Starting a band is pretty easy. Keeping a band going is almost a miracle. Actually playing gigs and recording an album, well, that’s for the chosen few. Misnoma is one of the city’s longest lasting bands, having played together for close to five years. The founding members - - Ayesha Mendham and James Reid – have been together even longer, since their Brighton days in the late 1990s.

Their Barcelona adventure began under a different name – Xiringuito -, playing bars in the city centre and events along the Catalan coast. They played a key role in revitalising the local music scene in early 2001, a time when live music gigs started popping up all over the Raval and the Gótico, and underground music really took off. They played regular gigs at the London Bar and hosted an immensely popular open-mic/jam session at Kabara. Since becoming Misnoma, they have played some of the city’s best clubs – including the Sala Apolo and Club13 – and summer festivals in Spain, the UK –Glastonbury and Shambala – and other parts of Europe.

Their self-described pop-electronica style shows Arabic, jazz and trip-hop influences and has finally been immortalised in their debut album Make it Right this Time. Misnoma is playing during the Mercè, at the La ciutat per les persones event on September 22nd in Plaça Catalunya.

BCN Guide Sept 2007