On paper, the Barcelona spring of 2023 promises to be radiant. There will be double concerts by Elton John and Bruce Springsteen and the Coldplay will become resident artists for a week at the Estadi Olímpic, at the gates of Primavera Sound and a Sónar that will celebrate its 30th anniversary. Cruïlla, Pedralbes and other more local festivals will continue the party. Few cities in Europe (decadent or not) will present such a contrasting and diverse offer.
The Coldplay phenomenon, with four stadiums sold out in a few hours –or ten River Plate Monumentals in Buenos Aires– transcends music. It is probable that, beyond the many followers of the group, people who simply do not want to miss what they suspect will be one of the cultural events of the year have signed up for the party.
It also happens with the blockbuster exhibitions in the big museums. The feeling spreads that you have to be there... although, in many cases, the only relationship with Chris Martin's group will be having heard it as the soundtrack of Barça's golden years.
So many stars, however, can dazzle and end up diverting attention from the real problems of the sector in Barcelona and, by extension, in many other cities. Apart from these great events, the habit of buying tickets has receded both in music and in theater or cinema.
Bookstores are not going through their best moments either, and this time competition from online consumption of cultural products cannot be blamed. We Europeans have decided to live on the streets and on the terraces this summer, which is presumed to be the last before a new debacle. That is why the advance purchase of tickets is not encouraged.
So, with the mega-concert scene on track, now it's time to rebuild the local musical fabric, battered after the pandemic. That is precisely one of the tasks of the Mercat de Música Viva de Vic, which in September celebrates its 34th edition, the first without restrictions after two years of Covid-19.
The latest study available, that of 2018, indicates that the Mercat had an impact of 4.1 million euros on live music as a whole. It should be noted that, in the case of this festival, the impact does not measure spending on hotels or restaurants, but, above all, the hiring of musicians by public or private entities (11% is generated by the international industry).
Hence the importance that the Mercat de Vic, directed in the artistic part by Marc Lloret, has a good edition. At the moment, the expectations for this year are very good, with 550 accredited professionals and a long list of artists who have chosen Vic to present their proposals at l'Atlàntida before a select audience of programmers, such as, for example, the innovative formation that They are made up of Alba Morena, David Soler and Marcel Bagés.
Vic will act as a catalyst for a sector mired in precariousness, but it will take everyone's complicity to prevent the musicians from chaining another black year, this time because of the war.
Of course, the complicity of the public is necessary, which must value the privilege of continuing to listen to live music after these years of forced drought. But also that of the administrations and, in particular, of the town councils, as main contractors. It must be remembered that, with the initial blows of the economic crisis of 2008, the first thing that was exterminated from public budgets was live music. The same should not happen if a new austerity is imposed now: no one has suffered as much as musicians or actors from the break in the health crisis. It would rain on pouring rain.
Live music is actually a social network that also lowers stress levels. We need it.
