Concert for Freedom

The Concert for Freedom was a concert held at Camp Nou football stadium in Barcelona on 29 June 2013, organized by Òmnium Cultural in conjunction with other civil society organization such as the Assemblea Nacional Catalana and the Plataforma Pro Seleccions Esportives Catalanes with the goal using the universal language of music to demand the right of Catalonia and other nations of the world to freely and democratically decide their future. Some 90,000 people were in attendance.[1] Between the 2012 Catalan independence demonstration and the Catalan Way, the concert was another social mobilization event in favor of independence.[2] More than 400 artists performed, among them Lluís Llach, Sopa de Cabra, Miquel Gil, Pastora, Joana Serrat, Jofre Bardagí, Jordi Batiste, Lídia Pujol, Maria del Mar Bonet, Marina Rossell, Mercedes Peón, Nena Venetsanou, Orfeó Català, Paco Ibáñez, Pascal Comelade, Pau Alabajos, Pep Sala, Peret, Projecte Mut, Sabor de Gràcia, Ferran Piqué, Joan Enric Barceló & Eduard Costa from Els Amics de les Arts, and Brams.[3] The artistic directors were Gerard Quintana and Lluís Danés, who was in charge of set design. The stage featured various steps symbolizing the path toward freedom.[4]

Concert for Freedom
Concert per la Llibertat
Mosaic at the Concert for Freedom
GenreConcert in support of Self-determination
Catalan independence
Date(s)29 June 2013 (2013-06-29) (20:00h)
VenueCamp Nou
Location(s)Barcelona
Next event2014: Nosaltres decidim
Freedom Catalonia 2014
ParticipantsÒmnium Cultural and Assemblea Nacional Catalana
Attendance90,000 people
Websitewww.concertperlallibertat.cat

Also present at Camp Nou were nine members of the Catalan government and representatives from the majority of Catalan political parties that support Catalonia's right to self-determination.[5] Muriel Casals, the president of Òmnium Cultural, gave a speech affirming that "Catalonia's independence movement is not against anyone or anything" and requesting that politicians not delay the process toward a referendum.[6]

Background

Concert tickets went on sale on Monday, 3 June and almost all (60,000) were sold the same day, with online wait times to purchase tickets that exceeded six hours.[7] This caused the organization to initially freeze ticket sales[8] and then release 30,000 tickets for sale on the 17th, though these were for seats at the south goal post of the stadium, behind the stage.[9]

When the singer Dyango announced his participation in the Concert for Freedom, some Spaniards were outraged.[10] Dyango was not intimidated by the attitudes of the hosts on 13 TV, an ecclesiastic television channel that is one of the stalwarts of Spanish nationalism, in the face of his support for separatism.[11] He affirmed that the current goal is to hold a Catalan referendum, and ultimately achieve full separation from Spain.[12][13] Peret also denounced pressure and threats he has received for participating in the concert.[14]

Singer-songwriter from the Canary Islands, Pedro Guerra, cancelled his participation in the concert alleging that the event had veered toward "purely separatist motivations that he doesn't share" and that "this is not his fight," while affirming that he was not pressured into withdrawing.[15] Singer Mayte Martín also withdrew at the last minute for similar motives.[16]

Program
Partial view of Camp Nou during the concert.

Before the concert an information fair was set up outside Camp Nou[17] and the local Food Bank established collection points to benefit the needy, collecting a total of 25 tons of food.[18]

The event was divided in two halves. In the first half, various artists interpreted songs related to freedom and popular Catalan tunes such as "L'emigrant" (The Emigrant) sung by Peret; "Què volen aquesta gent?" (What do these people want?) sung by María del Mar Bonet and Companyia Elèctrica Dharma, and "Camins" (Paths) sung by Sopa de Cabra.[4] The second half featured songs by Lluís Llach sung both by the artist himself and other artists such as Orfeó Català, Perros, Ramoncín, Pastora and Miquel Gil, in homage to Llach's concert at Camp Nou in 1985, remembered as a protest in supports of the rights of the Catalan nation.[4][19] At halftime, the Castellers de Vilafranca orchestrated a 9 level high human tower called a 3 de 9 amb folre and they played the Catalan national anthem "Els segadors," while forming a giant mosaic reading "Freedom Catalonia 2014." [4]

During the first half, readings were performed between songs by Cristina Plazas, Anna Sahun, Bonaventura Clotet, Manel Esteller, Miquel Casas, Pere Joan Cardona, Alícia Casals, Isona Passola, Ventura Pons, Joel Joan, Jordi Díaz, Josep Pedrals, Lluís Soler, Màrius Serra, Matthew Tree, Montserrat Carulla, Núria Feliu, Quim Masferrer, Roger Coma and Sílvia Bel.

