Mercury Rev

Mercury Rev arrives at Sala Apolo in Barcelona on October 5, 2026 with a live show centered on their trajectory from noise rock to orchestral, psychedelic pop. Formed in the late ’80s in Buffalo, the core of Jonathan Donahue and guitarist Grasshopper shapes a sound of high, distinctive vocals, textured guitars and string and brass arrangements, with atmospheres that verge on dream pop and film music.

On stage, the band tends to reorder its repertoire and experiment with new dynamics, taking songs through different intensities and tempos. The set can cross stages: the early rawness of Yerself Is Steam and Boces; the melodic turn of See You on the Other Side; the orchestral pulse of Deserter’s Songs and All Is Dream; and pieces from The Secret Migration, Snowflake Midnight or The Light in You. Their reading of Bobbie Gentry also surfaces in The Delta Sweete Revisited.

With David Fridmann’s production stamp on their sonic identity, Mercury Rev attends to detail: layers that are revealed, instrumental passages with room to breathe, and a balance between folk and psychedelia. A concert to immerse oneself in a catalogue that adapts to the live setting without losing its cinematic character.