BAM Festival at the Merce, Parc Forum, Barcelona

Between the 22nd – 24th of September, the Barcelona Acción Musical 2011 takes place in Barcelona, known for the last 19 years simply as BAM Festival by all those who have become devoted fans of the free music event, which includes all kinds of sound, dance and culture. BAM is an independent part of the festivals organized for the Merce festival.

This year BAM, under artistic director Carlos Conesa, is back to fill the streets once again with over 60 concerts, taking place in various different locations and venues throughout the city of Barcelona, such as Parc del Forum, Rambla de Raval and Plaza Real, as well as others, all of which will be open to the public.

Due to it being such an exciting time at the moment for music in Spain, many of the bands taking to the stage this year are local bands. And so, when it comes the participation of international acts, the quality is especially high this time round, encompassing genre styles like folk, soul, tribal rock and electro-pop.

Over the course of these three days, the streets of Barcelona will bear witness to this great celebration of the closing of summer, and arrival of the autumn. Bands have already been confirmed, such as purveyors of pop-folk, Bedroom, whose last record El Fun Blanc, which was sung entirely in Catalan, was met with huge acclaim upon release. The group reached international recognition with their debut release La casa dis la casa which was also used in various film soundtracks.

Herman Düne, the French band which has undergone much change in line up and musical style, continue to be the Kings of Indie in spite of having been labeled by many as pure folk, particularly with Next Year in Zion. Valencian band Señor i El Cor Brutal break all the rules with their Mediterranean style alternative-country sounds.

For fans of pop, the band Parade are the perfect exponents, mixing the classic rhythms with electro house, and are sure to ignite the stage, and get everybody dancing. For all those not entirely sure what electro-dance is, it is a style of urban dance music which started up in France, and takes influences from hip hop.

But possibly the most danceable music to be taking to the stage belongs to the rapper and soul singer Aloe Blacc, and Zomby. Aloe Blacc is well-known for for his smash hit single I Need A Dollar, which was also used by HBO for television series How To Make It In America, later going on to tear up the charts in England. Zomby is a band which represents the “movida” of the 1980s in Spain, and their music is a glam rock mixed with new wave assault on the senses. Everybody in attendance can expect to dance to the rhythms of the band’s electronic sounds, which have become classic icons for lovers of the genres.

For more information http://www.bcn.cat/bam/2011/cat/noticies.htm?noticia_capsalera=0

 

Nancy Guzman

There are loads of other bands and musicians who are well worth checking out when you rent apartments in Barcelona and go along to the Merce parties. Enjoy the rhythms of open air music, in the company of other live music fans.

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Translated by: Poppy
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Tags: Barcelona, Barcelona Acción Musical 2011, Cultur, electro-pop, electrónica, Festival BAM, folk, La Mercé, Music, Parc Forum, Plaza Real, Rambla Raval, rock, Soul