Gig Reviews
If you weren’t in Perpignan on 14 October, I can tell you that you missed one of the most enjoyable gigs of the season. A group of friends and I decided to travel from Barcelona to see The Prize, and quite frankly, we couldn’t have made a better decision. The Prize, Le Nautilus Perpignan 2026
With his arms raised, Jonathan Donahue conducts Mercury Rev as though he were standing in front of an orchestra. Or rather, like a magician casting a spell. He points at Grasshopper’s guitar and performs wizard-like gestures with his hands. The guitar twins and the rest of the band respond. Within minutes, psychedelic lights and distorted
La Mercè week—the week of 24 September—is usually a time of unsettled weather and storms. Keeping with tradition, this year an intense electrical storm broke out just as the week began. The unusual thing was that it took place inside the Paral·lel 62 venue rather than outside, and its main cause was the torrent of
On 16 September, while a thunderstorm raged outside, threatening to resurrect the worst memories of Primavera Sound – the time when heavy rain forced the cancellation of their gig – the air inside Razzmatazz thickened, turning the venue into the absolute epicentre of slacker rock. Mac DeMarco had some scores to settle with Barcelona. He
On 9 September, Barcelona’s Sala Upload became the epicentre of a sonic earthquake, with a headline performance from New York band BODEGA and BAF. The Brooklyn quintet, renowned for their blend of post-punk and art rock, were there to showcase tracks from their upcoming fourth album, All Inside Aquarium (2026). Expectations were sky-high, and the
After years of hearing people say, ‘You’ve got to see them in a proper club‘, we’ve finally been able to enjoy Amyl and the Sniffers outside the festival circuit that has kept them so busy during their recent visits to Spain. After a brief introduction, which included the bizarre decision to play the chorus of
On the night of the Gripau and Gee Tee gig at the Upload venue, there was hardly any time for a break. From the moment Gripau started playing, the crowd began to move. There was a certain energy about the gig: people were pressed up against the stage and bodies were moving in and out
On a sweltering summer night, in the midst of an endless heatwave, Stuart Murdoch and company arrived at Barcelona’s Poble Espanyol to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the exceptional If you’re feeling sinister (1996) “Welcome to the second recording by this new band called Belle & Sebastian” announced their singer, Stuart Murdoch. “The stars of
In just three years, Brown Horse has gone from being one of many bands emerging from the Norwich music scene to becoming one of the most exciting names in British country rock. Their rise has been both rapid and steady. Following the release of the EP Willow (2023), the band released three albums in quick
Wednesday, 1 July The German band Annisokay were responsible for kicking off the festival. By a miracle, they explained, their luggage containing all their instruments had gone missing, so they had to travel to Portugal to retrieve it, arriving in Viveiro at the very last minute, just in time to play. They were full of
