Asia Festival in Barcelona

Asia Festival

The Asian Festival is back for the 8th edition and the second year in succession it forms part of the La Mercè festivities. This year’s festival will have a star guest to open it: the Chinese rocker Cui Jian, a key figure in China’s current music scene. He will be performing on 23 in Plaça Reial.

Participating in this year’s festival will be members of the Asian communities resident in Barcelona: from China, Pakistan, the Philippines, Bangladesh, South Korea, Japan and Nepal.

These communities will be the protagonists in the free activities making up “Un dia a l’Àsia” (A day in Asia), a part of the festival that will be held on 24 September and includes about fifty different activities to show the culture of 17 countries.

So, on 24 September, various parts of Ciutadella Park will be turned into little corners of Asia and offering stories, workshops, music (with performances, among others, by Famiya Khan and SK1), games, displays of several kinds of art (calligraphy, Wushu, Ikebana etc.) and sport (Kabaddi), cinema, dance and massage practices, street music and even track games.

In addition, from 23 to 27 September, Ciutadella Park will have a gastronomic area where visitors can savour Asian flavours and cuisine.

Festival Àsia in Barcelona

More inf@ : www.casaasia.es

Next BAM 2009 Festival

BAM 2009 Festival

The 17th BAM, which takes place between 23 and 26 September, will be offering over sixty concerts spread around various venues, like Plaça Reial, Parc del Fòrum and the new stage on Rambla del Raval. With little over a month remaining before the start of BAM, the festival line-up continues to grow as more artists confirm they will be taking part.

Just a few weeks ago we learnt the Swedish band The Hives, Catalan pop phenomenon Manel, The Vision & The Dancers, creators of the song of the summer, Billie, and home-grown folk group El Petit de Cal Eril will be setting foot on one of the BAM 2009 stages.

Now there are more confirmations. Musicians from around the world have a notable role in the festival programme, which this year includes Cui Jian, pioneer of rock&roll in China, DJ Shantel, who will be bringing his Balkan rhythms, and Terry Lynn, a Jamaican who is redefining reggae.

Like every year there will be a good representation from the Catalan and Spanish scenes, with the presence of Barcelona band Inspira, Pájaro Sunrise from Leon, with their lively pop, and post-punk band CatPeople.

The American indie scene is sending two big names to BAM: The Duke & The King, the band of Simone Felice from The Felice Brothers, and Dirty Projectors, one of the revelations of the year.

Completing the bill we have Estanislau Verdet, The Pepper Pots, Calima, La Kinky Beat and Rock de Souk, who will be presenting Nour, Speed Caravan and Rabah Donquishoot.

BAM Festival (myspace)  |  NN Hotels: www.nnhotels.com