Readings were written by Bertolt Brecht, Dolors Miquel, Enric Casasses, Jacint Verdaguer (La veu del Montseny), Joan Margarit, Joana Raspall (El vell vestit), Maria Àngels Anglada, Marià Villangómez, Miquel Martí i Pol, Montserrat Abelló, Salvador Espriu (El meu poble i jo), Vicent Andrés Estellés, Joan Brossa, Josep Maria de Sagarra (La campana de Sant Honorat).

Performers Piece
First half
Cobla de Cambra de Catalunya Juny
Cobla de Cambra, Pascal Comelade and Enric Casasses Sense el ressò del dring
Pere Jou, Andreu Rifé, Joan Dausà and Jofre Bardagí Qualsevol nit pot sortir el sol
Grup de Folk (Eduard Estivill, Jaume Arnella, Oriol Tramvia, Jordi Pujol and Isidor Marí) Vull ser lliure
Sabor de Gràcia Ningú no comprèn ningú
Projecte Mut Jo tenc una enamorada
Pep Sala and Dyango Boig per tu
Peret L'emigrant / Ella té molt poder
Joan Isaac and Joan Amèric A Margalida
Yacine Belahcene and Yannis Papaioannou La mala reputació
Paco Ibáñez Como tú
Mercedes Peón Ben linda
Joana Serrat and Xavier Baró Aquesta terra
Jordi Batiste and Meritxell Gené Escolta-ho en el vent
Sopa de Cabra Camins
Theo Catalonia (Louisiana)
Fermin Muguruza Gora Herria
Pau Alabajos and Cesk Freixas Al vent
Brams Vull per demà
Maria del Mar Bonet and Companyia Elèctrica Dharma Què volen aquesta gent?
Companyia Elèctrica Dharma i Cobla de Cambra de Catalunya La presó del rei de França
Carles Santos and Cobla per la Independència Fanfàrria
Speech by Muriel Casals
Orfeó Català, Cobla de Cambra de Catalunya and the audience Els Segadors
Castellers de Vilafranca human tower "3 de 9 amb folre"
Second half
Lluís Llach Venim del nord, venim del sud
Pastora Tinc un clavell per a tu
Gwen Perry and Gisele Jackson Que tinguem sort
Gossos Bressol de tots els blaus
Lluís Llach Un núvol blanc
Lídia Pujol País petit
Miquel Gil El jorn dels miserables
Franca Masu Maremar
Nena Venetsanou Vaixell de Grècia
Marina Rossell Que feliç era, mare
Alessio Lega Abril 74
David Alegret Amor particular
Orfeó Català Campanades a morts
Joan Isaac, Ferran Piqué, Joan Enric Barceló, Eduard Costa, Pere Jou, Andreu Rifé, Joan Dausà, Jofre Bardagí, Xavier Baró, Enric Hernàez, Orfeó Català No és això, companys, no és això
Gerard Quintana and Pascal Comelade I si canto trist
Cris Juanico Viatge a Ítaca I
Gorka Knörr Viatge a Ítaca II
Mercedes Peón Com un arbre nu
Beth, Ivette Nadal i Bikimel Laura
Maria del Mar Bonet Alè
Manel Camp, Nabil Mansour, Masil, Yacine Belahcene, Ismael, Ramoncín i Cor per la Integració L'estaca
Everyone Tossudament alçats

International reception

The Concert for Freedom was covered by several international media agencies (such as Reuters and The Associated Press) and various newspapers, television and radio stations from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, the Netherlands, Portugal, etc.[20] One of the most talked-about images from the event by the media was the mosaic that unfolded in the stands during the playing of the national anthem of Catalonia.[21]

