Spanish venues prepare for ‘The Last Concert’

Music venues across Spain are preparing for a livestream event dubbed ‘The Last Concert?’ to highlight the severity of the situation facing the country’s cultural facilities, due to ‘lack of action and political will’ from the government.

Next Wednesday (18 November), over 90 venues including Barcelona’s Apolo Hall and Madrid’s Café La Palma will come together and livestream performances from a host of artists, yet to be announced, for free from 8 pm.

The event is part of a wider campaign called #ElÚltimoConcierto (The Last Concert) which saw iconic Spanish venues post photos on social networks with the hashtag, as well as its year of foundation and the year 2020 with a question mark to suggest that the crisis may mean the closure of these spaces.

“We unite to celebrate what could be the last concert if the administration does not take the necessary economic and political measures to avoid the disappearance of this network of cultural facilities that are essential for the development of artists and cultural life of our territory,” the manifesto reads.

“As one of the sectors most affected by the crisis, with most spaces not yet able to open their doors, we need attention proportional to our degree of affectation if we want to avoid the impoverishment and cultural desertification of our territory, which unfortunately would be irreversible.”

“We unite to celebrate what could be the last concert if the gov does not take the necessary economic and political measures”

According to the campaign group, 25,000 concerts in Spain will have been cancelled this year, causing a total loss of €120 million for concert halls. These spaces employ almost five thousand direct workers, whose jobs are at risk.

At least 15 music venues have permanently closed already, according to AP Musicales.

Last week, prime minister Pedro Sánchez and his cabinet declared a six-month state of emergency, set to remain in force until 9 May, with periodic reviews.

The decree will allow Spain’s regional governments to order an overnight curfew to run from 11 pm to 6 am, or to begin and finish an hour earlier or later.

Promoters including Live Nation Spain, Doctor Music, Madness Live and Producciones Animadas have commented on the new wave of measures for IQ.

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