Sónar

Sónar has been running since 1994, which makes it ancient by festival standards, and it remains one of the most coherent and genuinely artistic events in the global music calendar. Where other festivals book whoever sold the most records last year, Sónar has always had a curatorial vision: advanced music, experimental club culture, and the intersection of art and technology.

The festival splits into two distinct parts. Sónar by Day (in Montjuïc) is the art-forward half — installations, panels, live performances of electronic and experimental music in a setting that feels more exhibition than concert. Sónar by Night (at the Gran Via convention centre) is a proper multi-stage club event running until dawn, with lineups that consistently feature the most interesting names in electronic music before most other festivals figure out they exist.

The honest assessment: The SonarPlex — the main club space at night — can feel overwhelming and logistically difficult if you’re new to it. Go with someone who’s been before, or spend the first couple of hours mapping the stages before committing to being deep in a crowd when you want to be somewhere else.

The smarter approach: Buy day tickets rather than the full pass unless you’re genuinely committed to the whole programme. One or two focused days at Sónar — one during the day for the art context, one at night for a specific artist — gives you a better experience than three days of overwhelm.

Sónar+D: The conference and professional track is surprisingly accessible and genuinely interesting if you work in creative technology, music, or adjacent fields. Separate accreditation.