The Festival Internacional de Bencassím gets going this week. Organizers are speculating that the number of party-goers is going to be greatly reduced this year… losing perhaps as many as 80,000 attendees this year.

But even if the “fibers”, as they’re known in Benicàssim, are staying at home this year, the musicians are not. Once again, this tiny seaside village is putting on a music event that rivals anything else in the world. 100 artists take the stage over 4 days, starting Thursday. And there are some great names.

Kasabian, The Prodigy, Gorillaz and Vampire Weekend are the headliners, and even the most cursory glance at the program will make an indie rock lover’s mouth fill with saliva. Klaxons, Hot Chip, Dizzee Rascal, Four Tet, DJ Shadow, Brendan Benson, etc. etc. And at least one of those bands is going to sing a song about Valencia’s most famous beverage.

So, if you’ve always wanted to check out the famous FIB, but been scared off by the big crowds, this might be your year. More information can be found at FiberFib.com.

It’s always exciting to see who’s going to be performing during the summer concert series in the Viveros Gardens, part of the Feria de Julio. So, let’s see what we’ve got here:

The Cult? Deep Purple? COME ON! The Spanish-speaking world is a little more modernly-represented with Pereza, Muchachito Bombo Inferno and Valencianos Revolver.

The highlight (for me at least) is Puerto Rican reggaeton group Calle 13 — one of the coolest bands anywhere in the Americas:

What do you think? Anything you’re especially excited about?

More Feria de Julio events: Batalla de Flores – Beach Fireworks – Public Ballroom Dancing

Jazz fans, listen up!

Melody Gardot, Natalie Cole, Nikki Yanofsky, Dr. John, Maria do Céu Whitaker Poças (CéU), Joshua Redman and Avishai Cohen are some of the big names that will be visiting Valencia in July during the XIV Jazz Festival at the Palau de la Música.

Last year, there was an awesome free performance in the gardens of the Palau… They’ll be doing it again this year. A background of jazz, blanket, bottle of wine and the presence of your random summer fling makes for an incredible evening in the Turia.

The festival is on from the 8th to the 17th of July.

There aren’t a lot of Flamenco joints in Valencia, but those that do exist boast a high level of quality. We recently checked out La Bulería, near the Ciudad de Artes y Ciencas, and had a great time.

La Bulería provides a classier evening than Radio City or El Duende, and seems to be especially popular among sharply-dressed young adults trying to impress their dates. The comfortable and perfectly-lit dining room is small, which provides every table has an unobstructed view of the stage, and means that reservations are essential.

We sat down at 9pm, and had a wonderful meal… meats and cheese, and a salad to start, followed by an incredible roast cooked in red wine sauce, accompanied by potatoes. Delicious. Once we had polished off the dessert, a generous piece chocolate mousse cake, we lingered over our wine, enjoying the animated vibe in the room, and waited for the show to begin.

We didn’t have to wait long. As soon as everyone was done with their meals, the performers took the stage and put on an awesome show, split into two acts. Very dramatic, and a bit more flamboyant than the flamenco we’ve seen before. Two beautiful dancers joined a singer and guitarist on stage, and their performance simply didn’t have a boring moment. Laughing, smiling and shouting “¡Olé!” at each other, they were clearly having a ball, and that energy carried over into the crowd.

We can definitely recommend La Bulería, especially if you’ve got a new date you’d like to make a splash with. The full dinner and show will set you back €45 per person, though menus start at just €30, which is a decent price for an unforgettable evening.

La Bulería’s Website (in English & Spanish)
Calle Obispo Jaime Pérez 24, 46006
Location on our Valencia Map
963 153 058

- La Flamenca Tapas Bar Valencia

It’s all about the ladies at the third annual Festival de Mediterrani, at the Palau de las Arts Reina Sofia. With the slogan “ELLA”, the operas featured during the month-long event were chosen for their focus on strong female characters. Richard Strauss’s Salome, based on the play by Oscar Wilde features the infamous Dance of Seven Veils and its shocking finale. And Georges Bizet’s capricious Sevillian gypsy Carmen takes the stage, as well.

We’re not really into opera much ourselves, but the festival, which runs from May 30th – June 30th, incorporates much more. Concerts, chamber music, recitals, conferences, and a number of films screened free for the public, including Gilda and The Barefoot Contessa — all in keeping with the theme of ELLA, of course.

And here’s a tip you won’t see publicized very often: at least for the festival, the Palau offers a 50% Last Minute Discount on tickets purchased 2 hours before each performance. This obviously won’t work for any sold-out performance, but could provide a great way to see an opera you don’t necessarily want to shell out the big bucks for.

More information can be found at the Palau’s official website.

- Valencia Hotel Reviews