Sonar 2011, a review

A brief overview in bullets:

  • When you have to get on a plane to go to a festival, the excitement increases tenfold
  • Sonar’s organisation is incredibly impressive. You can’t use cash at the bars, so instead buy tickets for specific drinks ahead of time. A combination spirit/mixer (with what I can only assume is a quadruple measure) was €8, a small cup of beer at €4. This cut down on queing for everything, the drinks were strong and it seemed like pretty fair pricing.
  • Festivals in hot climate are amazing. No pre-planned layering and bringing several jumpers to banish the cold at 4am.
  • Day one (of Sonar by Night at least) was definitely quieter than day two.
  • Diskjokke wasn’t given prominent enough position on the schedule, but was brilliant and I loved the Disney-themed SonarCar stage.
  • Having bumper cars at a festival is FUN.
  • SonarPub was easily the best area. It was the perfect size, therefore retaining a sense of atmosphere, while not feeling like you were getting crushed.
  • I didn’t see anyone get insanely messy or need medical attention, which was a welcome surprise.
  • Trentemøller was fantastic live. His band added to that; starting with a girl playing guitar with a bow, an incredibly energetic drummer and a host of others on stage. Moan sounded amazing as a crescendo.
  • Annie Mac fell a bit flat on the crowd. I’m usually a fan, but it was just too average. Katy B’s live bit with her was fun, but I’m not sure if it really had a place on the programme.
  • A-Trak was the best set of the entire festival. He’s been a favourite of mine since remixing Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Head Will Roll, and his Duck Sauce project with Armand Van Helden is huge, but to watch him mix live was in a different league. I’ve never seen a DJ work so fast, or with such little guidance from cans. He obviously knows his tracks inside, out, back to front, and blindfolded. Props for playing in a dinner jacket too. I’ll be seeking him out again.
  • The sun comes up quickly in Barcelona. At 5.40am A-Trak finished and it was pitch black, by 6.30am for Tiga(only so-so, but unfairly positined in SonarLab, which had no atmosphere to it) – it was light.
  • M.I.A. was, once again, terrible. Newly blonde, but apart from that, nothing has changed since I saw her at The Big Chill last year.
  • Chris Cunningham was equally as bad. I had high hopes, but his vibe is too dark to translate in that environment. We ended up leaving after two songs as it was such a downer.
  • Yelle is the epitome of a French act. I got to hear her do her cover of Robyn’s Who’s That Girl, which was great, as well as a few others I recognised/enjoyed. She’s 80s-tastic, all synth and electro pop, but was a little whiny live. I prefer the mixes of her tracks, which make them a bit more instrumental, but it was a happy antidote to our previous Chris Cunningham deathtrap.
  • Underworld were my other big win for the weekend. As we discussed at the time, you can tell you’re watching a crowd pleaser from the get go. They filled SonarClub like no other act on the programme, and kept an insanely high level of energy for over an hour and a half. Born Slippy was an inevitable closer, and it was definitely one of those moments I’ll never forget.
  • New artist spot of the festival goes to Buraka Som Sistema,  an act from Portugal that fuses techno with African kuduro. You’re left with something that knocks you off your feet you want to dance so much, so they were fantastic live.
  • Additional useful info. When you leave Sonar, don’t turn left and hope to find a cab. It’ll take you hours to get home. The buses run super regularly and cost €2 each way. They do get busy, but if you time it right, they’re a breeze. Alternatively, if you don’t want to face the crowds, get a cab on the way up. From central Barcelona it’s only €15ish.
  • I had a blast at Sonar. It had a totally different vibe to anything I’ve been to before and I’d definitely go back. The space isn’t as big as you’d imagine, so it’s all about the artists. If you spot a few you like, it’s totally worth a trip.
  • Ticket prices are €39 pp for entrance to one of the days (12-10pm), and €60 pp for Sonar by Night. SonarPass for everything is €155 pp, but we bought a two-day Night pass for €100 pp, which was definitely the best option for us. All info here.

Jazz, soul and a dash of flute

Last night I went to the PizzaExpress Jazz Club on Dean Street for a gig. Nay – a basement gig (the best kind) – that was part of the restaurant’s New Generation music series.

Similarly to the way the brand tied up with top Italian chef , Francesco Mazzei, to create a new range of rustic dishes – Pizza Express has brought in Nick Luscombe (of Radio 3 fame) to curate several events that pay homage to its musical heritage while showcasing new talent. Sounds marvellous, no?

We arrived early enough to get a table and munched through some dough balls, wine and pizza slices while waiting for the music to start. When it did, I was treated to what I can only describe as a miniature slice of the Big Chill – and we all know how much I (slightly obsessively) love that.

First up was soul singer Stac and her trio of backing singers, plus band. When asked about her influences, she referenced a quote that suggested genius comes from god – and those who don’t have it, simply aren’t ready to receive it. It was a lovely sentiment, and one delivered with such endearing humour that you couldn’t help but love her for it. A singer who can work a room like that is most definitely one worth taking note of.

Musically, I wasn’t expecting what came next. The super-soft harmonies of the four women on stage had an almost barbershop quartet quality, topped with a hint of something siren-esque and a slightly southern twang to the guitar.

Stac’s beautiful voice then soared and dipped through modern tales of heartache from her album, Turn That Light Out. Good soul always reminds me of Christmas; it’s something to do with feeling warm, relaxed and excited all once. Plus, I always used to listen to Tracy Chapman in the winter with my parents (I have no idea why), and her voice, though much higher and more delicate, reminds me of the quality you hear on Fast Car.

