Sónar Barcelona turns 33 this year and marks the occasion with the kind of structural shake-up that only a festival confident in its own identity would attempt. For the first time in its history, the classic split between Sónar by Day and Sónar by Night is gone. Everything now runs from a single venue, Fira Gran Via in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, with gates opening at 17:00 each day and music running until 03:00 on Thursday and 07:00 on Friday and Saturday. One wristband, one site, no schlepping across the city.
The headline story is The Prodigy, making their long-awaited Sónar debut at SonarClub after 33 years of the festival trying to book them. They are joined by a lineup that spans pretty much every corner of contemporary electronic music: Charlotte de Witte and Amelie Lens anchor the techno programming, Skepta brings his latest material, Kelis performs live, and Joy Orbison covers the UK bass and club music dimension. Daniel Avery brings a full band show to SonarHall, Two Shell debut a new live performance, SBTRKT plays new material, and Reinier Zonneveld goes back-to-back with his AI in what may be the most Sónar thing on the bill. Goldie b2b Doc Scott featuring Medic MC on four decks adds a drum and bass dimension that feels both classic and very welcome. Over 100 performances in total across six redesigned stages.
Sónar+D, the festival’s innovation and technology congress, relocates this year to Llotja de Mar in central Barcelona on 18–19 June, with an open call programme exploring the intersection of art, digital creativity, and technology. A two-day Sónar+D ticket costs €25 separately. The OFFSónar parties at Poble Espanyol run 18–21 June with Keinemusik, Maceo Plex, Mau P, and elrow closing on the Sunday; those tickets are separate and sell out well in advance.
Getting there and tickets
The easiest route from central Barcelona is the FGC train from Plaça Espanya to Europa/Fira station, a ten-minute ride on a standard metro ticket. The L9 Sud metro line also connects directly to the venue from the airport. Bear in mind the metro closes at midnight on Thursday when the festival runs until 03:00, but shuttle buses to the city centre operate as a backup. Book accommodation early: Barcelona in June is peak season and hotels near the venue fill months ahead.
The three-day SonarPass starts from around €184, with a weekend-only (Friday and Saturday) ticket from €149 and day tickets from €44 on Thursday. Prices rise as the festival approaches. Tickets at sonar.es.
