Festivals in Barcelona

Hooooooooooola,

Today, I’m coming back with an article on the main festivals of Barcelona. The 4^th most touristic city in Europe, Barcelona doesn’t have to prove anymore its notoriety. I have had the opportunity to go there in August 2014: I fell in love. The Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Nou Camp, Barceloneta, La Boqueria, so many places to visit in this city. However, Barcelone is also the capital of parties and festivals in Europe. Boosted by the success of Sonar and Primavera Sound, it is a real festival-goer culture which emerges since a few years in Barcelona. Thus, I have concocted a program of the best festivals in the Catalan capital.

MUTEK

Mutek from Barcelona is a version exported of the original Mutek born in 1999 in Montreal. Organized just before spring, its 7^th Spanish edition had an awesome line-up as: Vilod (Ricardo Villalobos & Max Loderbauer), The Orb, Valentin Stip, Reagenz, Shigeto, Rrose, Deadbeat, Atom & Tobias, Pole & MFO, Vaghe Stelle, Kara-Lis Coverdale…

Multidisciplinary, Mutek dedicates the other part of its line-up to the new media and digial creation. More than a simple festival of music, this event is real “festival of the digital creation”.

Practical Information:

Dates: March 2017
Places: Apolo/Nitsa Club, Fabrica Estrella Damm, French Institute, Teatre Barts
Prices: From free to 30€ by soirée

LiveSoundtracks Festival

Among monsters, LiveSoundtracks has chosen to have an artistic guiding line pronounced: recreate, with the help of some “genius”, a soundtrack in order to accompany a smash hit.

LiveSoundtracks explores the meeting place between cinema and experimental music.

Practical Information:

Dates: Spring 2016
Place: Sala Hiroshima
Price: 10€ by soirée

Sónar

 

Veteran festinal, Sonar is a real institution in Barcelone, to the extent that residents of Barcelona are familiar to this one. In june, the city begins literally moving at the rhythm of Sonar festival, whom the number of events make it difficult to describe in some lines. Sonar has been crowned by many as the best electronic celebration in Europe.

I let you glance at its 2016 line-up: New Order, Four Tet, Laurent Garnier, Richie Hawtin, DVS1 & Rodhad, James Blake, Oneohtrix Point Never, Bicep, Ben Klock, Ben UFO B2B Helena Hauff, Skepta, Jamie Woon, Matias Aguayo, Red Axes.

Practical Information:

Dates: 16.17.18 June 2016
Places:

·         Sonar by Day: Fira Montjuic

·         Sonar by Night: Fira Gran Via L’Hospitalet

Prices: 180€ Pass Days + Nights

Brunch/Piknic Electronik

Open-air organized every Sunday of summer, The Piknic Electronik is THE the Sunday meeting of the residents of Barcelona. The concept is simple, a Sunday brunch for all the family with good electronic music. Numerous activities are organized all day long.

This 2016 summer will go see Agoria, Kink, Erol Alkan, Fatima Yamaha, Fairmont, Carl Craig, John Talabot, Daniel Avery B2B Andrew Weatherall B2B Ivan Smagghe.

Practical Information:

Dates:

·         Piknic Electronic: June to September

·         Brunch Electronik: Spring to Autumn

Places: Gardens Joan Brossa, Montjuic / Poble Espanyol
Prices: 15€

Primavera Sound

More known than Beatles, more popular than Jesus Christ, we don’t present any more The Primavera festival and its amazing line-up. Each edition presents more than 10 headline acts. The line-up of 2016 edition put on a great spread with: Radiohead, Air, LCD Soundsystem, Tame Impala, The Last Shadow Puppets, Animal Collective, Moderat, PJ Harvey and Sigur Ros. In brief, I can’t describe this subhuman billing without spend the night.

Practical Information:

Dates: 02.03.04 June 2016

Place: Parc Del Forum
Prices: 80€ by day / 175€ Pass 3 days

Isle of Arran, an Erasmus trip in a little heaven

Hey guys,

Today I am going to speak about one of my last trips. Two weeks ago I went with some friends at the Isle of Arran, located a few kilometres away from Glasgow, in order to discover this island.

For peoples who don’t know this little isle, Arran is located in the gulf of the Clyde, in the region of Glasgow. This one is often nicknamed little Scotland. Indeed, on this “little” rock you can discover a hallucinating wealth of landscapes. It’s a mass of the different landscapes that we can find through Scotland.

