Barcelona to broadcast rooftop and balcony concerts

An unprecedented collective concert from the rooftops and balconies of Barcelona has been announced for Saturday, May 9, featuring around twenty different artists and groups. 

Stay Homas, Joan Manuel Serrat, Maria del Mar Bonet, Txarango, and Amaya are just some of the names confirmed to take part in the lockdown gig that aims to pay homage to citizens for their efforts in staying indoors and trying to put a halt to the coronavirus pandemic.

Produced by audiovisual production companies El Terrat and Mediapro, the initiative came about "collectively" and has the support of Barcelona City Council as a "collective gift" of gratitude for the resistance of the people. 

It is also a mark of recognition to the cultural sector, which has been hugely affected by the public health emergency, as mayor Ada Colau explained. 

The concert will last about two hours, with performances previously recorded from rooftops and settings, and will end at 8pm to “melt” in with the daily applause of the healthcare workers.

Artists

All in all, there will be performances by Joan Manuel Serrat, Stay Homas, Sílvia Pérez Cruz, Manolo García, Marina Rossell, Maria del Mar Bonet, Antonio Orozco, Amaya, Els Catarres, Txarango, Suu, Roba Estesa, Sopa de Cabra, Sidonie, El Niño de la Hipoteca, Dorian, Joan Dausà, Clara Peya, Lildami and Koers, with two more by Coque Malla and Leiva which will be recorded from rooftops in Madrid.

The show will start at 6 pm and fans will be able to tune in via the city council's website, on Catalan television station betevé, and also on whatever media channel that wants to broadcast it, Colau said. 

The festival will be interconnected with drone footage moving from the different artists’ homes. The project is non-profit, although the council has invested €200,000 to "cover the technical costs" of the two producers in charge of filming.

The mayor said that they wanted to create "something beautiful" during the pandemic, and offer "a collective gift to all the people of Barcelona who are working so hard to get us out of it."