Bars and restaurants in Barcelona are leaving the “undergrounds” behind in order to widen the live music’s offer beyond big concert halls.
Which scenarios in Barcelona will be offering live music in 2016?
Barcelona’s Town Hall finally buries the debate on banning live amplified music. From April onwards, small and medium size venues will be able to schedule functions withing the law. More than 30 establishments such as bars, cafeterias and restaurants, will improve their offer with scheduled live performances in accordance with time and noise restrictions. Therefore, an outing is offered to local, who have been strengthening “the social and cultural value of live music”. Locals were forced to either abandon live music or carry it out outside the legal framework such as in the “Sala Heliogàbal” or in “23 Robadors”.
With said live music change, Barcelona Culture Institute achieved increasing the subsidies aimed to acoustic insulation in order to get a balance between neighbor’s rest and a new music offer. In some weeks, the vibrating music scene will be getting ready to enjoy live music again with some old and new venues. Barcelona has a license for live music!
Live music venues
This new framework reminds us the best scenarios in Barcelona. Lets check out some of them!
Music in “Gracia”
“Vila de Gracia” has two of the best and most original scenarios: Heliogabal (C/Ramón y Cajal, 80). This concert hall was founded in 1995 and it is a cultural magnet for an entire neighborhood and a platform for many artists.
El Col·leccionista (Torrent de les Flors, 46). A venue full of warmth and good music, especially for the nostalgic ones.
Music in the ” l’Eixample”
The Philharmonic (Mallorca, 204): This pub’s exceptional acoustic offer any kind of live music in a very “accomplished place”. Nou Racó 169 (Casanova, 169): Because of its reduced capacity, concerts turn into intimate session ideal for small bands. Milano Cocktail Bar (Ronda Universitat, 35): Offering 40’s live music, Milano is one of the most charming cocktail bars in Barcelona.
Michael Collins (Pl. Sagrada Família, 4): This bar is very well-known and ideally located. Its live music is full of good rock.
Music in the “Raval”
London Bar (Nou de la Rambla, 34): This bar, dating from 1910, was visited by artists such as Picasso, Dalí, and Hemingway, and it is nowadays part of the music scene in Barcelona. JazzSí Club ( Requesens, 2): This small venue has been pioneering in flamenco and jazz spreading, although one can also enjoy many kinds of “jam sessions”. 23 Robadors (Robador, 23): Its art doesn’t know any music barrier and it includes jazz and flamenco concerts in a very welcoming environment. Big Bang (Botella, 7): This venue offers a local music schedule with guitars that sound like rock and roll. These guitars seduce those people who are willing to go beyond the crossbar.
Music in the “Gótic”
As regards live music, “Plaza Real” has it own identity. Right in front of the square, one can find the historical flamenco bar Tarantos (Pl. Reial, 17), as well as Jamboree (Pl. Reial 17) with its black music with excellent acoustic and Sidecar (Pl. Reial, 7) with the best indie and rock guitars. La Rumbeta (Passatge Escudellers, 7): The rhythm of Barcelona’s “rumba” is scheduled every day and it can still be listened to in places like this one. Harlem Jazz Club (Comtessa de Sobradiel, 8): Jazz, soul, blues and funk among others, have a permanent scenario in Harlem, with daily performances dating from 1987.
Música in the “Born” and “Vila Olímpica”
Sala Monasterio (Moll de Mestral, 30): Soft light and a partner-in-crime-audience are the keys of Sala Monasterio, as well as growing music bands and young singer-songwriters. This venues if full of rock, jazz, funky, reggae or blues. Little Italy (Rec, 39): This restaurant is committed to jazz and bossanova and it has turned into a real music temple.
Music regulations in Barcelona
The music scene in Barcelona is looking better after years of discussions. The new category “Live music space” will boost small and medium venues to comply with security and acoustic insulation regulations. This new framework still makes us wonder: Who will be able to offer live music? The answer would be: all the concert halls, bars and dance bars which were already doing it. Moreover, all those city venues with coffee, bar or restaurant license will be able to offer live music as well. Which are the requirements? Establishments will have to respect the mentioned security and insulation regulations. seguridad y de aislamiento. There will be a system that will limit the acoustic levels of any room next to the venue up to 30 dB. Those limits will run from 7 to 23 and from las 23 h to 7 there will be a limit of 25 dB. If there is an office instead of house, the limits will be of 45 y 40 dB, respectively.
When will these changes happen? Will venues receive any help?
The new regulations will be effective at the end of March. Barcelona’s Town Hall will start a funding live for 400.000 euros intended to adapt the venues that want to offer live music. The financial support will not exceed 50% of the work’s total cost. Will all venues be able to program live music? For now, live music is allowed in venues with a bar, coffee and restaurant license, but forbidden in cultural associations, libraries and art galeries, among others.
