“La Reial ens mou”, new initiative in Barcelona

Music, children’s shows, literary circles, workshops, wine tasting sessions: all this and much more can be found in Plaça Reial, thanks to Plaça Reial ens mou, an initiative that aims to broaden the range of cultural and leisure activities on offer in this iconic Barcelona square.

Roberto Tierz, who is the president of the Plaça Reial Friends and Traders Association, says the idea is for “the people of Barcelona to rediscover the Plaça Reial and enjoy the square“.

December saw “Raval Kids” and they have also started the Sunday mornings for children, with puppet shows, magic, storytelling and circus acts at the sala Tarantos. Since February they have been offering 30 minutes of jazz, to suit everybody, on Sunday mornings in sala Jamboree. What’s more, when the good weather arrives, there will be some open air activities, like musical aperitifs, to encourage music on the terraces.

La Reial ens mou also wants to make the most of the square’s gastronomic side and has therefore organised tea, coffee and wine tasting, led by tasters and wine experts, in the square’s bars and restaurants.

In short, the big aim is “the ‘reconquest’ of the square, for people to return to a square that has a great deal to offer and is a great unknown in the city“.

If you would like to know all the activities and events that the Plaça Reial Friends and Traders Association will organize with the new initiative, please visit the La Reial website.

Primavera Club Festival switches on Barcelona

A characteristic feature of this festival, which came about as the winter version of Primavera Sound, has been to invite back bands who were a success at the May festival.

They’ve always said that the natural environment of any musician is a concert hall. Maybe that’s the reason why this year’s Primavera Club, the fourth, has opted to spread itself round the city’s main concert venues.

Apolo, Apolo [2], Bikini, Sidecar, Jamboree, Monasterio and La Nau are also Primavera Club venues where, between 9 and 13 December, about sixty groups will be appearing. You needn’t worry about its stages being spread out like this as lots of bands will be playing several times at different venues, so you won’t miss the ones you are interested in.

So, this year, there will be a chance to see again The Pastels, The Ladybug Transistor and Sr. Chinarro, among others. Jeffrey Lewis is just one of the artists on the bill who’ll be going down well right from the start. This comic illustrator, along with a band who have disappeared from the map, Moldy Peaches, is one of the most faithful representatives of the New York anti-folk scene.

The list of groups we can recommend is long: Port O’Brien, The Black Heart Procession, Cass McCombs, etc. But, above all, don’t miss the groups from over here.

Of course, besides neofolk guru Banhart, we can meet some old acquaintances at Primavera Club with new music projects. Such is the case with Alan Sparhawk, one half of the Low duo, who is playing here with the Retribution Gospel Choir, who have more guitars and make more noise than Low.

Another well-established musician is Kid Congo Powers, who has belonged to bands like The Gun Club, The Cramps, The Bad Seeds and Die Haut. He is coming to Primavera Club with a new band, The Pink Monkey Birds.

Primavera Club website | NN Hotels: www.nnhotels.com

Miles Davis at 41st Voll Damm Barcelona International Jazz Festival

The Barcelona International Jazz Festival will be paying homage to the album ‘Kind of Blue’, by the trumpet player and composer ‘Miles Davis’, considered the most important work in this musical style.

Released 50 years ago, the album is one of the great musical works of all time and is still a touchstone in Jazz today.

Also taking part in the festival will be Wayne Shorter, a member of the Miles Davis quintet during the 1960s, and Marcus Miller, who co-composed the legendary Tutu’ album with Miles, as well as great female singers like Cassandra Wilson and Concha Buika.

This time the festival, which will taking place from 18 October to 6 December, will be flooding the city with a record number of concerts - over 70 - and a stellar one to finish with at one of the most legendary halls in North American jazz, the New York Jazz Standard.

The concerts will be performed at fifteen different venues, including the Auditori, Luz de Gas, Jamboree, Palau de la Música and Harlem Jazz Club.

Source: www.bcn.es | www.nnhoteles.com