Els Catarres, La Oreja de Van Gogh and Stay Homas to perform at La Mercè

 

Around 100 bands, such as Catalan pop-folk group Els Catarres, 2000s Spanish pop sensation La Oreja de Van Gogh, or the lockdown-inspired Stay Homas, will be performing at Barcelona's annual La Mercè festival, which this year will take place from September 23 to 26. 

The groups, many of them up-and-coming, that will be playing are mainly Catalan and include the likes of Marcel i Júlia, Xarim Aresté, Delafé y Las Flores Azules, 31 FAM, Alizzz, Luna Ki, or Nico Roig.

The free, open-air concerts at the first Covid restriction-free La Mercè in years will be held in 12 different venues across the city, from the Teatre Grec on Montjuïc to Rambla del Raval or even on Bogatell beach beside Poblenou.

Ginestà, Stay Homas and Buhos

Radio stations will be in charge of keeping the party going at the stages that will be set up on Avinguda Maria Cristina, beside Montjuïc's Magic Mountain.

On Friday, Cadena 100 will bring the likes of David Ros, La Oreja de Van Gogh and Mosaic, while on the Saturday, Europa FM will host Samantha, Nerea Rodríguez, Les Montses, Itaca Band and La Pegatina.

On Sunday, RAC105 will end the show with Clima, Ginestà, Stay Homas, Buhos and Habla de mí en presente, with Els 40 hosting the performances of Portobello, Miki Núñez, Lola Índigo, The Tyets and Dr. Prats at a new venue in Zona Universitària that same night.  

Mercè Música

Catalan jazz and bossa nova star Rita Payés will be playing alongside pianist Lucia Romero at the Teatre Grec as will Cuban musician Alain Pérez.

One of the highlights of this part of the festival will be a tribute to Tete Montoliu, a blind Barcelona jazz musician, on the 25th anniversary of his death. 

Mediterràneament beach stage

This year, the Mediterràneament stage on the Bogatell beach will host performances geared towards younger audiences with bands such as Marcel i Júlia, Els Catarres, Delafé y Las Flores Azules, 31 FAM, Alizzz and Santa Salu.

Rome is the guest city of the 2022 edition of La Mercè, which is why Vozes will be playing a tribute to Italian singer Mina, while Mannarinno, one of Italy's most popular musicians, will also be performing here. 

Barcelona Acció Musical

La Mercè's less conventional BAM is based on the concepts of dissidence, revisiting the roots, club and urban music and collectivity, self-management, extreme music, and emergency.

Artists such as Frantic Amber, Luna Ki, Asmâa Hamzaoui, Cartel Madras, and Anika will be performing on the BAM stage.

Acció Cultura Viva

Acció Cultura Viva is a unique part of La Mercè, with participants selected through a participatory process with more the 500 proposals.

Promoted by the council and local associations, it strives to provide a more community-focused approach to the arts with transgressive and experimental music.

Bands like La Maga, Eli Almic, Koers, Noko Woi, Senyor Oca, Trezor, Remei de Ca la Fresca will be playing at Nau Bostik and the Fabra i Coats venues.