A party without music isn’t a party—and that’s especially true when it comes to La Mercè. Barcelona’s big festival days wouldn’t be the same without the lyrics of our favorite bands playing in the background, or that pleasant feeling of discovering a new artist we’ve never heard of before. This year we’ll have plenty of opportunities to experience that feeling all over again, because from September 23 to 27, more than 100 free concerts will be held—though there’s always one that stands out from the rest.
Bogatell Beach will once again be one of the highlights of the city’s annual festivals, especially after the full Estrella Damm lineup was announced for the night of Saturday, September 26: Love of Lesbian will perform one of their final concerts before their indefinite hiatus from the stage. The Barcelona-based band will be the main attraction of an evening that will also feature performances by La Pegatina, Al·lèrgiques al Pol·len, and Svetlana—all with free admission, of course.
But it won’t be the only day featuring great performances by the sea; on Friday, September 25, the ELS40 POP festival will take place on the same stage, featuring performances by Enol, Buhos, Miki Núñez, Sexenni, and Aina Machuca. This stellar lineup—which we’ve known about for a few months now—will kick off at 7:30 p.m. with the young Aina Machuca, followed by Enol ( 7:55 p.m.), Sexenni ( 8:30 p.m.), Miki Núñez (10:00 p.m.), and Buhos will close out the day at 1:15 a.m.
On Saturday, the 26th, Al·lèrgiques al Pol·len will kick things off at 8:00 p.m., followed by La Pegatina (9:30 p.m.) with a special live performance featuring the greatest hits that have defined their 23-year career. At 11:00 p.m., the highlight of the night will be the performance by Love of Lesbian, in a lengthy concert where they’ll perform their greatest hits and present their latest album, Ejército de Salvación. To close out the night in style, Svetlana will liven up the atmosphere with her unique style full of humor and joy.
Two Days of Music at the Old Estrella Damm Factory
As is tradition, Estrella Damm will also celebrate La Mercè at its old brewery. This stage will be one of the venues for Barcelona Acció Musical (BAM), the avant-garde music festival that will feature six different stages this year.
The former Estrella Damm factory will host concerts and performances on September 26 and 27, with 12 concerts spread over both days starting at 1:00 p.m. This venue is dedicated to emerging alternative music, where you can enjoy all kinds of genres and styles, from singer-songwriter acts to experimental electronic music. You can check out the full lineup at the link below.