Among the articles covering the event were:

References
  1. "L'independentisme esclata al Camp Nou (An Explosion of Pro-independence Sentiments at Camp Nou)". VilaWeb. 30 June 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  2. Colomer, Marc (24 April 2013). "El Barça cedeix el Camp Nou el 29 de juny per al concert amb Llach per l'estat propi (Barça Vacates Camp Nou on June 29 for a Concert Featuring Llach to Benefit Independence Movement)". Ara.
  3. "Lluís Llach, Sopa de Cabra, Miquel Gil i Pastora entre més al concert per la independencia (Lluís Llach, Sopa de Cabra, Miquel Gil and Pastora among others at the concert for independence)". VilaWeb. 30 May 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  4. 324.cat (30 June 2013). ""Tossudament alçats", de Llach, tancarà el Concert per la Llibertat al Camp Nou, que aplegarà més de 400 artistes ("Tossudament alçats", by Llach, will close the Concert for Freedom at Camp Nou Bringing Together More than 400 Artists)". Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  5. "90.000 voices for independence at Barcelona's Camp Nou concert". VilaWeb. 30 June 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  6. "Muriel Casals recorda als partits catalans que el camí del dret a decidir "és complicat" però "no pot ajornar-se" (Muriel Casals Reminds Catalan Political Parties that the Path to the Right to Decide "Is Complicated" but "Cannot Be Held Back")". 324.cat/ACN. 30 June 2013.
  7. "El Concert per la Llibertat vende 60.000 entradas (El Concierto por la Libertad vende 60.000 entradas)". la Vanguardia. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  8. el País (4 June 2013). "Paralizada la venta de entradas del Concert per la Llibertat (Paralizada la venta de entradas del Concierto por la Libertad)". Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  9. "A la venta 30.000 nuevas entradas para el 'Concert per la Llibertat' (30,000 New Tickets on Sale for "Concert for Freedom")". el Periódico. 17 June 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  10. "13TV, sorpresa i preocupada perquè Dyango hagi passat de cantar 'Suspiros de España' a donar suport al "separatisme català" (13TV, Surprised and Worried because Dyango Has Gone from Singing "Suspiros de España" to Supporting Catalan Separatism)". Ara. 5 June 2013.
  11. "Dyango no es deixa intimidar per l'actitud agressiva dels tertulians de 13tv contra el seu independentisme (Dyango not Intimidated by Aggressive Attitude of13tv Hosts against his Support for Separatism)". Vilaweb. 5 June 2006.
  12. "Dyango escandalitza 13tv (Dyango scandalizes 13tv)". Regió7. 6 June 2013.
  13. "Dyango: "We can't go back now; it would hurt the movement"". El Punt Avui. 17 June 2013.
  14. "Dyango and Peret Denounce Threats from the Establishment". VilaWeb. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  15. "Pedro Guerra es retira del Concert per la Llibertat perquè "aquesta lluita no és la meva (Pedro Guerra Withdraws from the Concert for Freedom because "This Is not my Fight")". diari Ara. 28 June 2013.
  16. "Mayte Martín i Pedro Guerra no seran al Concert per la Llibertat per pressions españoles (Mayte Martín and Pedro Guerra will not attend the Concert for Freedom due to pressure from Spaniards)". el singular digital. 27 June 2013. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  17. VilaWeb (21 June 2013). "El Concert per la Llibertat inclourà una fira d'entitats (Concert for Freedom Will Include an Information Fair)".
  18. "El Concert per la Llibertat recapta 25 tones d'aliments (Concert for Freedom Collects 25 Tons of Food))". Ara. 30 June 2013.
  19. Colomer, M.; González, S. (20 April 2013). "Un Camp Nou per l'estat propi per impulsar el procés (Camp Nou gathering in support of the process toward self-rule )". Ara.
  20. VilaWeb (29 June 2013). "Una vintena de mitjans internacionals, al Concert per la Llibertat (A Score of International Media Outlets Represented at the Concert for Freedom)". Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  21. VilaWeb (1 July 2013). "La imatge del Concert per la Llibertat, als mitjans internacionals (Photo of the Concert for Freedom, International Media)". Retrieved 1 July 2013.
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