Bruce Springsteen Concert Barcelona 2012

You may have not been “Born in the USA” but people worldwide know the song and the man who has been rocking for decades. As you might know “The Boss” is wildly popular in Spain and on May 17^th musical legend Bruce Springsteen will be playing in Barcelona’s Paseo Olimpico. Bruce is traveling around the world playing his “The Wrecking Ball” World Tour. “The Wrecking Ball” will spend two days in Barcelona May 17^th and May 18^th. If you miss either of these concerts Bruce will also be playing May 13^th in Seville, May 15^th at Las Palmas, and one more June 17^th in Madrid.

Springsteen has been playing his heartland rock since the 1970’s and continues to bring the world his personal style of poetic lyrics and musical stories. Springsteen has been awarded 21 Grammys, two Golden Globe Awards, and even an Oscar. He is  regarded by many as one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th century, and in 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him as the 23rd Greatest Artist of all time.

The concert starts at 21h so make sure to get there early. Tickets are on sale now. Check out Barcelona events at www.eventful.com/Barcelona for more information on the show. Don’t miss this historical musical icon when he is in one of the world’s most iconic cities.

Let us know if there are any events you are looking forward to this summer in Barcelona. Keep rocking.

Brett

The Man Behind the Feast

We recently celebrated Sant Jordi Day here in Barcelona, the day we venerate Catalonia’s patron saint, Saint George, or Sant Jordi. This special holiday in Catalonia is a romantic day in which romantics across the region exchange presents, a rose for a woman and a book for a man. Sant Jordi Day is Barcelona’s equivalent to Valentine’s Day. In my last blog I wrote about the story of Saint George slaying the dragon of Montblanc before he ate the beautiful princess, saving her from her fate. Due to this romantic and chivalrous act Sant Jordi Day is celebrated as a romantic occasion.

Lets look at the real Sant Jordi, the man behind the legend. According to Christian history George was born in Palestine in 275 AD. Both of Saint George’s parents were Christians; his father Gerontius was a prominent official in the Roman army from Cappadocia while his mother Polychronia was from Palestine.  At the age of 14 George lost his father in battle and a few years later his mother died. As a young man George left Palestine to head to the imperial city of Nicomedia, where he asked Emperor Diocletian for a career as a soldier. By his late 20’s George had been promoted to the imperial guard where was given the privileged title of Tribunus.

In the year 302 AD Emperor Diocletian issued a edict that every Christian soldier be arrested and Christian civilians should be sacrificed to the Roman gods. As a strong proud Christian George protested this edict and spoke to Diocletian directly. In front of the emperor and all of the imperial guard George declared himself to be a Christian and refused to change his beliefs. For this reason George endured several tortures such as lacerations on a wheel of swords. Even after his trials of pain and torture George once again refused to renounce Jesus Christ and his Christian faith. On April 23, 303 George was placed against the wall of Nicomedia and was decapitated in front of the city’s citizens. His body was soon returned to Palestine where it was buried.

The legend of Saint George and the dragon has several beginnings in Christian, Eastern Orthodox, and even Muslim writings. The dragon motif became popular with Vincent of Beauvais’ writings entitled Speculum Historale and later in Jacobus de Voragine’s writings entitled The Golden Legend. Historians believe that the slaying of the dragon is a direct representation of George denying paganism and the Roman Empire. In the story George rides in to save the fair maiden from the jaws of death as she is given to the dragon as a sacrifice. George protects himself from the dragon by using the sign of the cross then justly using his lance Ascalon to strike down the evil beast. The citizens are grateful to George and abandon their pagan ways in order to follow Christ and the Christian Church as inspired by Saint George.

Images of Saint George can be found across Europe and even in the Middle East. Countries that venerate the Christian icon and count him as their patron saint include Georgia, England, Egypt, Bulgaria, Catalonia, Romania, Ethiopia, Greece, India, Iraq, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, Serbia, Ukraine, Russia, Canada, and Bosnia.

Countries that celebrate the Day of Saint George raise the white flag with the red cross, the flag of Saint George. These countries will hold religious sermons along with celebrations of food and gift giving. The practice of celebrating Saint George Day is beginning to wane in countries such as England, Canada, and Georgia. Hungary marks April 23^rd to also be the Day of the Police, portraying the Saint as a protector similar to those in uniform.

Across the globe April 23^rd is marked with veneration and historical patronage. The Day of Saint George is celebrated in numerous different fashions, but they all have several characteristics in common; unity, patronage, and great storytelling.

Check out our other Suitelife blogs on Sant Jordi

Sant Jordi Day

Sant Jordi Barcelona

Sant Jordi Day Barcelona

Barcelona Film Festival 2012

A great event in Barcelona is coming: the D’A Festival International de Cinema d’Autor 2012. It will start on Friday 27th and lasts until the 6th of May. And if you want more, la Filmoteca de Catalunya will keep showing some of the movies until the 17th of May.

