Sónar celebrates its 25th anniversary with shows from Gorillaz, LCD Soundsystem and Diplo. Sónar 2018 takes place on the 14.15.16. June in Barcelona, and will feature over 130 shows and special guests to celebrate this historic edition. Today Sónar 2018 unveils an advance of its music program, announcing thirty artists. Among them, remarkable live performances from Richie Hawtin with ‘CLOSE’, Bonobo, Ólafur Arnalds, Kode9, George FitzGerald, Lorenzo Senni, Rels B or Mueveloreina and DJ sets from Laurent Garnier, Helena Hauff, Black Coffee and Tony Humphries and a special concert by the Barcelona Symphony Orquestra, playing “In C” by Terry Riley, one of the most significant pieces in minimalist classical music.
Listen here an introductory playlist for the first sounds of #sonar2018
Sónar 2018: Confirmed artists: Gorillaz, LCD Soundsystem, Diplo, Richie Hawtin CLOSE, Bonobo, Laurent Garnier, Wiley, Black Coffee, Bicep live, OBC (Barcelona Symphony Orchestra) + Brad Lubman play Terry Riley: IN C, Ólafur Arnalds, Helena Hauff, Tony Humphries, Kode9 x Koji Morimoto AV, George FitzGerald live, Lorenzo Senni, Rels B, Daedelus, Maribou State, Studio Barnhus, Dinamarca, DITC Sound, Jamz Supernova, Francisco López, Jarami, Mueveloreina, Nídia, Violet x Photonz, Yuzo Koshiro x Motohiro Kawashima live & many more.
British band Gorillaz – founded by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, will see band members Murdoc Niccals, Russel Hobbs, 2D and Noodle present their long awaited new show, featuring a stellar line-up of special guests, more than 5 years after their last concert in Spain. The Barcelona premiere of the new show will feature songs from Gorillaz’ acclaimed new album “Humanz”, as well as their most popular hits. Legendary.
New York group LCD Soundsytem return for an exclusive date in Spain, at which they will perform new songs from their recent album “American Dream”, as well as tracks from their impressive back catalogue.
Diplo, a global dance music superstar and today’s most versatile electronic music artist, returns to Sónar to present one of his powerful DJ sets, taking in Bass House, cutting edge digital rhythms and global beats.
Sónar also confirms the participation of two legends of Sónar festival: Richie Hawtin, with his show ‘CLOSE’, a performance including an enhanced audiovisual set-up with a deployment of cameras strategically distributed around the stage which will allow him to transmit live the relationship between man and machine via a large screen; and Laurent Garnier who will play out the weekend on Saturday night, with a special SonarPub closing four hour set, that’s sure to go down in history.
Other artists of note include George FitzGerald and Northern Ireland’s Bicep (presenting live shows), electronic pop duo Maribou State, German techno dj Helena Hauff, and the extraordinary African house dj Black Coffee who will close proceedings at one of Sónar by Day’s three days, as well as the legendary New Jersey house DJ Tony Humphries, one of the first confirmed artists playing the Red Bull Music Academy stage, SonarDôme.
Wiley, the godfather of grime, will present urban rhythms deriving from hip-hop and ghetto beats from around the world, drawing on one of his best works to date, the recently released, “Godfather”. Also on the line up, a new breed of talent including British DJ Jamz Supernova, producer duo Jarami (collaborators with Frank Ocean), Portugal’s Nídia (a mainstay of the Principe Records label), Barcelona’s Mueveloreina and, from Majorca, Rels B (both revitalising hip hop and trap forms) and Sweden’s Dinamarca, with his scorching approach to bass music.
On Thursday night, Sónar at L’Auditori will present a special concert by Barcelona Symphony Orchestra (OBC) conducted by Brad Lubman, performing one of the most significant pieces of minimalism, “In C” by the renowned Californian composer Terry Riley. This is the latest collaboration between Sónar and L’Auditori’s ‘Sampler Sèries’ cycle of concerts. Meanwhile, at Sónar by Day, and also falling midway between classical and contemporary music, will be a performance by Iceland’s Ólafur Arnalds.
Red Bull Music Academy joins the 25th celebration with an advance of their program based on Diggin’ in the Carts, the project celebrating Japanese video game music. Kode9 brings a VGM-inspired performance with visuals by legendary animator Koji Morimoto, composers Yuzo Koshiro & Motohiro Kawashima perform classics from games like Streets of Rage live, with visuals by Konx-om-Pax, and DITC Sound plays favorites from the genre’s rich history. The lineup also features Portuguese DJ Violet & Photonz and Swedish trio Studio Barnhus. Iconic DJ and Jersey sound figurehead Tony Humphries plays a house set inspired by the golden era of New York radio.
Sónar Calling GJ273: A historic celebration, open to public participation. Sónar’s audience, and creators of all kinds are invited to take part in Sónar’s call for extraterrestrial intelligence. Compositions in any musical genre can be submitted to the project, of which 3 pieces of 10 seconds will be selected to join the next transmission, taking place in April 2018. More information at sonarcalling.com
Sónar continues its journey around the world, starting with the third editions of its festivals in Latin America: Sónar Buenos Aires – celebrated this past weekend (26 November) and the upcoming Sónar Bogotá (2 December). In 2018 the celebrations continue with the 6th edition of Sónar Reykjavik (16.17 March) and the second editions of Sónar Hong Kong (17 March) and Sónar Istanbul (6.7 April).
Sónar+D, the congress for technology and cultural industries which takes place 13.14.15.16 June, opens three different calls for participation today, 29 November: the Sónar Innovation Challenge, directed to tech companies with specific needs of innovation and recruitment of talents; MarketLab, focused on companies, creative studios and educational centres; and Startup Garden, the space dedicated to startups related with the creative industries in the search of funding rounds. More information at sonarplusd.com
“Sónar Calling Gj273b”, A Message To Extraterrestrial Intelligence Sónar celebrates its 25th anniversary with a call to extra-terrestrial intelligence. “Sónar Calling GJ273b” is the first series of radio transmissions in history to be sent to a nearby potentially habitable exoplanet – Luyten’s Star b -. The message includes 33 pieces of music, 10 seconds in length -exclusively curated by Sónar-, created by festival related artists that summarize the exploratory nature of Sónar throughout its 25-year lifespan. If successfulhumanity could receive an answer within 25 years, coinciding with Sónar’s 50th anniversary. The artist’s music and messages, together with all the information about the project, are now available at sonarcalling.com
Sónar Calling GJ273b is also a collective celebration in which the Sónar public, and indeed any creator, is invited to participate by sending in their submissions. The call is open to all ideas and musical discourses that wish to travel through space to an unknown audience.
All submissions must be original compositions. Sónar will select three pieces from those received, to be included in the next transmission, planned for April 2018. Each winner will be awarded 4 VIP Passes to attend Sónar Barcelona 2018, which will take place next June. The competition is open to everyone; check here for participation conditions.
Tickets.
The Sónar 2018 Pass is now available at the special price of €165 until December 11, while the VIP Pass can be obtained at the special price of €250, only until December 21.
The four day Delegate Pass (June 13, 14, 15 & 16) is now available at the special price of €240 -while stocks last and has a number of exclusive advantages.
For more details please check here. All Sónar 2018 tickets are now available here
FESTIVAL INFORMATION