SÓNAR BARCELONA 2023. Festival finalises musical line-up for 30th anniversary and reveals first participants and themes for Sónar+D.

Sónar 30th anniversary – 15th, 16th and 17th June 2023, Barcelona. On the 15th, 16th, and 17th June, Sónar celebrates its 30th anniversary in Barcelona with over 100 musical performances, both live concerts and DJ sets. Joining the line-up today are spectacular shows from Aphex Twin, Bad Gyal, Little Simz, and Eric Prydz’s HOLO, as well as acclaimed DJ and producer Black Coffee.
They join already announced acts BICEP live, Fever Ray, Amelie Lens, Peggy Gou, The Blessed Madonna, Solomun, Laurent Garnier, Richie Hawtin, and many more.

Digital arts and culture event Sónar+D will open up even further to the general public at Sónar by Day. This year will be the most open and interactive in the event’s history, with more than a hundred different activities and projects. Under the same roof as concerts and DJ sets, this year’s programme addresses issues which have the utmost relevance and impact on our daily lives: Artificial Intelligence and its effects on art and society, the climate emergency as a leitmotiv for creators from multiple disciplines, and new creative processes and practices. Each activity also explores the relationships between technology, research, creativity, artistic experimentation and cultural innovation: from performances by Daito Manabe and Desert; to an audiovisual talk by creative studio Universal Everything; and a masterclass for new generations of creatives by Elijah, the mind behind ‘Yellow Squares’.

Sónar by Night – 16th & 17th June.
On Friday 16th June, Aphex Twin performs at Sónar for the first time in 12 years. The enigmatic cult artist and godfather of modern electronic music returns to the stage after a four year hiatus. He’ll perform an impressive, brand-new audiovisual show at SonarClub, Sónar by Night’s biggest venue.

On Saturday 17th June, the most exciting immersive audiovisual show in the world today has been added to the lineup: HOLO, the acclaimed 3D mega-production of progressive house star Eric Prydz. Sónar will be one of the few opportunities to experience this extraordinary spectacle anywhere in the world this year.

Also on Saturday 17th June, Bad Gyal will perform for the first time at Sónar by Night. The Catalan artist returns to the festival as a global idol, performing songs from her debut album, which will be released this year, as well as her greatest hits.
In addition to Bad Gyal’s performance at SonarPub by Thunder Bitch, there’s an extensive special programme planned at the circular SonarCar by TOUS stage. Spanish queer icon Samantha Hudson returns to perform her new show ‘AOVE Black Label’, before giving way to La Zowi’s new show ‘La Reina del Sur’; a live performance by Orslok; and DJ sets from Mareo: Chico Blanco b2b 8kitoo, Rusowsky, and Parkineos.

For this massive 30th anniversary party, Sónar by Night had already announced live performances by BICEP and Fever Ray; plus stellar DJs such as Amelie Lens, Peggy Gou, Solomun, and Richie Hawtin, among others.

Today the lineup is finalised with a host of other names. From the ballroom house tinged rap of Cakes Da Killa and Little Simz’s thoughtful and socially conscious hip-hop; to the best in hispanic pop, trap and r&b courtesy of an Alizzz ‘Club 2000’ DJ set conceived especially for the festival’s 30th anniversary. And from viral DJ Mochakk’s breezy tech-house to timeless techno from Barcelona legend Angel Molina. The diverse, global sound of modern London will also be represented by Ikonika’s ‘Bubble Up’ live set, and the 30th anniversary celebrations will show a different side of Detroit with DJ Holographic b2b DJ Minx. Also taking to the DJ booth to go back-to-back are Tiga b2b Cora Novoa and Âme b2b Marcel Dettmann, the latter for a 5-hour set at SonarCar by TOUS on Friday. Russell Haswell’s unpredictable noise, global club sounds by Lowprofile, Undo’s subtle electronica, latinx-industrial noise from Cardopusher, Nene H’s fast-paced techno, and the seductive rhythm of Chloé Caillet complete this year’s Sónar by Night lineup.

Sónar by Day – 15th, 16th & 17th June.
On Thursday 15th June, a remodelled SonarVillage by Estrella Damm will close with a session from Black Coffee, one of the most acclaimed figures in global clubbing. The iconic South African house DJ completes a heavyweight trio of Sónar by Day headliners for this year, joining The Blessed Madonna (Friday 16th June) and Laurent Garnier (Saturday 17th June).

