Image by Rafael Dujarric

If you are a nighthawk, just wear your pair of vintage Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers and be yourself enjoying music with personality and other fellows willing to enjoy the black gold of the night life in Barcelona, dark atmosphere, drinks at good prices and keen bartenders.

The place to meet people and have short distance chats.

But if are looking for a more underground and dissolute atmosphere get down to the basement to see what surprise you might encounter!

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Manchester Bar | Bars, Music | Liquor 43 shot € 2.50
Carrer de Milans 3 | El Barrio Gotico | +34663071748
20:00 – 03:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by Rafa Dujarric

If you happen to be around, take a minute to go to Carrer del Bisbe – one of those typical narrow streets of the Gothic quarter, starting at plaza nova in the cathedral avenue.

If you are lucky enough and the weather is good, you’ll find street artists at the two alleys that cross the backyard of the cathedral (Carrer de Sta Ilucia and Carrer de la Pietat).

The best time of the day to get teased by the enticing sounds of a bandoneon or a harp player, the melancholic mood of an opera or tango singer, or the infectious melodies of a flamenco guitar player is the end of the afternoon.

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Carrer del Bisbe | Music, Relaxing
Carrer del Bisbe | El Barrio Gotico
Daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by Rafa Dujarric

A playful atmosphere filled by Salsa, merengue, son, relish and good vibes, and friendly people.

It would be impossible to leave Shango without a new friend. Even when there is a language barrier, everyone understands the musical language.

For those with two left foots and a clumsy understanding between them and the waist, there are salsa lessons on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 23:00 to 00:00.

And if you’re in need of help to defeat shyness, they have a happy hour everyday just before: from 21:00 to 23:00!

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Shango Bar | Bars, Music | Beer € 2.50
Carrer d’En Groch 2 | El Barrio Gotico
Sun – Thu 21:00 – 02:30, Fri – Sat 21:00 – 03:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by Rafa Dujarric

This is one of the few centrally located places open for live performances of emerging bands in Barcelona!

It was opened in 1992, the year of the Olympic games, big hotels and huge impersonal malls. Fortunately it was also understood that the bohemian mood was something that gave the city its popularity.

In order to play there, bands must pass the filter of the bar manager, a frenetic indie music fan who is quite aware of his roll as a gate keeper for bands that have to struggle their way into this fortified jungle of commercial mass. No wonder there was a comedian representing the country in an international music contest.

Either a jam session or a concert, there is live music every night, except for Tuesdays when they have theater performances and plays!

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Big Bang Bar | Bars, Music | Concerts € 3.00
Botella street 7 | El Raval
Tue – Sun 23:00 – 03:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by Rafael Dujarric

There are things that don’t depend on the eyes of the beholder. Red is red no matter who might claim it’s otherwise.

Even though music might be a little relative to one’s taste, at some point pride and prejudice should allow us to admit when good music is good, even if it’s techno, house or electro.

The best part is the minimal mood with which the dj starts heating engines when the hall is half empty around 01:00… better if not Friday or Saturday.

Most Wednesdays they have an international dj.

In order to get in for free just go to bar Manolo on the corner to get the flyers and have a cheap beer, but be aware that the flyers are only valid until 01:30.

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Moog | Music | Entrance on Wed € 10.00
Arc del teatre 3 | El Raval | +34933017282
00:00 – 05:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by Rafa Dujarric

Actually this is more a club than a cafe.

A pleasure dome filled with cheerful black music that combines elements of house, disco, funk, soul, hip-hop and rare grooves.

It has the perfect atmosphere to reach the state of being completely carried away by unreasoned passion and unrealistic expectations of blissful rapture without positive relationship growth or development between an obsessor and an object of desire with a playful behavior intended to arouse the courtship dance.

As if there were not enough doomsday parties during the week, now Marula has just come up with their “My black is beautiful”, with soulful music and FREE entrance every Sunday!

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Marula Cafe | Bars, Music | Entrance (after 02:00) € 10.00
Escudellers 49 | El Barrio Gotico
Sun – Wed 23:00 – 05:00, Fri – Sat 23:00 – 06:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by Rafa Dujarric

Sleep 8 hours a day, cook healthy, do the laundry, clean your house, besides working 8 hours a day, and still have a life to live … bull shit!