On this isle, the main activity remains the hike because the island has several paths allowing to discover different landscapes. However, the main tourist attraction remains the Goat Fell. The Goat Fell is a mountain looming at 874m, whom numerous individuals enjoy every year to climb. During my trip, I have had the luck to climb this mountain and I can tell you that up there the panorama is breathtakingly. Several hours of climb are necessary before to arrive at the summit.

If you are a little bit lucky, some seals approach the coasts from time of time. ;)

How go to the Isle of Arran?

To go there, the simplest way is to take a train from Glasgow Cental to Ardrossan. Over there, take the ferry of the company Caledonian Isle towards Brodick. Arrive in Brodick, you just need to go to the tourist office in order to have some tips and after to discover the island with paths.

A small advice: if you wish to save money, take a return trip ticket Glasgow Central – Brodick, this one will be valid for the train and the ferry. This advice will allow you to save at least 5£. J

I put some pictures below so as to make you want to go on this awesome isle.

Enjoy the pictures!! J

XXXX

Berlin, my love

Guten tag!

Today I come back in order to speak about my favourite city: Berlin. I have been lucky to go in January 2016 and I was taken with this city.

I have discovered a dynamic, young and in reconstruction city. After dark hours Berlin shines with its open-mindedness, its joy of life and its overjoyed energy. Berlin surprised me by its beauty, its history, its inhabitants but especially with its crazy nights. Indeed, Berlin is internationally renowned for its mythical clubs such as Berghain, Tresor or Watergate (three of my favourite clubs in Berlin). It’s an inescapable stage for every techno fans. Moreover, we cannot pretend to know Berlin without discover the essence of this city. That’s why I am going to present my four favourite clubs in Berlin and finish with a small top 10 of things to see in Berlin. (despite our love for techno music it’s important to visit a little bit ;) ).

Berghain – Panorama Bar

I don’t know where to begin! This club is the most mythical in Berlin…. Its line-up, its resident artists and its atmosphere made its international renowned. Go inside Berghain, it’s discover an atmosphere never seen until now in other clubs.  Indeed, inside you will discover immense spaces just a little bit lighted, jerky by stroboscopes and filled of smokes. I have just one advice, com in only if you are open-minded. J 

Moreover, Berghain doesn’t have hours. Indeed, Berghain opens at midnight and stay open until the afternoon (when it is not open nonstop). You can arrive at 3am as 3pm, there always will be some party-animals enjoying sound.

Its dark sides, the queue beside club and demanding bouncers, without real selection criterions.

If you pass in Berlin, try you luck at Berghain. If you cross its doors, be sure to live an outstanding experience.

Trésor

The Trésor is also mythical as its counterpart the Berghain. Its place, an old electric factory, has allowed to be one of the best clubs in Berlin. But it is especially for its history that the Trésor acquired its reputation. Indeed, it is the club which launch techno in Berlin.

The entry in this club is rather easy, staff is nice and the quality of sound is amazing. It is not a club where we go to show itself, here we meet amateurs of techno. The decoration inside is a little bit seedy but it is what makes of its charm.

As the Berghain, Trésor is an unavoidable and will allow you to live a real experience.

Le “Chalet”

It is a small intimate club which I had the opportunity to discover accidentally during my trip in Berlin. The Chalet is a real Berlin underground club with all the features. Indeed, inside you can do what you want in quite coolness. Here key words are: drug, sex and techno ;) ! It is an inevitable stage in Berlin for its music and its authenticity

Watergate

Watergate is one of the leading light clubs of the moment in Berlin. It is not always simple to go inside and the queue can be long. Don’t arrive at 10 people and anticipate a long waiting time. If you enter, you will not be disappointed. The club is on two floors, at the edge of the Spree (river crossing Berlin) with big bay windows which allow you to see the sunrise. It is not an underground club as we find in Berlin. Inside you can find many tourists.

The dark sides are: the queue which can easily last more than one hour, a lot of people inside (toilets, bar and dancefloor) and it can be very hot on the dancefloor.

However, between two techno parties, take time to visit and see Berlin. Indeed, this city has plenty things to see as The Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, TV Tower, etc. For the lazybones I give you my Top 10 of the things to see in Berlin. Je les ai triés en fonction de leur importance et de mes préférences. I have created my top 10 according to the importance and my preferences.

TOP 10 in Berlin

1.       Brandenburg Gate

2.       Berlin Wall (East Side Gallery)

 3.       Reichstag Building

4.       TV tower and Alexanderplatz 

5.       Museum Island

6.       Gendarmenmarkt

7.       Charlottenburg Palace

 

8.       Bebelplatz

9.       Berlin Botanical Garden

10.   Check Point Charlie

XXXXXX

Quentin

Glasgow: My city of adoption

Hey guys!