This year, Sónar by Day updates its spaces, improving its layout and facilities to offer a new, more comfortable dining area and new dancefloors. It’s here that Horse Meat Disco x Prosumer will join forces for a masterclass in disco, house, and beyond. Also on the bill are experimental new-trance producer Lorenzo Senni and Berlin-via-Madrid rave artist Héctor Oaks, performing new live sets based on their forthcoming albums. Spanish rap stars LEÏTI and Sticky M.A. will present their latest albums, fusing their original styles with new genres, while nusar3000 mixes drum’n’bass with reggaeton. KYNE blends trap, classic r&b and latin soul, and Spanish rappers Kitty110 / LaBlackie / L’Beel flirt with various styles, from drill to electronica. Plus Phran’s ‘Vimana Discplay’ live set takes inspiration from Venezuelan mobile sound-systems, Musa Keys carries the torch for amapiano, Tohji offers a Japanese take on hyperpop, and local DJ Sergi Botella explores esoteric rhythms. They join already announced acts like cult producers Oneohtrix Point Never and Max Cooper, a Brazilian back-to-back from BADSISTA b2b Cashu, Oakland rave selector Bored Lord, and talented Catalan musician Marina Herlop.

Sónar+D – 15th 16th & 17th June.
In 2023, Sónar+D offers a series of audiovisual shows at Complex+D and Stage+D. Both stages are part of the musical programme at Sónar by Day. Each show is a cutting-edge musical performance, featuring striking visual and technological elements. Among the artists performing here are Daito Manabe, perhaps the leading technological artist of the last decade, composer and pianist Carles Viarnès with visual artist Alba G. Corral, and a new audiovisual show ‘Escapology’ from respected producer Kode9. Also announced today are Nosaj Thing (joined by Daito Manabe) with his new show ‘Continua’, Grievous Bodily Harmonics (Rian Treanor and Elias Merino), Jokkoo Collective, Klara Lewis & Nik Colk Void + Pedro Maia, Lolo & Sosaku, MANS O, Sabrina Bellaouel, lTupac Martir’s ‘Unique’, and Ana Quiroga & Estela Oliva premiering ‘Azabache AV’. All of them join already announced artists CLARAGUILAR, Desert, Lucrecia Dalt, and Santiago Latorre & Colin Self.

Sónar+D presents a programme of talks, debates and masterclasses that address the connections between art and science, the climate emergency as a leitmotiv for creative disciplines, and the development of new forms of creativity via Artificial Intelligence and the new paradigm of Web3. The speakers include MIT Media Lab researcher and renowned expert in robot ethics Kate Darling (presented by SEIDOR), research group Forensic Architecture; Norwegian artist and biologist Jana Winderen; creative studio Playmodes & UPC-Telecos presenting their ‘Astres’ project; producer and writer Elijah, creator of ‘Yellow Squares’; CJ Carr of Harmonai; and musician and thinker Steve Goodman (Kode9) in conversation with Moor Mother, artist and co-founder of the research group Black Quantum Futurism.

Sónar+D will also host three forums for debate:
Firstly, a music innovation forum discussing communities and distribution platforms, new live formats and the latest digital creation tools.
The second forum, organised in collaboration with local association HacTe, will focus on the relationship between art, science and technology, bringing together artists, scientists, research centres and cultural representatives to discuss best practices in collaborative processes and how to create physical and virtual spaces that encourage relationships between these disciplines.
Finally, the AI & Web3 Creatives Summit, run by UPF Ventures and co-produced by Sónar+D, offers two days of project presentations, debate and exchange of experiences, helping develop and expand relationships between key companies and professionals from the creative-technological world. It will feature local projects, conferences, round tables and various conversations between participants from companies such as MEDIAPRO, Runway, Nvidia and Microsoft.

SonarExtra.
As happens every year, in parallel to everything taking place between 15th and 17th June at Fira Montjuïc and Fira Gran Via, Sónar will spread throughout the city via the SonarExtra programme.
The AI & Web3 Creatives Summit is complemented by the +RAIN Film Fest, an international film festival of works made entirely using Artificial Intelligence, organised by the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) and held on 14th June at the University’s Poblenou Campus. It’s the first time such an event takes place in Europe.
Sónar+D is also collaborating with the International Symposium on Soundscape, organised by the University of Barcelona (UB), which will take place on 13th and 14th June. On 15th June, the UB research team (philosophers, art historians, composers, musicians, architects, demographers and engineers) will present the results of the symposium’s research at Sónar+D. And finally, SonarMies will visit the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion during the festival.

