Camilo José Cela, a Nobel Prize laureate in Literature, famously wrote that Paralelo Avenue was the "artery of Barcelona's revelry." Right there, on that long avenue leading from Plaza España to the sea, you'll find Sala Apolo , one of the most iconic venues in Barcelona's music scene.
This Barcelona concert hall and nightclub has a long and rich history. Its origins can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th century, making it one of the oldest dance halls in Europe.
Throughout its long and eventful history, this venue has housed indoor attractions, a bingo hall, a professional skating club, a variety theater, a nightclub... Despite all the changes in activity, there is something that has always remained associated with the name Apolo , and that something is being a meeting point for entertainment lovers of several generations who, with a touch of rebelliousness, have sought in this area of Poble Sec, near the Raval (the old Chinatown) a place to have fun and escape from the daily routine.
Only for a time (the years of the Civil War and the early years of the Franco regime) did the Sala Apolo in Barcelona remain closed, awaiting better times. After a period in which it was used to screen second-rate films, the arrival of the 1990s breathed new life and energy into the old venue.
It was during those years that a group of entrepreneurs had the vision (and the determination) to transform the venue into a space dedicated to live music . Since then, numerous national and international artists, from emerging rock bands to renowned DJs, have performed in the main hall (which seats around 1,300 people), as well as in its sister halls, La (2) (with a capacity of 800) and La (3) (with a capacity of 300), and in CINC, the smallest room in the complex, which seats 100. Having several halls has allowed for a greater diversification of the cultural and leisure offerings of this Barcelona music venue .
A pivotal moment in the history of Sala Apolo (and consequently, Barcelona's nightlife) was when Nitsa , a pioneering music venue located in the upper part of Barcelona, relocated to one of the city's most bohemian areas, taking over the historic venue on Paral·lel Avenue. Undoubtedly, the merger of Sala Apolo and Nitsa proved to be an explosive formula in Barcelona's clubbing history .
In this post we will talk about the success of that union and the current characteristics of this emblem of Barcelona nightlife.
Four. The main hall, the historic one, with a capacity for 1,300 people standing in concert; The (2), of much more modern construction, with a capacity for 800 people in concert; The (3) with a capacity of 300 people in concert and with an open-air patio; and the CINC, the smallest of the family, where around 100 people fit.
Nitsa and Sala Apolo: top-notch clubbing in Barcelona
Before moving to the Apolo venue on Paral·lel, Sala Nitsa was located in Plaça Joan Llongueras (next to Carrer Beethoven, above Avinguda Diagonal, near Plaça Francesc Macià). There, in 1994, its management team launched an innovative proposal for Barcelona's nightlife: after the pop music concerts held there, this space, designed for nighttime entertainment, would be offered to young DJs from Barcelona to hone their skills and showcase their talent.
The idea was a resounding success. In fact, the club's clientele soon flocked to Nitsa more to see the DJs than to the pop concerts. Among those DJs, César de Melero, DJ Zero, Ángel Molina, and the late, but famous, DJ Sideral became particularly prominent. During those years, Nitsa put Barcelona on the European electronic music map by bringing in such renowned artists as Darren Emerson (of Underworld), Jeff Mills, Derryck May, Laurent Garnier, and Ian Pooley.
It was the success of those performances and the massive, recurring influx of loyal customers and audiences that prompted Nitsa's promoters to seek a larger venue. The revolving stage at the Joan Llongueras Square location had become too small, and Apolo offered the ideal space for the Nitsa Club .
For over two decades, Nitsa was the flagship act at Sala Apolo on Friday and Saturday nights and the eves of public holidays. Virtually every star of a wide variety of musical styles performed there. What had been a traditional concert hall was transformed, thanks to a major interior renovation, into Astin (a play on Nitsa's name). Astin at Apolo is a club with all the trappings that implies in terms of lighting, sound, and visual elements. The combination of these three factors, along with the professionalism of its team, makes Astin one of the best clubs in Barcelona .
Currently, Nitsa/Astin boasts one of the most vibrant and innovative nightlife scenes in Barcelona, each with its own lineup, and is a frequent haunt for Barcelona's famous escorts . Names like Circle of Live, Octave One, and Bicep have graced the live performances, while sets by Objekt, Surgeon, and Dixon, among others, have added to the growing list of renowned artists and DJs who have graced Apolo since its opening. We'll discuss this roster and Sala Apolo's role in showcasing new talent in the next section.