This Barcelona film festival presents some of the best independent movies of the last decade. Directors and actors are not really well known for most of them but they are among the best in the cinema of auteur theory style. There are 5 categories: Direccions, Talents, Special Sessions, Absolut Risc, Autoria Catalana.

Claire Denis Retrospective and my top 3

The festival highlights the French female director Claire Denis by showing 11 of her movies. Escape from Barcelona for a while by watching some of her famous movies shot in Africa.

Here are my top 3 movies that you should watch during the film festival in Barcelona.

Les Bien Aimés by Christophe Honoré

Christophe Honoré is a famous French director and his movies are just amazing. Les Bien Aimés is no exception to the rule! It’s the story of a mother and her daughter (Catherine Deneuve and Chiara Mastroiani, they are mother and daughter in real life!) and their misfortune in love. Don’t be surprised, it’s a musical movie. If you like this movie and Paris, I suggest you watch Love Songs, probably Honoré’s biggest hit.

Puzzled Love

This movie has been made by 13 young Spanish directors from Barcelona. Sun and Lucas are Erasmus students in Barcelona. They fall in love and want to enjoy this year to the max. But everything has to come to an end…
The assembly of the 13 different parts should lead to something very interesting. The soundtrack seems almost perfect! If you want to know about more movies shot in Barcelona, have a look at this blog on the top 5 movies set in Barcelona.

Snowtown

Probably THE Australian movie of 2011, Snowtown is based on a true story. This thriller has won 3 prizes and has been nominated 11 times. Are you ready for one of the darkest movies about one of the most famous Australian serial killers ever?

Info

Where? The movies will be shown in Aribau Espacios Cine Club (Gran Via 565-567) and at the Filmoteca de Catalunya (Plaça Salvador Segui 1-9).

When? From Friday 27th April, to Sunday 6th May. You can check the program here.

Prices? An individual ticket is 7€ (6€ for students, Jove card, retired people); pass for 5 entries is 25€ (only at Aribau Espacios).

Which movies are you gonna watch? Any good plans to share where we can watch this cinema d’author in Barcelona? Let us know! Check this if you’re looking for VO cinema in Barcelona.

Caroline

Art In Barcelona

“Architecture + Interactive Art”: this is how they describe their project. Corretger5 brings together architects that want to experiment with art in all its forms: photo, design, architecture, theatre…

When I went there last Saturday, I didn’t know what to expect. A friend took me there because she heard about it from someone, who heard about it from someone else, who… you get the picture!

The place is charming, it’s an old stable transformed into an atelier that becomes a gallery during exhibitions or a venue for shows. The neighborhood is great as well, as it is located in el Born, in Barcelona.

La Folie Condal: a Cabaret in Barcelona

Barcelona’s Valentines Day with A Twist of Culture and Storytelling

Barcelona lovers hit the streets and buy your novio or novia a book or rose as today is Catalonia’s most cherished day; Sant Jordi Day. Sant Jordi or Saint George is the patron saint of Catalonia along with a dozen other countries around the world. It is accepted that the chivalrous knight died April 23^rd, 303 AD. Many other countries tie the day of Saint George in with Easter Celebrations but here in Barcelona and Catalonia the day deserves it’s own recognition and celebration.

The streets across Barcelona will be radiating with the beautiful color and smells from roses along with the colorful designs and displays of books as sellers show their wares for all to enjoy. Flower and book stands will be draped with Catalonia’s red and white striped flag. Roses will be died in these colors, while other roses will be died red and blue in recognition of Barcelona’s famous football club. It is the tradition here in Barcelona for men to buy their lovers a flower and women to buy a book for their men. As time has gone by it is no longer gender qualified as men can buy women a book and women can buy their novios a flower if they choose to. Just don’t forget to bring your love one of these gifts.

Today is recognized with several different names. Saint George Day, Sant Jordi Day, the Day of Roses, and the Day of the Book. Today alone Barcelona will sell over 400,000 books and over a million roses. More books will be sold today then the rest of the year combined.

April 23 has been the Day of Roses since medieval times. The famed Saint George was once a knight in the Roman empire. The famous Catalonian tale speaks of George traveling through the Catalan town of Montblanc. The small town of Montblanc was plagued by a dragon who required a daily sacrifice every day of a villager. One day the village lottery had chosen the princess of Montblanc as the sacrifice. Before the beautiful maiden could come to her demise Saint George came to her rescue and slew the dragon, piercing it through the chest with his sword.  Upon the ground in which the dragon’s blood spilled grew a large magnificent rose bush shining bright crimson red. To this day Catalonian’s give their lover a rose to symbolize romance and chivalry.