‘Digital Impact’, which opens its doors from April to August this year at Disseny Hub Barcelona, is the first interactive exhibition of purely digital art to take place in Barcelona. Aimed at audiences of all ages and backgrounds, it’s a thought-provoking experience that blurs the boundaries between the physical and virtual worlds. Sónar is collaborating with the exhibition, hosting some of the participants at Sónar+D, and offering special admission discounts to all festival ticket holders.
Before that, on Friday 17th February, Sónar will take part in CosmoCaixa’s Neo event, with Marco Mezquida and the UPC’s co-created performance ‘Piano + AI’.
And on Monday 27th February, Sónar will once again appear at the Mobile World Congress, this time with Desert in concert preceded by a DJ set from lanav.

Sónar Lisboa 2023 – 31st of March, 1st & 2nd April 2023.
Over the past three decades, Sónar has held more than 100 festivals in 35 cities in 23 countries, spread across four continents. The 30th anniversary of Sónar kicks off from 31st March to 2nd April in the Portuguese capital. After a successful first year, the 2nd edition of Sónar Lisboa will bring together the best of today’s electronic music across multiple stages, with techno from Amelie Lens, Anfisa Letyago, I Hate Models, VTSS and Enrico Sangiuliano meeting colourful house and disco from Peggy Gou and Folamour, plus melodic electronica by WhoMadeWho live and Astra Club (DJ Tennis b2b Carlita). And that’s without mentioning Brazil’s Mochakk, revered producer Max Cooper and a mix of legends and emerging artists from the local scene such as Yen Sung, DJ Nigga Fox live, Rui Vargas, Sensible Soccers and Throes + The Shine.

LINEUP BY DAY AND BY NIGHT

All types of ticket are now on sale for Sónar Barcelona 2023.
Today individual tickets for each of the Sónar by Night events at Fira Gran Via have gone on sale. SonarPasses, VIP SonarPasses and Delegate Passes, plus 2-Night Tickets and individual day tickets for Sónar by Day remain available.
All tickets are on sale at sonar.es.

Institutions, partners and sponsors.
Sónar Barcelona 2023 is an initiative of Advanced Music, in collaboration with the Ajuntament de Barcelona and the Generalitat de Catalunya. Estrella Damm is the main sponsor, with additional sponsorship from Thunder Bitch, MEDIAPRO, TOUS, SEIDOR, ME by Melià, LACOSTE, Coca-Cola, Red Bull, MELLER and El Bandarra. DICE is our ticketing partner and Pioneer DJ is our technology partner.

What is Sónar?
Sónar is a pioneering European festival, setting the agenda for electronic music and digital culture since its first edition in 1994. Each year, Sónar converts Barcelona into a focal point for music lovers, artists and professionals from across the world, drawn to the festival’s innovative content, format, and celebratory atmosphere.

True to its name, Sónar reflects and amplifies the present and future musical landscape, hosting the most influential artists of the current moment across its multiple stages and venues. It acts as a proving ground for new and emerging trends at the intersection of performance, music, science, information technology and beyond.

After three decades and over 100 editions worldwide, Sónar continues to re-define what a festival can be, removing barriers and forging connections between audiences, genres and creative disciplines.

What is Sónar+D?
Sónar+D is an international meeting of art and digital culture, exploring how creativity changes the present and imagines new futures. Since 2013, this anti-disciplinary event has brought together leading artists, technologists, creatives, musicians, designers, thinkers, scientists, entrepreneurs, makers and hackers in Barcelona for a carefully curated programme of talks, masterclasses and groundbreaking performances, with a focus on inspiration and networking.

For thousands of professionals and curious individuals from over 100 countries, Sónar+D offers a unique, open and relaxed environment to meet. Across three fruitful days, they come to discover groundbreaking new work and opportunities, learn new skills and showcase initiatives via talks, demos and workshops, performances, live concerts, exhibitions, immersive and interactive experiences and encounters with different communities.

H/T Sónar festival.