Festival Cruïlla 2019

The favourite summer festival of Barcelona locals, Cruïlla, proudly waves the flag of eclecticism, and this year puts on its tenth edition from July 3 to 6 at the Parc del Fòrum with a line-up filled with performances of all types of trends and musical styles.

The festival added an extra day this year to kick things off with a star act. Back in Barcelona a decade after their last performances, it’s the Black Eyed Peas. Fergie’s not with the band, but you won’t want to miss the founding MCs, Will.i.am, Apl.de.ap and producer Taboo, authors of hits like ‘I Gotta Feeling’ and ‘Pump It’, as they present their first album in eight years. Opening for them is young Norwegian artist Aurora, making her debut in Spain with her mix of folk and electronica.

This year Cruce perform on Thursday the 4th in a day dedicated to urban sounds and young audiences. Also confirmed for Thursday are rappers Natos and Waor, Ayax and Prok from Granada, and Lildami, who is popular on the Catalan trap scene.

Rock is the star of the day on Friday the 5th, with bands like the UK’s Bastille, presenting their expert live show; and you can also catch the return of Scottish outfit Garbage, 13 years after their last visit to Barcelona. Shirley Manson and company are back with a show full of nostalgia, where their best-known album – ‘Version 2.0’ – will shine two decades after its initial release, and you’ll also get to know some new tracks off their upcoming 2019 release. Keep an eye out for the first concert in Barcelona in more than three years by Oxford-based five-piece band Foals, where you can discover new songs from their forthcoming fifth album; Vetusta Morla, one of Spanish rock’s top bands in recent years, also celebrating their tenth birthday; and the mix of alternative pop with classic folk from Xoel López. Other confirmed names include Gang of Youths from Australia, who’ve become better known after having gone on tour with Foo Fighters; France’s Zaz, presenting ‘Effet miroir’ (2018); Catalan classics Els Pets; Dublin singer Dermot Kennedy; Iseo & DodosSound, who are embassadors of reggae in Spain; and DJ Amable.

A more eclectic line-up features on the final day, Australian pop diva Kylie Minogue, who’s one of the headliners on Saturday. This is also Kylie’s first and only big concert in Spain she’ll give to present her latest album, ‘Golden’ (2018). Also taking the stage are British band Years & Years; soul artist Michael Kiwanuka; the Brazilian festival that is Seu Jorge, who’s coming along with his band to show off the power of samba; Jorge Drexler, who recently won two Latin Grammys for ‘Salvavidas de Hielo’ (2017); Parov Stelar, the creator of electro swing; Marcelo D2, a legendary figure in Brazilian music and activism; Malian singer Oumou Sangare; duo Elyella; epic riffs from Cala Vento; metaphysical pop from El Petit de Cal Eril; and two big local bands: Love of Lesbian celebrate Cruïlla’s tenth anniversary by growing their live act to include a trio of horns (sax, trumpet, trombone), percussion, vibraphone and steel guitar; and Dorian, who filled Razzmatazz to the limit to present their album ‘Justicia universal’ (2018) in their home town.

Festival Cruïlla 2018

The eclectic Cruïlla music festival is a favourite for locals in the Barcelona summer festival season, and it celebrates its ninth year running on July 12, 13 and 14 in the Parc del Fòrum with a line-up of some 40 performances featuring all kinds of musical styles, and featuring veterans as well as up-and-comers.

One of the headliners is the great David Byrne, who not only was the frontman for the legendary Talking Heads but has also enjoyed an extensive and fruitful solo career and is one of the first English-speaking stars to open up his sound to include Latin and African rhythms. Fans of rock rooted in Americana are excited about the addition of Jack White to the line-up, with his third solo album, ‘Boarding House Reach’ (2018), and of bluesman Seasick Steve. For fans of rap and urban music, don’t miss The Roots, N*E*R*D (Pharrell Williams among them), Prophets of Rage (the supergroup made up of members of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, Chuck D and DJ Lord Public Enemy, plus B-Real from Cypress Hill), and British outfit Bugzy Malone, showing off the harder side of hip hop.

Electronic music fans won’t be disappointed either with the French duo Justice, British duo Orbital, drum & bass duo Chase & Status, and Norwegian producer Kygo.

Look forward to roots music from Brazil’s Gilberto Gil, Fatoumata Diawara from Mali, and American reggae band Soja. In addition to Diawara, Cruïlla’s other important female voices are English singer-songwriter Jessie Ware, and French musician Camille, who’s comfortable with both pop and the avant-garde and whatever lies between.

Reggae heir Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley is back at the festival after his 2015 performance, and now he presents his latest album, ‘Stony Hill’ (2017); Colombian duo Bomba Estéreo, one of the most internationally well-known groups on the new wave of alternative Latin American pop also takes to the stage.

More locally, Spanish and Catalan performers include Núria Graham, The New Raemon, Mi Capitán, Belako, La Pegatina, Els Catarres, La M.O.D.A., the Always Drinking Marching Band, Lori Meyers, Elefantes, Blaumut, Ramon Mirabet and Joan Dausà, Madrid’s Izal with their epic pop, and from nearby Vic Joana Serrat.

Completing the line-up are LP, the alias of American singer-songwriter Laura Pergolizzi; English singer-songwriter Ben Howard; New York rock band The Last Internationale; and Peruvian folk-pop group We the Lion; as well as Fura dels Baus and Aquelarre de Cervera, who add a stage-performance ingredient to the festival cocktail.