Summer Jam: Doors Open, Volume Up
By Sascha
July in Gracia means one thing: windows open, music loud, and cold drinks flowing. Our summer jam session delivered on all fronts.
We propped open the balcony doors to Carrer Verdi around 8 PM, and by 9 there was a small crowd gathered on the street outside listening in. Someone from the bar next door brought over a crate of cold Estrellas. That is the Gracia spirit right there.
Rafa Brings the Heat
Rafa showed up with his Stratocaster and a grin that said he meant business. He plugged into the Fender Twin we keep in the corner and opened with the intro to “Black Dog.” Marc was already behind the kit and jumped straight in. Clara, who had been warming up quietly on the Rhodes, added these stabbing chord hits that turned a classic rock cover into something with a funk edge.
The three of them clearly had chemistry. They had never played together before, Rafa is from Hospitalet, Clara studies at Taller de Musics, and Marc has been drumming at our sessions since we started, but something clicked immediately.
Stevie Wonder at Midnight
The highlight came around midnight. Clara started the clavinet riff from “Superstition” and within four bars every musician in the room was either playing or looking for something to play. We had two guitars, bass, drums, keys, and at one point someone playing a tambourine they found behind the PA speaker. It was messy and joyful and exactly what a summer jam should be.
The Street Crowd
By the time we wrapped up at 1 AM, there were maybe 20 people standing on Carrer Verdi who had been listening through the open doors. A few of them came inside to ask when the next one was. That is how you build a community, one open door at a time.
Highlights
- “Black Dog” (Led Zeppelin), Rafa, Marc, and Clara turning classic rock into something funkier. The room was moving.
- “Superstition” (Stevie Wonder), Seven musicians, one clavinet riff, total chaos in the best way.
- The Carrer Verdi crowd, 20 people listening from the street. Summer in Gracia at its finest.
Summer sessions continue through August. Every other Friday, doors at 8 PM. Bring your instrument and your thirst.