I went over a bought a CD that Stac signed. She was utterly lovely and smiled happily while I babbled at her for a bit, even though all she probably wanted to do was gulp down the glass of red in front of her.

Then we heard from The Simonsound, a project by Simon James and Matt Ford, which caught my attention immediately when described as ‘early electro, sci-fi inspired music’. That’s right up my street.

Though they’ve been working together for years (one’s of Matt’s guises is DJ Format and Simon has produced with him in the past), The Simonsound was born out of a request to create something from the Chapell Music Library. Last night’s performance included music from the pair’s first album, Reverse Engineering.

I’ll admit, it started out slowly. DJ Yoda style video sampling showed robotic cartoons in the background and scratchy doodles that complimented the 50s/60s inspired beats. I could have been back at The Reveller’s Stage at the Big Chill, such was the vibe. I was lulled into a happy sense of familiarity and nipped to the bar. When I came back however, I was all but smacked in the face when Laura J Martin appeared (as if from nowhere, I’m really not sure how she got up there so quickly) and started tearing up the flute like I’VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE PLAY BEFORE.

Jazz flute? Forget it. This was some kind of mysterious trickery. Surely one person can’t play something that impossibly fast-paced and energetic?!

Well yes, yes she can and she did. The mouths of everyone on my table dropped, literally. Then she started singing, like a breathy mash-up of Fiona Apple and early Portishead. I was gawping for what felt like forever.

The pace continued from then on in, with Simon on a synth mic singing through one track and a second singer – who sounded a lot like Bjork – taking the lead with Laura back on stage with an electric ukulele (she’s *that* cool). The latter combo of all three artists had ‘cult status’ written all over it.

Follow these guys on Twitter via @stacca, @thesimonsound and @laurajmartinuk. Get involved. The tracks with Laura haven’t been released, but when they are, I’ll let you know.

Big love to Rudi at Unity for the invite to a truly wonderful evening.

Unapologetically proud

Diamonds and delights from The Big Chill: a quick re-cap

1. Alice Russell, the best act of the festival, without a doubt. The most energetic, inspiring set I’ve seen her perform yet. Fantastic to watch and a joy to listen to. I continue to be astounded by the sense of fun she imparts to the crowd, that voice (man, that *voice*) and how palpable it is that the band around her just love to sing with her. For god’s sake, go and buy her albums. DO IT NOW.

2. Caribou doing Odessa live and our friend KT telling us about listening to the band crafting the track below her through her bedroom floor. Amazing. Apparently, he’s a lovely bloke as well. They drew a bigger crowd than Patrick Wolf for sure.

3. Norman Jay hitting the nail on the head, as he does every year, getting everyone up and dancing at 1pm on a Sunday (very hard to do) after the big night before.

4. Our 20 minute power nap in the sun, listening to Gilles Peterson do his thing.

5. Bad as it was, it was rather amusing to watch M.I.A. get it *so* wrong on Saturday night. (Check out one of the most ridiculously-placed and inaccurate stories here on Perez Hilton). She’d bagged the biggest spot of the festival, and just missed the mark spectacularly. We wanted to hear the nuances of the sampling in her music, instead we got her roaming around the stage shouting. Not rapping loudly in a ‘we’re doing this live and are a bit excited’ kind of way, just shouting. “I love the law, fuck the law” was one of the most prominent and repeated phrases throughout, but it didn’t come across as authentic rebellion, it was just a bit sad.

Not only were the crowd not feeling it, but they had to stop the set halfway through to do a super-quick soundcheck (a recurring theme throughout the Big Chill on the main stage at least). When she realised that so many people were leaving, she panicked, and invited everyone on stage while moaning “help each other”. I’d estimate that about 400 people actually made it up there before security stepped in, and then the music was cut a mere 30 seconds into Paper Planes with a booming announcement from the organisers. Needless to say, she didn’t return and I guess won’t be for any other Festival Republic event in the near future. The best bit? KT turning to us before M.I.A. came on stage and saying; “I’ve never seen her live and I have nothing to compare to, so there’s nothing she can do to disappoint me”. Then just half an hour later; “I’m *so* disappointed”.

6. Chilling out in the Sailor Jerry tent, and discovering Goldhawks, who ended up playing to a crowd of maybe 50 while we sucked down ginger beer and rum. I’d urge you to go and check them out, they’re like a German version of Arcade Fire (with a touch of Bono-esque vocals from the lead singer) – but with a little less rock and a little more indie charm. Oh yes, and we managed to stick transfer tattoos on all available patches of skin during their set.

7. Watching the firework display and ‘world famous big burn’ on the last night, matched perfectly to the dulcet sounds of funky soul coming from Mr Scruff’s tea tent, complete with his very special organic rooibos, pear and cinnamon tea.

8. Explosions in the Sky. Surprisingly energetic, like a cleaner version of Incubus. And as a double-hitter, the ENTIRE FIELD singing along to Massive Attack’s Teardrop on the same night.

9. I was truly impressed with how good Kelis was live. She was looking fabulous and sung her heart out. The tent was jam-packed, and her version of Milkshake, set to Madonna’s Holiday, was the highlight of a fantastic set that sparkled with tracks from her new electro-inspired album, Flesh Tone.

10. Finally, Bonobo on the way back to the tent on Sunday night. The perfect way to end the festival.