Latest posts from our Barcelona expert:
Music in the May
A Diverse Schedule of International Artists
May rolls out la musica in Barcelona, with international performances lined up mid-month. There’s always interesting music happening in the city, but as we move briskly towards the summertime, the variety and abundance of talent increases. Here are three bands to consider checking out this month:
Adam Freeland – May 10th – The Loft
This politically-minded British DJ spins house, break beats and more. One of his new tunes is dedicated to spelling out Obama’s name; O-B-A-…. He also composed the music for a recent Amnesty International advertisement encouraging people to ‘unsubscribe’.
The Loft c/ Almogàvers, 122.
Time: 1am
Gregory Isaacs – May 11th – Sala Apolo
Here’s your chance to see a reggae legend. Best known for songs ‘Night Nurse’ and ‘The Cool Ruler’, Isaacs has been singing irie hits since the 1970s.
Where: Sala Apolo - c/ Nou de la Rambla 113
Time: 9pm
Seu Jorge – May 14th – Palau de la Mùsica
Born in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, Seu Jorge has come a long way. His music was used in Wes Anderson film Life Aquatic, where he covered Bowie tracks in Portuguese. He also performed in the emotionally-charged film, City of God. His performance in Barcelona is part of the Festival Guitarra which is taking place this month.
Where: La Palau de la Mùsica Catalana / 19th Festival Guitarra - wwww.palaumusica.org
Time: 9 pm
Four Bars for a Night Out
There’s a bar on every corner in Barcelona. Some are better than others. The thirst for night life is so strong in Spain that almost any night of the week one will find friends sipping mojitos in small taverns, clubs, and bars around town. Here are just a few:
1-Red Club
In my favorite neighborhood, Barceloneta, the Red Club is on Joan Borbó street along the port. This is a restaurant and bar with funk on Thursday nights.
Info:
Tuesday – Sunday : 7pm to 3am
Passeig Joan Borbó, 78
Barceloneta
2-Espai Barroc
In the Borne gothic zone in the lower part of Palau Dalmases (a square) is this venue for drinks and classical music. After all, Barcelona is not all Indy and pop music. Espai Barroc offers something different and sophisticated.
Info:
Wednesday-Saturday: 8pm to 2am
Montcada, 20
El Borne
3-Diobar
Here’s a unique bar and restaurant with an eclectic style all its own. Also in El Borne barrio, this is a good spot to start the night with a couple drinks.
Info:
Thursday-Saturday: 10pm to 3am
Av. Del Marquès de Argentera, 27
El Born
4-Club Mix
This is a design club offering private parties, live music, great food and a central location. It closes at 3am, so it’s not a club in the full sense of staying open all night.
Info:
Monday-Sunday: 8pm to 3am
Comerç, 21
Arc de Triomf/ Eixample
SUSHI-RAMA:When you need raw fish, here’s the dish
I’m not sure what’s happened in Barcelona in the last couple years, but I call it the ‘Sushi Explosion’. This is by no means a bad thing, especially if you love sushi, and I do. Yes, it’s trendy. No, they’re not all great sushi joints. And yes, many are stuffed to the gills with over priced cocktails and designer boots.
And then there are a couple others which just serve good raw fish on pads of rice, which is what I recommend when you get that wasabi-craving.
Here goes:
MACHIROKU
C/ Les Moles, 21 – 08002 - 93 412 60 82
This one is my favorite. Reservations are a must and it’s hard to find, well hidden in the immediate center of the city. The owners are Japanese and the décor reminds you of being in someone’s house in Japan. All the dishes are hand-made pottery in vibrant greens and reds. They keep it simple and traditional. There’s no beef and cream cheese sushi at Machiroku, just tasty miso soup, sake and a satisfying array of freshly cut rolls. Do yourself a favor and try the green tea ice cream for dessert.
Price: Starting at €12.00 p/p for dinner.
RESTAURANTE SHINJUKU
C/ Ciutat, 13 08002- 93 269 09 41-
Also in the center, this pleasant spot is right off Plaza Juame I in the Gothic Quarter. It’s a bit more expensive than Machiroku, and the ambience is more up-scale. Still, it’s authentic and offers a bit of everything with a long wine list. Shinjuku’s location is good for going out for a nightcap after dinner in the same area, which brims with bars and cafes.
Price: About €20.00 p/p
WASABI
C/ Torrent de l’Olla, 8 08012 – 93 476 3669
This restaurant is in Barcelona’s hipper than hip Gracia neighborhood. Visitors to Barcelona don’t visit Gracia, and it has maintained an image untouched by the tourism industry that runs around the rest of the city. Wasabi is also a simple place, tucked along Gracia’s Calle Torrent de l’Olla, which is not too hard to find with the right map. A small place, Wasabi offers reasonably priced menus del dia (an all inclusive lunch) Monday through Friday.
Price: Menu €9.50 -€12.50 p/p
Going Out Gay in BCN
Barcelona is known for being a fabulous gay vacation destination. With legalized gay marriage, a ‘live and let live’ philosophy and a great scene, it’s no wonder many of the city’s residents and visitors are same-sex couples. In fact, Spain (rather surprisingly) has one of the most liberal same-sex marriage laws in the world, which also includes the right to adoption.
The city has quite a reputation for clubbing or discos of all kinds, and seems to excel in the gay club arena. The general schedule is dinner at 10p.m., drinks until 2a.m. and clubs until five in the morning. While the Spanish and Catalan’s seem to pull this marathon party-style off without a hitch, most people will find the night life exhausting, if not fantastic.
If you’re up for the all-night gay club challenge, here’s where to go: Salvation (http://www.matineegroup.com/) is a happening disco with a younger crowd while Metro (http://www.metrodiscobcn.com/) is more of a mix and much larger. Of course, there’s also Arena (http://www.arenadisco.com/). It pays off to go to Zeltas before Arena as the bartender there gives out free passes.
While on the clubbing topic, be careful! Barcelona is really a pretty safe city, and walking home at 4a.m. is usually OK in most neighborhoods. If you have a long walk, grab a cab, or wait until the metro opens at five in the morning, and hop on for an entertaining ride home with the rest of the folks who’ve been out all night. Enjoy!