At the end of February, you will see the first blossoming of the almond tree. This will be a sign that, climate change permitting, spring will be here. And with the new season also comes a new edition of Sons de ciutat, the cycle of concerts in public spaces that, every quarter, sets the Barcelona soundtrack. Open your ears wide when you leave home because, from 3 February to 23 March, Barcelona sounds like spring.

Check out the website dedicated to the cycle and you’ll find a programme that not only covers styles of all kinds, ranging from classical and lyrical music to the most modern names on the independent scene such as the STA (pictured), the indie pop-rock of Marta Knight and the groovy synthesizers of Mogambo Live, among many others, but also takes in the city itself.

You can see that in every district of the city you will find one or the other. There are almost forty concerts by thirteen artists or musical projects, selected with the complicity of labels, festivals and institutions such as Sónar, Primavera Label, Say it Loud, BAM, Terrats en cultura, ESMUC, Jam Session, Conservatori Superior del Liceu, Taller de Músics, MIRA, Fundació Victoria de los Ángeles and Fundació Òpera Catalunya.
It all starts on 3 February with proposals such as that of the STA and its rhythms derived from reggae (in the Jardins d’Elx square in Sant Andreu, but with more dates on 17 and 24 February in Gràcia and Sants Montjuïc), and also with proposals that are more difficult to see on the street, such as the trio of arias from Rossini’s opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia offered by young singers (on 3 February in Plaça d’Eivissa in Horta, but also on 2 March in Eixample). Pay attention to the lyrical proposals, which on this occasion also include arias from Gounoud’s Romeo and Juliet that will be performed in February and March in different public spaces in the city, including the Mercat del Clot (17 February) and the Mercat del Ninot (22 March).

Classic tunes, such as those of the quartet Corda lírica or the clarinet, cello and voice trio Veus a tres bandes and their programme of lieder and Catalan songs performed in the street (Plaça de Sarrià, 24 February; el carrer de Girona amb Consell de Cent, on 2 March; Mercat de Sant Andreu, on 9 March) are also part of the programme which, despite the presence of classical tunes, also includes some of the most modern musical forms.
Come and stroll along the Rambla del Poblenou on 3 February and you’ll find the Delight in concert, serving up jazz-tinged sounds that drift into pop, neo-soul and electronica. Or go shopping at the Mercat de Sant Gervasi on 3 February (also at Carrer Tarragona on 24 February and at the Mercat del Guinardó on 16 March) and you’ll get a good taste of the indie folk of Núria Durán.

More artists? The River Omelette and their indie pop and indie-folk with British roots; Raquel Lúa’s unusual songs (and what if we mix copla with fado?); and the malenconious trumpet of Mogambo Live await you at different venues around the city over the next two months.

These are just some of the proposals (the full programme includes performances by Pale Moon, Delickites, the New Sabrosura Band and Marta Duran, among others) that you can experience in the streets, squares and markets of Barcelona this February and March. If you want to see the full programme of performances, take a look at the Sons de ciutat website.