Live music at Sala Apolo
As a true heir to club culture, Apolo has been an ideal platform for bands of diverse musical styles to showcase their music live . The venue's promoters claim that over 7,000 DJs and 13,000 bands have graced its three stages. These stages have hosted everything from pop and rock to techno, house, indie, reggae, jungle, hip-hop, trap, reggaeton, funk, drum and bass, and more.
International artists such as Coldplay, Interpol, Kings of Leon, The Killers, Tindersticks, The Fall, Mark Almond, The Wailers, Justice or The Hives, or national artists such as Txarango, Sílvia Pérez Cruz, La Pegatina, John Talabot, Green Valley or La Mala Rodríguez have left their mark on stages that are also open to new projects.
Regarding the role played by this Barcelona venue in showcasing new talent, it is worth highlighting the importance of Bala Perduda (Lost Bullet), a competition for emerging bands organized by the venue itself, which gave new groups the opportunity to make themselves known and to play at music festivals of the caliber of Primavera Sound.
Another major initiative of Sala Apolo was the opening of L'Estudi . This space is dedicated to the creation, production, and distribution of audiovisual content (music videos, live performances, streaming, etc.). This training space is an open door for those who wish to learn about music production and the music business.
L'Estudi is a space where the efforts and professional expertise of the Sol de Sants audio recording studio (directed by Alberto Pérez and winner of a Latin Grammy) and the audiovisual production company Furius converge. To highlight the studio's prestige, it suffices to say that artists such as C. Tangana and Rosalía herself have recorded there.
All these leisure activities and learning opportunities make Apolo more than just a concert hall. Apolo is a creative laboratory that has made music its main ingredient.
Apollo's current offer
Apolo has something for everyone every day of the week. Mondays are The Get Down days. This event features Afrobeat, Afrohouse, electronic reggaeton, and Latin house music. It starts at 10 pm in the CINC room. After midnight, the music and the party move to La (2) .
Tuesdays are MARACA days, a show featuring the best hits of yesterday and today in the Latin, reggaeton, and electronic music genres. Every two weeks, Romeo Club by Julieta collaborates with Apolo to bring the Catalan artist's sound to the club. MARACA runs from midnight until 6 a.m.
Hit after hit. That's what Bresh offers. This is the name of this venue's Wednesday night lineup. The combination of styles as varied as pop, rock, reggaeton, hip hop, electronic music, and dancehall, all expertly mixed and served, makes Wednesday nights at Sala Apolo one of the must-see events of Barcelona's nightlife.
Meanwhile, one Wednesday a month, Apolo's offerings are inspired by the famous New York "block parties." The (2) then transforms into Nalgas Club , a club conceived in 2018 by the Barcelona-based collective Cutemobb, bringing together musicians, artists, photographers, dancers, and even filmmakers. Their goal? To offer a space where music and dance enable the positive and safe "liberation" of anyone who chooses this venue to, between midnight and 5 a.m., let themselves be carried away by the music and rhythms offered by guest artists as well as residents Mia Flaw, DJ Air, and Afri K in their sets.
Milkshake is the name of the event this music venue on Paral·lel Avenue offers on Thursday nights. Dedicated to urban rhythms, reggaeton, Afrobeats, and hip hop, Milkshake nights are guaranteed to surprise. Visitors to the club on these nights might find anything from a cabaret or heels show to a dancehall performance, or even a wrestling ring in the middle of the dance floor. Once a month, Luc Loren takes charge of transforming Apolo's main room into the party epicenter of Barcelona's nightlife.
As we mentioned earlier, Fridays and Saturdays are the days for the main offering at this Paral·lel venue : Nitsa. In other words, these are the days (or rather, the nights) when the DJ booth might feature names like Jeff Mills, Aphex Twin, SBTRKT, Todd Terry, Kenny Larkin, Carl Craig, DJ Shadow, Apparat, Michael Mayer, Autechre, DJ Rush, A-Trak, Erol Alkan, Ellen Allien, or DJ Krush. These are also the nights when local DJs Marc Piñol, DJ Fra, and DJ Kosmos shine, making them ideal for those accompanied by an escort .
One Friday a month, La (Cinc) de Apolo , between 7:00 p.m. and midnight, hosts what is known as Oxido Dance Factory , a proposal based on bass music that offers a special way to say goodbye to the work week and get into the party frenzy of the weekend.
Finally, Sundays are for Churros con Chocolate , or in other words, for LGBTQ+ themed parties . Anyone who drops by on that day discovers an inclusive club hosting amazing themed shows with the best dancers and drag performers in the country. The music? Mostly Latin pop, but also pop, urban, dance, and the hottest hits of the moment. From 4 pm until 5 am, this is the realm of burlesque spirit and a unique, unforgettable party atmosphere.
