Mercè Street Arts and Senegal in Barcelona, visit with Barcelona Checkin Apartments

Added: (Mon Aug 30 2010)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Barcelona Festival La Mercè 2010 approaches once more the city to the citizens, the street... and Africa

A new feature this year is the inauguration, as part of the festivities of La Mercè, of a new festival. It is "Mercè Street Arts' (MAC) and will offer entertainment from the best international arts companies working in the street. Attendees can see apartments to rent in Barcelona by Barcelona Checkin.

To this new show must be added the BAM Festival (Barcelona Accio Musical), meeting this year its eighteenth edition. On this occasion, some of the artists confirmed are the English duo Goldfrapp, Belle & Sebastian (indie band) and Ok Go, American alternative rock group. But Barcelona Accio Musical will also leave an important space for local and regional artists. This is the case of musical groups such as Els Amics de les Arts, San Leon, Maika Makovski, Nacho Umbert & La Companyia, Nueva Vulcano, Hindi Zahra, Tulsa and El Guincho.

In that spirit to strengthen the music made in the city or its environs, the Barcelona Festival will offer a tribute to Gato Perez, the Barcelonese musician who this year marks the twentieth anniversary of his death. The musical montage named after '20xGato' will be led by Barcelona's rumba group Sabor de Gracia.

Another one of the novelties of this year is the presence of Senegalese music and culture. This is because the city of Dakar is the guest of this year. For the first time an African metropolis will make of Barcelona its window to the occidental world (in previous years have been invited the cities of Medellin, Quito and, last year, Istanbul). The main representatives of this culture in Barcelona will be the singers Awadi and Njaaya and contemporary dancer Tenane, although there will also be most original shows, like a night of percussion with Doudou N'Diaye in collaboration with local musicians at Plaza Catalunya, and a parade by Cheick fashion designer in the Parc de la Ciutadella.

The proclamation of the Mercè festival in 2010 will be read by the poet and architect Joan Margarit. Joan Margarit, author of poems such as Barcelona final love will read the proclamation at the City Hall Square on September 23 at 19:00. About a month after the conclusion of the Festival a new collection of poems will appear at bookstores: It was not far or difficult.

The poster for this year is not too elaborate, is austere, with concepts closely linked to the current economic situation. The poster has been designed by Claret Serrahima, with the collaboration of 31 Barcelona important citizens such as the Mag Lari, Poltrona Tortell, Chano Domínguez, journalist Ferran Monegal, singer Quico Pi de la Serra, the architect Oriol Bohigas, the former 'vedette' of the Molino Maria Mirats and Johnny, the bartender at the legendary bar 'Pinotxo' of the Boqueria, among many others.