Lanzarote Festivals, another musical dimension
Lanzarote comes to the rescue with another of its unique, intense experiences – this time for those who love live music.
By this time of the year, we’re already feeling like festivalgoers, with the good weather inviting us to enjoy the outdoor life. And, as usual at this time of year, Sonidos Líquidos and Arrecife en Vivo are just around the corner. Get ready to take off for another musical planet.
Sonidos Líquidos – music among volcanic wines
This festival is a pioneer in pairing wine with rock and indie music. In Lanzarote we know how to appreciate both and we’re more than ready to participate in this perfect marriage of culture, wine, volcanoes, music and gastronomy. Sonidos Líquidos makes a nod to Lanzarote’s grape variety: the volcanic Malvasia. And the backdrop to the concerts is none other than the wine-growing landscape of La Geria, a calling card that few musical events in the world are privileged to have.
Tapas in the wineries
International bands will play in small bodegas and other unique spaces with reduced seating capacity but with huge enogastronomic and cultural attraction. Taste the local delicacies prepared with local products exactly where they are grown, and wash them down with a volcanic wine, guaranteeing that the music playing at that moment will forever evoke your visit to the island.
Concert at the volcano
The Sonidos Líquidos end-of-festival concert is the real highlight of the festival, and this year the lineup features Crystal Fighters, Depedro, Arde Bogotá, 2 Mandy Djs, Miranda and The Beat, Drûpe and Tabaiba. If you’re in Lanzarote on Saturday, June 10th, you’ll be able to attend this unique event in the small-format festival circuit. The stage is set on the esplanade of Bodegas La Geria, one of the oldest wineries in the Canary Islands, surrounded by an extraordinary landscape that accompanies the musical show.
Arrecife en Vivo, another musical planet
At Arrecife en Vivo you don’t have to queue, find your way through the crowds or locate the next concert. If you visit Lanzarote during the self-styled “Martian festival for (more or less) normal earthlings”, all you have to do is let yourself go with the flow. Literally, in this case, because an Elvis from another planet, accompanied by a brass band, will lead you with his giant finger through a city that has become the capital of musical eclecticism. There’ll be rock, indie and urban sounds. Join the parade that goes through El Charco, the Avenida, the Plaza de El Almacén… you’ve never seen anything like it.
Join the parade
Si ya se te ha dibujado una sonrisa en el rostro, eres uno de los terrícolas llamados a formar parte de nuestro festival callejero, que este año se celebra los días 22 y 29 de septiembre y 6 y 13 de octubre, siempre en espacios públicos, con actuaciones gratuitas, accesibles y con total seguridad. Suscríbete al boletín informativo de Arrecife en Vivo para conocer las bandas que se van sumando al programa.
Hasta ahora, contamos con los granadinos La Plazuela y su personal mezcla de flamenco, electrónica y funk; los punk rockers asturianos Desakato, el sevillano ToteKing, la referencia del rap español, o Calva Louise, la banda británica que ha sorprendido con su mixtura de punk y electrónica. Este año, además, para celebrar el décimo aniversario del encuentro, aterrizan en Lanzarote los legendarios Def Con Dos, el grupo vigués de rapcore confirmado para el 23 de septiembre.
Where to stay?
Book a hotel well in advance. The island’s accommodation is varied and of the highest quality, whatever you’re looking for, but it’s a good idea to plan your stay in advance.
Eco-friendly festival
If you like cycling and you’re staying in Puerto del Carmen, Matagorda, Playa Honda or Arrecife, you can reach the capital using the cycle path that runs along the entire east coast of the island. And if you want to come as a family, even with children, there’s no problem. Arrecife en Vivo is a friendly, convivial event, with Lanzarote society gathering together in a completely safe environment.
Canary Islands Day
Last but not least, it’s Canary Islands Day on 30th May – this is a holiday throughout the archipelago and every corner of every island will be proudly reviving its traditions. This is the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich, colourful and very musical local culture. Get to know the traditional island instrument, the timple, which is well represented in the museum that bears its name in Teguise; get inspired by dancing a sorondongol; or try your hand at building a jolatero, one of the metal boats made from fuel drums that the children of Arrecife have created to play at being sailors for a hundred years. In short, there’s no excuse to miss the last few weeks of Lanzarote’s cultural spring.
