Pool Parties
During OFF Sonar it would be wrong not to fully embrace the baking sun, get your kit off and party in a pool. Thankfully, there are tons of amazing opportunities to do so at the hands of experts in their field. The first of these is FACT, a worldwide promoter who always serves up the goods during OFF week. In 2016, each party will take place at a poolside venue in Hospitalet de Llobregat. It is a beautiful place with a load of outdoor space for lazing in the sun, by a lush pool and with great light, sound and production to help really set each party off. The first is Wednesday 15th June with Cocoon and techno ringleader Sven Väth with the likes of Josh Wink, Ilario Alicante, Dana Ruh, a live set from Christian Burkhardt, Tim Green, Sacha Dive, Dorian Paic, Frank Lorber, Markus Fix, Einzelkind and Sucre Sale all playing. The day after, Mobilee take over with a close selection of label associates playing, then June 17th has Berlin club Watergate in charge, June 18th has a showdown between French agency Lola-Ed and London’s Half Baked then FACT themselves programme go head to head with fabric night WetYourself on June 19th. The Hidden People also throw a great week of pool parties at Purobeach with Kittball Records on the Thursday, Jeudi Records on the Friday and Anjuna Deep on Saturday, and each event promises big name DJs from each respective label.
OFF Week Musical Highlights
Away from the main event there is so much to get stuck into you couldn’t possibly see everything you wanted to in the four days. Every DJ and label worth its salt lines up somewhere, with many highlights, exclusives, special shows and rare back-to-back sets. The picks include London crew secretsundaze, All Day I Dream with Lee Burridge’s melodic techno and house showcase, Christian Smith and his Tronic crew and Jamie Jones and Seth Troxler all lining up for a sure to be crazy Circo Loco event.
Loveland Barcelona
Loveland Barcelona runs across two days at Port Forum. A pleasant outdoor location integrated into Espai Forum and overlooking the sea, surrounded by palm trees and which combines the Mediterranean vibes and industrial architecture that Barcelona is known for. On the Friday, Loveland are partnering with European techno promoters Drumcode for a special edition that see a lineup littered with the best talent, Dense & Pika, Enrico Sangiuliano, Luigi Madonna, Marco Faraone, Pan-Pot, Paul Ritch live, Sam Paganini, Bart Skils, Nick Curly. Day two sees Loveland Live take over, a concept coined by the Dutch festival promoter dedicated exclusively to live performances. Inviting worldwide acclaimed techno artists, well known for performing their own creations on stage, under this premise, Loveland Live will align in two stages Audion, Gabriel Ananda, Henrik Schwarz, KiNK, Rodriguez Jr, Stephan Bodzin, Vince Watson, Wareika, DOP, Egbert, Gaiser, Julian Jeweil, Matador, Redshape, Secret Cinema, Skudge and Surgeon.
Food and Drink
Tapas is the one, but there is so much choice, so where should you go? Condal, Pulperia and Los tres Hermanos are amongst the best places to check out, try a plethora of small bites and relax with a cerveza. If it’s a burger you need then head to Pim Pam or seafood fans should try La mar Salada. But as you are in Catalonia and want a taste of the local cuisine then 7 Portes is for you. Cheaper options include the beer hall of Ceveceria Catalana whilst 100 Montaditos offers tapas and litre beers for about 2 euros. Again, there is a wealth of options but Espit Chupitos is a really fun shot bar with a great selection that you will lose hours in. Le Cyrano is a bar where you pour your own drinks and Nose serves ridiculously strong… so go easy!
The City Itself
Barcelona has long been a tourist hotpot for many different reasons. Chief amongst them are the art, long hot days of bright sun, the nearby beach, the culture and the architecture. To help you navigate through the myriad offerings and exhibits, parties and park here are a few choices to get it moving. Visit the beautiful Ciutadella Park, try Plaza Espanya (every Sunday there is a free ‘magic fountain’ show that is worth seeing), visit the market off La Rambla and check the maze next to Mundet Metro. Of course, no visit would be complete without heading checking out the imprint the incredible Gaudi left on the city, the cathedral, Sagrada Família, Park Güell and Casa Batlló.
