antònia font

Artists behind 'Alegria' will play at Barcelona's biggest music festival next year eight years after retiring

Majorcans Antònia Font, who have probably been the most successful Catalan-singing band in the last decade, have announced they are splitting up “without controversies or internal traumas” after 17 years together. They will offer a last concert in Palma de Mallorca on the 27^th of December. The band has issued a press release on Thursday explaining that the “time has come to put an end to this path”. From January onwards “they will focus on personal projects, which do not necessarily have to be related to music”. They added they are “satisfied with the work done” and “aware of their legacy”. Antònia Font became a great success in the early 2000s in the Catalan musical landscape with a unique style combining plain lyrics about everyday life and Majorca with surreal and science-fiction elements. Its sound is rich, with touches of experimental music, and with influences from pop, folk and electronic.

The 13th edition of the Festival de Cap Roig will run from the 20th of July until the 16th of August, and it is one of the main milestones of Catalonia’s cultural landscape during the summertime. The music event takes place in the Cap Roig gardens, a green promontory overlooking the sea, located in Calella de Palafrugell, at the centre of the Costa Brava. This year, the budget has been reduced by 20% and the average ticket price will be reduced by 16% due to the economic crisis. The Catalan bands Manel, Gossos, Antònia Font and Blaumut will play at the festival that will be kicked off with a concert by Elton John, making the only stop in Spain of his 'Rocket Man - Greatest Hits Live' tour. Other important artists are Katie Melua, Fito & Fitipaldis, Vicente Amigo, Melendi, Malú, Rosario and Ainhoa Arteta.

Pau Debon, the singer of the band, tells CNA the evolution of the group and how they got here. From Majorca to Catalonia, and later to Galicia and the Basque Country, Catalan-speaking Antònia Font has broken its two-year silence with a new album ‘Vostè és aquí’ (Here you are) and a tour throughout Spain. With a new distinguished style escaping from the stereotyped three minutes and ten-song album, they have experimented with new formats and sounds. Debon assures that after sixteen years together and nine albums, now he would like to play in festivals throughout Europe.

Vinicio Capossela, Johny Winter, La Casa Azul, Quique González and Ron Sexsmith are some of the artists that are playing in the festival. The Catalan-speaking indie pop band Antònia Font will kick off the 24th edition of the Guitar Festival BCN on the 20th of February.

Catalan-singing band Antònia Font is preparing a new album. According to band sources, the group has all the material ready and is aiming to record it before the end of 2012. Antònia Font is continuing to tour with their last album, Lamparetes, but they are currently combining stage-shows with the task of creating another outstanding album.

This weekend, 14,500 people rocked at the Palau Sant Jordi, in Montjuïc, in a charity concert that brought together the most famous Catalan singers and bands. Singer songwriter Lluís Llach interpreted a poem with former F.C. Barcelona Manager, Pep Guardiola, who finished with the verse: “Everything is to be done, and everything is possible”. 20 more artists participated in the concert, which turned into a cry against AIDS and for the independence of Catalonia.

The City Hall and The Coliseum Theatre are the new locations of the Guitar Festival, which will play host to popular bands such as Els Amics de les Arts, Jorge Drexler and the Waterboys. The Festival is taking place from March 10th to May 26th and is including all kind of guitar focused proposals. This Guitar Festival is considered to be one of the most important consolidated music events in Barcelona, with around 25.000 spectators per year. The budget for this 2012 has increased by 3.5% and will include new improvements and musical offers.

A total of 40 bands will play in this summer music festival in Barcelona. The ‘Primavera Sound’, the ‘Sonar’, and ‘Cruïlla Barcelona’ are the most important indie, pop and electronic music festivals in the Catalan capital.