The Mas i Mas Festival adds Rock

The adventure began nine years ago: providing a musical programme in Barcelona over the month of August. The Mas i Mas Festival was created to fill a vacuum and has become a big hit over the years.

Tiki Phantoms at The Mas i Mas Festival

Last year saw over 40.000 people attend its characteristic variety of music shows and 30-minute concerts.

Rock has never had a foothold at the Mas i Mas Festival until now, though, given its inclusion on the Sala Moog’s programme since last September (to take advantage of the early night hours) it could hardly be absent from this one.

It will follow the line established by the club’s annual programme, more or less veteran underground rock. Nodozurdo, Los Tiki Phantoms, James McCann Band, Joan Colomo, Tweak Bird and Title Fight are the big names.

Once that programme has ended, sometime around midnight, a new one will take over, electronica at the Moog, one of the city’s pioneering clubs in this style which happens to be celebrating its 15th anniversary this year.

The nightly performances include a review of the Spanish scene, international guests and nostalgia sessions reclaiming the ruta del bacalao – the Valencia techno route. James Holden, Optimo, Tony Verdi, Ángel Molina and John Talabot are just some of the artists who’ll be attending the birthday celebrations.

The Mas i Mas Festival in August

For eight years the Mas i Mas Festival has been adding rhythm to the warmest days of the year. This edition’s festival, which kicks off on 29 July with a performance by the Malian diva Rokia Traoré, has programmed over 160 concerts to suit all tastes with world music, flamenco, classical and electronica.

50th birthday party at the Jamboree

Among all that will be going on, one concert stands out, the Plaça Reial tribute to the city’s most iconic jazz club, the Jamboree, which is 50 this year. Musicians like Chet Baker, Ella Fitzgerald and Ornette Coleman have been here, so jazz will be the star of this free concert on Monday 30 August, starting at 6 pm.

The Big Acoustic Band, the best national jazz outfit, and WTF All Stars, the musicians that liven up the WTF Jam Sessions every Monday at the club, will have the job of bringing the Jamboree out into the light in Plaça Reial.

Appearing at the Mas i Mas Festival besides Rokia Traoré will be Flavio Rodríguez, Lucrecia and Sole Giménez, accompanied by the saxophonist Perico Sambeat. This last recital will close the festival on 1 September at the Palau de la Música.

The inclusion of the Palau de la Música as a festival stage is one of the new features of the eighth Mas i Mas Festival. There the chamber music room will hold three latin and jazz concerts a day.

In all the festival will have seven stages around the city. La Pedrera once again provides the stage for classical music, with three concerts a day, while flamenco will be based at the Tarantos, with six sessions a day, and electronica at the Moog. The Auditori will open the festival and there will also be concerts at Luz de Gas and the Jamboree.

All those people who say nothing happens in Barcelona in August have got it all wrong!