The Day of the Book began in 1923 when a sales savvy book store dealer in the region combined Sant Jordi Day with books as a means to honor the deaths of two world renowned authors; William Shakespeare and Miguel Cervantes, both who had died on April 23^rd, 1616. The giving of books to a lover has been a part of Catalonian culture ever since. In 1995 UNESCO declared April 23 to be International Book Day.

Spend the day with a loved one and walk around the city. La Rambla and Plaza Catalunya will be especially festive as the concrete pathways will be adorned with flowers and books. Happy Sant Jordi Day to everyone.

Let us know how your Sant Jordi Day is and check out these other Suitelife blogs on Barcelona’s day of lovers and books.

Sant Jordi Barcelona

Sant Jordi Day in Barcelona

Valentine’s Day in Barcelona

Cheers,

Brett

Lady Gaga Presents Her 2012 Tour

Little Monsters will be glad to know that Mother Monster is coming to town on the 6^th October 2012 and she’s going to rock Palau Sant Jordi all night long. It will be the only date for Lady Gaga in Spain and the last one of her European Born this way Ball Tour.

The Born this way Ball

After the Fame Ball and the Monster Ball, Lady Gaga is back with the Born This Way Ball. Be ready for a show

of extravaganzas and craziness. This tour is a sort of extension of the others, with the same crowd of rebel riders and a dark Christmas spirit… Lady Gaga is gonna drive Barcelona crazy!

The concert is on October 2012 but tickets will be on sale on the 19^th of April, so in just 2 days! And when you know that tickets for her concerts in Hong Kong and Singapore have sold out in less than one hour, you’d better hurry! You will be able to buy them on the usual websites. Prices are not released yet, but it will be expensive for sure.

Are you gaga about Gaga? Will you be one of the luckiest people that will meet her backstage and enjoy the show in the “Monster Pit”? Do you know that Lady Gaga will play the role of the Aliens’ Mother in the next Men In Black movie (MIB³)?!

Don’t forget to read our other blogs about the Sonar 2012 in Barcelona and the Primavera Sound Festival, 2 other chances to enjoy amazing concerts in Barcelona!

Caroline

The Welkin Contest = Free Trip to Barcelona!

Are you an artist? Wanna win a free trip to Barcelona, Spain? Then you must checkout The Welkin ARTBOX project.  The deadline’s arriving quickly so read the info below and get started!

When our friend Rebecca told us about The Welkin ARTBOX Contest we were immediately intrigued.  Basically, here’s the scoop:

The Contest & How you Can Win a Trip to Barcelona

The Welkin Contest presents ARTBOX, a large scale art installation in conjunction with SWAB Barcelona 2012, and is offering the chance to one emerging contemporary artist to be flown to Barcelona to take part in designing and creating this exciting project.

The ARTBOX project showcases the work of a hand selected group of urban-contemporary artists from Spain and abroad. Each artist is invited to customise one ARTBOX, size 1.80 x 1.80 meters. Using mediums such as Montana spray paint, acrylic paint, house paint or found objects; the 3-dimensional wooden boxes will be completely covered on all four sides. The 10 cube installation will be on display at the exterior entrance of SWAB, in Plaza Universo, creating a labyrinth of art to welcome the 20,000 expected visitors. The aim is to introduce SWAB visitors to a new generation of contemporary artists and invite viewers to interact with art in a new way.

The Welkin Contest is offering one talented European artist the chance to take part in the ARTBOX project. Through a competition platform, young and emerging visual artists from across Europe are invited to design one of the 10 ARTBOXES. A panel of judges will decide the winner in early May 2012. The winner will have the opportunity to participate in the ARTBOX project alongside 9 other recognized contemporary painters and the chance to get their work seen by a large array of collectors and art lovers.

More information can be found here: www.thewelkincontest.com
And here: www.facebook.com/TheWelkinContest
And here: www.swab.es/artbox

Don’t miss this chance to have your work seen by over 20,000 contemporary art fans, curators and critics!

Important Dates:

Application Deadline: April 20, 2012
Submission Deadline: May 4, 2012
Winner Announced: May 8, 2012
ARTBOX Workshop: May 19 – 23, 2012
SWAB Art Fair: May 23-26, 2012

Know anyone who might be interested? Pass them the info!

Cheers,

Benny

Art Gallery and Bookstore and Hipster Haven: Mutt Barcelona

Mutt, an Art gallery in Barcelona and a specialized bookstore, is a temple of contemporary art, graphic design, urban design, street art and more. Its spacious white room is hypnotizing and the atmosphere that surrounds you once you enter is friendly and inspiring.

Mutt Barcelona could be seen as a little niche of art galleries in Barcelona in comparison to Macba or CCCB, but it’s not. It´s the soul of this place that makes it special.