After a period without any articles, I finally post my first “guide”. For this first one, I decided to present the city where I live now since September: Glasgow. It is with pleasure that I am going to make you discover inescapable places of my city of adoption.

First city in Scotland, Glasgow is a multifaceted city. Advocating its young and trendy side, Glasgow attracts all the Scottish youth wishing to have fun. I am going to present the main attractions in the city, my favorite district as well as my favorite bars, clubs or restaurants.

Its main attractions

In spite of Glasgow is the main city in Scotland, this one is not renowned for its tourism and the diversity of its monuments. Indeed, Glasgow is an old industrial city, whose the vestiges haven’t disappeared. The city doesn’t enjoy a beauty and an attractiveness as its neighbour: Edinburgh. However, Glasgow owns some gems which are worth it during a trip in Scotland.

Buchanan Street

The main trading artery of the city, this one is considered as the second biggest of the United Kingdom after Oxford Street. You can find all the international brands as H&M, Topshop, Forever 21, Diesel or GAP.

Its advantage: The architecture of its buildings

Princes Square

Kelvingrove Museum and Park

One of the main museums in Glasgow and in Scotland. This one is in an awesome Victorian building. Kelvingrove Museum welcomes a big diversity of exhibitions. Moreover, this one is located in the full heart of an amazing park: Kelvingrove Park.

Its advantage: the entrance is free.

Exhibition in Kelvingrove Museum

Glasgow University

Real trip in time, this college is not without reminding us the adventures of the young wizard Harry Potter. Indeed, visit this university it is like a dive into the books of J.K.Rowling.

Its advantage: Its fantastic universe.

Necropolis

Something to see for its history, “extravagance” and its view.

Its advantage: Its amazing view over the city of Glasgow.

My favorite district

Undoubtedly: The West End. District of predilection of students and hipsters, West End is the area where it’s necessary to find its flat or to live during a stay. From my arrival in Glasgow, I very fast discovered this district and I totally fell in love. West End is filled with little trendy coffee shops, restaurants and second-hand clothes shops. We also find Kelvingrove museum, Kelvingrove park and the University of Glasgow.

My favorite addresses in West End:

·         Restaurants:

o   Black Sheep Bistro: 10 Clarendon Street   
o Fanny Trollope’s: 1066 Argyle Street

·         Coffee Shops:

o   Artisan Roast: 15 -17 Gibson Street
o   Papercup: 603 Great Western Road

o   Kember and Jones: 134 Byres Road

·         Second-hand clothes shops:

o   Vintage Guru: 195 Byres Road

o   The Glasgow Vintage Co: 453 Great Western Rd

Favorite Clubs

Being a big amateur of techno, I mainly frequent this kind of clubs. However, Glasgow owns several clubs with different atmosphere, decor and music style. We can find reggae, rock, electro, English pop or “standard” clubs.

I am only going to speak about my favorite addresses for listen techno.

SUB CLUB

Let’s start with Sub Club, real institution in Glasgow. Elected two consecutive years’ best techno club in United Kingdom, this club enjoys an international reputation.

Its advantages: Its line-up and the quality of its sound system.

FLAT 0/1

Flat 0/1 is an atypical but inescapable club of Glasgow. Indeed, this one is located in an old flat transformed into a club. This small intimist club allows you to discover young DJ of the region.

Its advantages: Free entry and atypical place.

PRESSURE – SWG3

They are parties organized every month by various independent labels of techno music. For every amateur of techno, it is a compulsory stage when we are in Glasgow. The Pressure welcome every biggest artist of the techno scene such as Marcel Dettman, Carl Graig, Nina kraviz or Skream. Follow my advice, go to Pressure.

Its advantage: line-up of international DJ

To finish, it is important to specify that all the clubs in Glasgow close at 3:00AM.

GOOD DEALS

When we are student in Glasgow, numerous good deals exist. The main sesame for all its good deals: our student card. Indeed, this one allows us to obtain many discounts in clothe shops, coffee shops, pubs, clubs, bus or museums. We can take as example Urban Outfitters who offers 15% all year to students, MacGills (buses company) who propose a student day ticket for 2,60£ or some coffee shops which propose until 30% on the bill.
As regards clubs, it is important to know that we can join a guest list in order to benefit a free entrance. For this, we have to go on the website of the club or on its Facebook page. It’s also important to indicate that the entrance is often free before 11:30pm.