stranger could break them, and those, in Spain, are called ´guiris´. We will tell you how to avoid being surprised by passers-by acting crazy like a common tourists, so follow these tips. Check your map before leaving, fixate the daily route and walk loosely around the city. It´s not good that they see you in the street looking into an open map because it denotes you condition as a tourist and you´re exposed to discomfort, such as pickpocketing attempts or other nuisances. Never, whatever you do, go out with ridiculous hats, especially those Mexican hats which they wear in souvenir shops, t-shirts with ´I love Barcelona´, and especially with wallets or bags which have ´Barcelona´ written all over them. Remember that shorts are for the beach, especially if they´re flowery ones. The Catalans would never walk with them in the city, and the flip flops after October denote your condition of foreigner, without doubt. Also never go to the beach with shoes with heels or long dresses, leave that for the club. Something which isn´t advisable is to go around with a money belt, because it immediately exposes you as a ´guiri´. If you use it, make it less obvious, and hang it from your shoulder like it´s usually done in the city. Remember that wherever you go, do what you see, so don´t wear anything visible which labels you a ´guiri´, because the Catalans are bored of the rudeness of certain types of tourists, and...
Architectures of modernist Barcelona
Since the collapse of the walls in 1858 next to the medieval city of Barcelona, ??the Eixample (of Cerdà) is created. If we add the economic rise of the bourgeoisie and the desire to turn Barcelona into a modern and cosmopolitan city it results in the impressive development of architecture and the construction industry, which will culminate at the end of the century with the emergence of modernist architecture. But this spectacular progress will not be free of speculation and the clear division of neighborhoods according to social classes, in 1897 with the Decree of aggregations. So decisive is the Pla Cerdà, that in 1871 the School of Architecture of Barcelona is founded. Previously lessons were given at the Llotja, but it will require the readjustment of the studing of architecture in Barcelona, ??as it was only possible in Madrid. Rogent Elias will be its first director and chooses as a model the French Ecole Polytechnique. So, with a strong technical background and a deep theoretical study this school will form an entire generation of architects in this modernist city. The first generation of modernists architects are from 1875, Domenech i Montaner, Josep Vilaseca i Gaudí. Their works are defined as being medieval and eclectic. Proof of this lies in the Universal Exhibition of 1888 in the Ciutadella. That was the starting point of the first modernist examples, based on a traditional and autonomous language . After the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1898, there arises, in Catalonia, the second modernism wave, which influenced by trends in the French capital, adopt a more international and cosmopolitan language. We are...Promotions
