Founded in Barcelona, Sónar is one of the most respected events for electronic music and digital arts. Journalist Ricard Nobles and musicians/visual artists Enric Palau and Sergio Caballero started the festival in 1994, which grew from a 6,000-person gathering into a 100,000-plus party. The events last three days and nights.
Similar events haven taken place around the world, but they often suffer from an insular taste in music. Sónar is distinct in its eclectic lineups, going beyond the world of electronic dance and drawing on the wide range of artists influenced by technology. Many are underground darlings, but the organizers are not opposed to mixing in mainstream acts as well. Past examples include LCD Soundsystem, Skrillex, The Roots and even the legendary Jean-Michel Jarre.
Some festivals make well-meaning attempts to bridge the gap between these two worlds, but that usually means the superstar act headlines while underground artists are relegated to a side stage. Sónar by Night largely avoids this, hosting shows across several venues that range from clubs to symphonic halls. While the sun is still out, attendees can learn about the intersection of art and technology at Sónar by Day, a series of multimedia workshops, lectures and activities with participants including artists, musical equipment manufacturers, software developers and record labels.
The success of the festival let it branch out all over the world, first in London in 2002, as well as in Chicago, Bogota, Seoul, Cape Town and more. This year, Reykjavik, Iceland, has the honor of hosting Sónar, Feb. 16–18. Staying true to its eclectic taste, confirmed headliners for the event include Fatboy Slim, Moderat, Ben Klock and even legendary hip-hop group De La Soul. The festival continues its long-standing partnership with Red Bull Music Academy to curate a special lineup including Oddisee, AAIIEENN, Vatican Shadow and Pan Daijing.
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