Sidecar Factory

Sidecar in Placa Real is the place to be for hipsters/rockers/students/thrillseekers. As the night begins, it hosts a variety of indie rock and electronic music concerts (keep an eye out for these on their website, or even just around the pillars down Las Ramblas) but as the clock runs down to midnight the engine really starts to get going. The upstairs bar is nothing too special, but Sidecar club is where many of the more indie and alternative minded revellers of Barri Gotic and El Raval head to for frenetic dancing as the many, many dive bars around the neighbourhood wind down. If you're on a budget, grab a flyer from a down-on-their-luck young promoter in Placa Real and head in before 1am, and beat the rush that comes in between 2 and 3am with the closure of the bars. The music spans rock, electro, pop-punk, indie, nu-metal and ska depending on the night of the week, though it's always kept accessible and varied. Although it has an indie vibe, all sorts rub shoulders here. Students, skaters, and tourists abound, typically in their 20s and 30s. The dancefloor is typically packed on any night of the week and party nights here are quite uninhibited, so it bests suits revellers with a somewhat relaxed sense of personal space, as jostling, making out and pogo-ing are common sights on the floor. Want to have an eclectic night partying in close proximity with young, attractive people from 20 different countries while the DJs follow up Sham 69, Metallica, and Bauhaus with Ladytron and The Beastie Boys? It happens here.

When you go to Sidecar hold onto your name as tight as you can because one beer very quickly turns into one too many... The bar, more like a watering hole, is an ants nest of thirsty drunkards eager to impress the tempting barmen and ladies behind the counter. I have made more friends here in one night than during my entire stay in Barcelona. Words cannot describe how much I love this place! In fact, if I were writing this review whilst being there it would be in fluent Spanish it’s that cool! Whatever you do, make sure you have at least one night in this fine establishment full of hot, sweaty people.