Sonar By Night
Back in London and it’s taken almost a week to recover from the rave fall out that is Barcelona’s Sonar Festival. And I’m sure that’s an excuse the other 84,975 attendees can attest to too because this year was particularly special. Yes, there were the big names that played over the three days. But these are the very same acts that will be headlining every European (and many U.S.) summer festivals in 2010. On the somewhat confused Tube ride back home on UK turf, I saw posters for LCD Soundsystem headlining Wireless and Roxy Music and Dizzee Rascal, Lovebox. And yes, 30,000 people did ram out the vast, industrial expanse of the airplane hanger-like void that is Sonar By Night, to rave (or most likely rock) out to the Chemical Brothers, LCD Soundsystem, Roxy Music, Hot Chip and Dizzee Rascal. Or smooch away to the return of Air. At one delirious point I even found myself hands in the air, pumping gun finger salutes to Booka Shade’s v-drum assault as the sun was coming up on the Saturday morning.
But what felt different about this year’s festival was that it brought together a sprawling, yet tightly knit group of worldwide artists, friends, promoters and fans, all fiending the very best hip hop, techno, dubstep and electronica-inspired music of 2010. And each and every member of this global family represented to the fullest, when each and every member was on stage at Sonar By Day, performing at Sonar By Night or raving out to an off-Sonar Barcelona warehouse party. It’s the super supportive family of beat kings and queens that made this year’s event so unforgettable.
So let’s start the run of events (the family tree) in chronological order. The annual Red Bull BBQ that kicks off on Barcelona’s marina at the bottom of the Ramblas, where almost every member of the above got crunk on the mojitos, Spanish sunshining vibes and the sounds of the UK’s Benji B on the decks. In true UK styles the Fabric crew were lord of the dance whilst Benji threw down the jungle. The Hyperdub off-Sonar party came next with Kode9 and Ikonika going wobble with a surprise performance from Flying Lotus. Which leads us onto the first lady of Brainfeeder, Tokimonsta, who smashed it with her ripped grooves at the Red Bull Music Academy Dome the following evening at Sonar By Day. She was in turn preceded by Ireland’s young cosmic techno disco warlord Space Dimension Controller and Spain’s own sultry, synth queen BFlecha, flanked by Mweslee and her Arkestra Discos family. Lest we forget Rinse FM’s Alexander Nut opening his set with 20 minutes of grime before the honey dewed larynx of Fatima proved why she’s the shining light of new UK soul.
Hudson Mohawke
Over to the cavernous indoor museum stage where Nosaj Thing’s inimitable electronic swing, bit crunched out one of the performances of the entire festival. That reminds me of Jackmaster’s closing DJ set at the Red Bull Music Academy Dome on Saturday. It was truly epic. A sweat fest that left you smiling and made Jack one of the Sonar celebrities… And there was more to come when Jackmaster and Spencer’s Numbers warehouse party closed the Sonar weekend on the Sunday night… Not to mess with chronology, but the Numbers off-Sonar party was the perfect send off. A scummy warehouse club that saw Numbers duo play with Rustie, Untold, Bok Bok… one that ended with the lights on, three drinks in your hand and Fleetwood Mac…
American Men
So back to the festival and keeping with official Sonar events, whilst Chemical Brothers exited planet dust (I had too), the other stage was where the family were at. Not forgetting the annual Mary Anne Hobbs showcase the previous night (see: Flying Lotus, Joy Orbison, Rosca), Saturday was all about the LuckyMe showcase. Scotland’s mob that links Glasgow math rock ecstasy (American Men) with Montreal Turbocrunk (Lunice is the Energizer Bunny in rap form, and add a surprise appearance from Hovatron and it’s game over), cosmic cinematic RnB (The Blessings, LuckyMe’s founders Fineart and Dom Sum) with banging techno and twisted electronica DJs (Eclair Fifi and Hudson Mohawke back-to-back). Not to mention Machinedrum’s mighty sexual electro erupting around the rest of the stage crew of Joe and Lauren Ballers (who run LuckyMe’s Ballers Social Club jam), Mamiko Motto from Hepcat Radio, LuckyMe’s awesome photographer Christina Kernohan (all her photos after the jump) Rustie and 8Bitch, Patchwork Pirates and Earnest Endeavours… It really was all love. And beats. Basically.
Lunice
Eclair Fifi & Hudson Mohawke
the festival looks very great, planning to go to barcelona next year, i will schedule my date for this festival, i heard and read so much good things about it, also found this page http://www.world-rt.com/ with tons of local information about barcelona written by a local guy, very helpful to plan my vacation, hope it will help other travelers like me