If you are an art fan, read the blog on Modern art in Barcelona: visit art gallery in Barcelona to discover unknown Barcelona artists. and you will like the blog about another artist that exhibited in Mutt titled Contemporary art in Barcelona: Sosaku Miyazaki.

You can visit Mutt Barcelona every day from Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. It’s in the Born district on the Carrer del Comerç, 15. As it was already mentioned, Mutt is an awesome bookstore and a contemporary art gallery in one. You can find any book dedicated to art, design, urban art … Every book is presented as a piece of art itself on the bookshelves or the big tables.
The walls of art gallery Mutt change their exhibitors almost every month. If you go there in march or of april 2012 you will see the exhibition of a multitalented author Aitor Saraiba from Toledo. We saw it and love it.

His latest project is the collaboration with the Center of Ceramics Talavera, where he develops a collection of art pieces with the traditional technique of the city Talavera. His first exposition of photography, “Let Me Kiss You”, a documentary about the fans of Morrissey in the city of Los Angeles and his first graphic novel “El hijo del legionario” have been a “personal exorcism”, as the author likes to say, and we are happy that we can see his latest work in person in Barcelona.

Visit the Aitor Saraiba exposition at Mutt gallery Barcelona from 8th of March to 29th of April 2012 and let us know, if you liked it!

Sharka

5 days of live music in Barcelona!

Primavera Sound Festival will start on the 30^th of May and last until the 3^rd of June and if you don’t know this music festival, then you must read this blog because it is something you cannot miss!

Primavera Sound, sponsored by San Miguel beer, is one of the largest festivals in Spain and it takes place in Barcelona of course! The attendance in 2010 was more than 100 000, so you can imagine how amazing it is… Most of the concerts will take place at the Parc del Fòrum and great news: this year there will be also free concerts for the opening on Wednesday and the last evening, on Sunday. Check the website for more information. Primavera Sound is gonna rock Barcelona, as usual! You can also get the lowdown on Barcelona’s other big music festival Sonar 2012 in Barcelona.

Awesome Line Up

The venue is great and so are the artists! It also caters for all tastes; in fact this is not about one style of music in particular. There will be rock, pop, indie, hip hop, jazz, electro and more! There will be more than 150 artists and here are the big-names!

Björk

On Saturday 2^nd – The Icelandic girl is back with her new album Biophilia. Between electro, pop and new wave, she has her own style. You either love it or hate it, but her music certainly doesn’t leave you cold.

The Cure

On Friday 1^st – Who doesn’t know the British rock band and its leader Robert Smith?! Going to their concert is a safe bet and you won’t be disappointed.

Franz Ferdinand

On Thursday 31^st – The Scottish band will set crowds on fire at Primavera Sound Festival! Be ready to move your body to the famous songs “Take me Out” or “No you Girls”…

Justice

On Saturday 2^nd – Do I need to say that they are French and that because they are your friends, you’ll never be alone again? (wondering what I’m telling? Then listen to their song…)

M83

On Friday 1^st – Another French electro band you probably know, without actually knowing it… Listen to Midnight City and then buy your tickets for their show at Primavera Sound 2012!

There will be also Chairlift, Marianne Faithfull, Mudhoney, Yann Tiersen, Rufus Wainwright and sooo many others! Check the website to see the full program per day.

Primavera Sound Info

Prices

2 options are available: you can buy a pass for all the festival at 190€ (+booking fee) or buy a ticket for only one day at 75€ (+booking fee). Day tickets are available for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Unfortunately for you, all VIP pass are already sold out!

How to get there

The Parc del Fòrum is located at the end of Diagonal, by the sea. You can get there by metro L4 (yellow line) and stop at “El maresme Forum”, or by bus (check TMB website).
You can try to go there by car, but as you know, it is quite difficult to park in Barcelona.

Have you ever been to Primavera Sound Festival or are you planning to go this year? Let us know how you feel about it…

Yours in music,

Caroline

Where to Celebrate St Patricks Day in Barcelona

St Patrick’s day in Barcelona is on the 17^th of March, just like in Dublin of course! If you want to celebrate it as Irish people do, take a look at the following places and at the promotions that they will offer for this particular day.

Even if there is no parade for this special San Patrick day, Barcelona is full of Irish pubs where you can celebrate it. So put your green tights on, find a four-leaf clover and let’s have a beer! By the way, you can check this post about the best Irish pubs in Barcelona…

Kitty’s Pub – SPECIAL EVENT

It seems like Kitty’s has been the first Irish pub opened in Barcelona, 18 years ago. For St Patrick’s Day, they transform the area of Carrer de Numancia into an Irish district! There will be different activities organized, even for children, all day long. Come by, watch Irish dancing and listen to Irish music. The all programming is just here. And what can be best than watching England Vs Ireland to close your St Patrick’s Day in Barna?!

Address: Carrer de la Nau Santa Maria, 5, Barcelona 08017
Website