Vic’s 2022 Mercat de Música Viva festival grants opportunity to discover emerging local talents

Vic’s Mercat de Música Viva (MMVV), or ‘Live Music Market’ is back from September 14 to 17 with 60 concerts, many featuring local emerging artists such as Le Nais,  Chicuelo and María De La Flor, across the Osona county capital - 69 km north of Barcelona - and no pandemic restrictions for the first time in three years.  

50 artists, 700 music industry professionals who will be there to network, and around 100,000 people are expected to participate in the 34th edition. There will be also more stages available throughout Vic compared to last year, when only nine were booked for the festival due to pandemic restrictions. 

The 34th edition hopes to mix established and emerging Catalan musicians and create alliances and opportunities in the Catalan music scene. “I have always seen the Mercat as a space to present new trends, it is not a commercial proposal,” said the festival’s director, Marc Lloret.  

The event will kick off on September 14 with a performance by the singer Núria Graham, who will also present her new album ‘Cyclamen’ right after coming back from her United States tour. Catalan singer Ernest Crusats will also premiere his solo debut, and guitarist Chicuelo will present his album ‘Caminos’ accompanied by cello, drums, and dance.

There will be music for everyone’s taste ranging from indie, pop, electronic, jazz, punk, and folklore performances. Some other bands scheduled are  Arnau Obiols, Auxili, Delafé and Las Flores Azules, Le Nais, 31 HAMBRE, Kumbia Queers, Gatica, Pupil·les, Maruja Limón, Stay Homas, Roba Estesa or La Ludwig Band. 

The concerts open to the general public at the L'Atlàntida Theater and the Jazz Cava will cost €3 while those at the Plaza Mayor and El Sucre will be free as in previous editions. The program and timetables can be consulted here.

International presence

There will be as many international professionals at the MMVV as in previous editions. With the support of the Institut Català de les Empreses Culturals (ICEC), the event will host a delegation from Occitania, who will join other French artists and agents. 

And in collaboration with the Andorran government, pianist Kic Barroc will play a duet with French saxophonist Baptiste Herbin, paying tribute to the International Jazz Festival of Escaldes-Engordany.

From Brazil, Dandara Manoela will transfer her personal journey to the stage through Afrofuturism beats. The Kumbia Queers, from Buenos Aires, will present a rhythm called ‘tropipunk’, a mixture of cumbia, reggaeton, and punk, while Argentine musician Sofía Viola will play timeless tangos, milongas, vallenatos, and ballads. From Burundi, Betina Quest will play a concert full of hip hop, jazz, soul, and afrobeat. 

The MMVV Pro Catalan Arts, networking at Mercat

In addition to the concerts, there will be also presentations, pitchings, and speed meetings to promote new talent at the L'Atlàntida Theatre from September 14 to  16 as part of a side event called MMVV Pro Catalan Arts. 

These professional and networking sessions will be complemented with concerts at the Auditorium,Marquee, and Jazz Cava.