Unless you can find a way to make the days longer than 24 hours, there is no way to have a healthy and organized life and yet have time to live it.

So forget about everything, just work to survive and seize every moment as if it was the last, and then rest and eat healthy during the weekends.

Just come to a jam session on any Tuesday or Wednesday and sing as if no one was hearing you (be aware that the musicians playing are usually really good), or come any other day to a concert and after live music, the venue turns into a den of iniquity with a dj to dance as if no one was watching at you until 6 in the morning and then love as if you haven’t been hurt.

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Harlem Jazz Club | Bars, Music | Jam session (includes a drink) € 5
Comtessa de Sobradiel 8 | El Barrio Gotico | +34933100755
Mon – Wed 22:30 – 03:00, Thu – Sat 23:30 – 06:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by Rafa Dujarric

Feeling down and need something to raise your soul above the social mall? Or just need a break from fashion cocktails, top 40 lousy music, fancy high heels and naughty party ragers?

Whether in spring, summer, autumn or even in some good weathered winter days, at the end of Portal del Angel when going down towards the Gothic Cathedral there is a magic corner with the proper acoustic atmosphere for street musicians to perform outdoors on any season without the need of expensive sound amplifying gear.

Be ready for getting enraptured by the groove of an authentic blues singer or the captivating tunes of a world music quartet. Well, perhaps at this time you would find musicians with heavier clothing but still… it’s a magic spot.

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Portal del angel Street | Music, Relaxing
Corner Carrer dels arcs & Carrer cucurrulla | El Barrio Gotico
From morning to late night

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by AC Uribe

Barcelona is famous for its lively night life, many of which develops in extremely fancy new bars and discotheques that indulge in new music. Well, this is not the place. Magic is one of the most classic discotheques in the city – more than 30 years running, from what I’ve heard – and still lavishing in one and only thing, rock.

This doesn’t mean that the DJ was stuck somewhere in the last years, but that strong guitars and heavy drums are the usual sound of the night. It has also another characteristic: it opens until late, which makes it the perfect place to end up after a long night out.

Another great thing is that being there reflects all the kinds of people that love rock music – age is completely irrelevant. So are outfits and preferences in drinks: they have a reasonably good selection on beers and spirits.

The place is not huge and it can get almost steamy, so be prepared… and rock your way throughout the night.

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Magic | Bars, Music | Entrance & 1 drink (or two beers) € 10
Paseo Picaso 40 | El Borne | +34933107267
Mon – Sat 21:00 – 06:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by Bill Sinclair

Even in my previous lives I don’t think I’ve ever found myself in the waiting-room of a 1950s upmarket Spanish bordello, but if I had I imagine it would look and feel a bit like Rouge (think Almodóvar).

Situated in Poble Sec, just off Parallel, not far from the newly re-opened music theater El Molino (Moulin Rouge – get it?), and a few doors down from Quimet i Quimet (see the Quimet i Quimet article), Rouge is a quirky lounge-bar decorated with gilt-framed copies of Impressionist and Old Masters’ paintings.

With its eclectic collection of comfy sofas, deep armchairs, bum-numbing stools, deep red walls and low lighting I love its louche atmosphere.

It’s a good spot for a drink or two after a gig at the nearby Apolo (see the Apolo article) and before going dancing.

Rouge attracts an interesting crowd: fashion designers, hat makers, graphic artists, songwriters, poets and film-makers. But, perhaps contrary to expectations, it’s not pretentious at all – just a cool place to hang out with friends.

The music is a discreet, cool, layered mix of lounge groove, 90s ambient and 80s synth-pop. The bar also occasionally hosts live gigs.

Friendly staff, a good, lively atmosphere, in a laid-back kind of way, make this a spot to remember and re-visit time and again. It’s so good I’ll probably still be visiting Rouge in future lives.

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Rouge | Bars, Music, Snacks | Bottled beer € 3.00
C/Poeta Cabanyes 21 | Poble Sec | +34934424985
Tue – Wed 20:00 – 02:00, Thu – Fri 22:30 – 02:00, Sat 22:30 – 04:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona