Music Scene in Mallorca

Mallorca manages to attract its fair share of well-known international artists who fill the calendar with live concerts at one of the islands many music venues. Palma Arena, the Iberostar or Son Moix football stadium, Palma Auditorium and the Es Gremi Music Centre are some of the top venues alongside outdoor festival style sites like Son Fusteret, Port Adriano and the BH Hotel. Over the years, Mallorca’s locals and visitors have enjoyed concerts by music legends like the Beach Boys, The Happy Mondays, Guns'n'Roses, Kool & the Gang, China Crisis, Placebo, Elton John, Gloria Gaynor or Ricky Martin.

The illustrious holiday resort of Magaluf has the most vibrant music scene in the summer months. The BH Hotel has taken over from the former Mallorca Rocks and hosts large scale parties with an impressive list of acts, including Tiesto, Tinie Tempah, Calvin Harris, Labrinth, Far East Movement, Laidback Luke, DJ Sammy, Cascada, Eddie Halliwell, Judge Jules and Howard Donald. The legendary DJ Carl Cox is known to perform at various venues on the island along with fellow DJs Andy Cato and Tom Findlay (better known as Groove Armada) as well as Pete Tong and a whole host of others.

The local music scene is also worth checking out, especially if you are into more intimate parties. Many bars in Palma and around the island feature live music acts throughout the year playing pop, rock, reggae, blues, funk and soul, whilst others host dance and electronic DJs which bring in both locals and tourists alike. Look out for special events like folk and flamenco nights which take place at various venues around the island, the perfect opportunity to give it a go and join in with some Spanish dance moves.

Alternatively, you can dive into Mallorca’s traditional music culture as summer fiestas often involve some customary local live music and dance acts. The 'Ball dels Cossiers' is the island's traditional dance. Imported from Catalonia in the 14th century, it’s well worth watching as men and women often dress up in traditional costume and you will feel like you have been transported back a couple of hundred years. You might also notice a number of local musicians play an instrument similar to the Scottish bagpipe at these events. This instrument is, in fact, called a ‘xeremía’ and is a traditional Mallorcan instrument dating back hundreds of years.

Jazz music has created quite a stir on the island. At any time of the year, you can venture into Palma’s old town and visit its lively jazz and blues bars. In the summer months keep your eyes peeled for jazz and live music evenings at various hotels and bars around the island, especially in the more touristy resorts. There’s also more than a few jazz festivals in the music calendar with some of the biggest names in the scene showing up for live performances. Watch out as Alcudia Jazz Festival, Inca Jazz Festival, Sa Pobla Jazz Festival and Jazz Voyeur Festival should be on your radar.

Mallorca has a pretty impressive line-up of classical music events. The annual Chopin Festival is one of the most famous on the island and is held in the famously picturesque town of Valldemossa. Pollença Music Festival takes place within the equally majestic surroundings of Convento de Santo Domingo each summer while the Bellver Castle classic music concerts turn this medieval fortress in Palma into a stunning stage. Port de Sóller’s annual festival, whilst a more recent addition to the events calendar, is proving very successful and has attracted a high caliber of international musicians.