Lleida gains a new actor in its musical and cultural fabric. The live music restaurant and brewery Tocata has opened its doors in the city's historic center, which will contribute to revitalizing the area and giving it added value, with a permanent gastronomic and musical offer.
The new concert hall in Lleida has emerged from the vermouth bar Lo Carrincló, a few meters from the new venue. After four years of experience in the establishment, one of its partners and his partner decided to expand their activity with this hall. To launch it, 600,000 euros have been invested in the purchase and renovation of the premises, 300,000 of which have come from a loan from the Institut Català de Finances (ICF).
"We found the premises and carried out a pharaonic work of almost eight months, with the renovation, soundproofing, and the restaurant's kitchen," according to its promoter Guillermo Sáez. For this, they have had the support of Catalonia's public development bank, through an ICF Cultura loan, intended for initiatives linked to cultural goods and services and backed by the guarantee of the European Investment Fund (EIF).
As one of the four partners of the vermouth bar, Sáez embarked on creating the new musical space together with singer Sandra Gómez, who is also his partner: "The project was born from the symbiosis between Sandra and me, with hospitality on my part, and music on hers."
"We merged the two elements, and from there Tocata emerged," which draws on the experience of both, including the organization of concerts and other cultural events at the vermouth bar. The new establishment, which has joined two premises previously dedicated to painting, features cutting-edge acoustic and security equipment.
In its restaurant, with a capacity for 90 diners, it offers a proposal designed from a brewery perspective and with grilled dishes as one of its strong points, though not the only one: "Our menu focuses on what you fancy eating with a pint of beer or a glass of wine."
After eating, the restaurant space can be transformed into the hall with a stage, but concerts will not only be scheduled after meals, but also during them, with activities such as a fado concert paired with a typical Portuguese dinner.
The cultural programming of the new establishment is handled by Gómez and one of his stage companions and, although it revolves around concerts, it will go further. It will also include events such as a competition for young music talents and photographic exhibitions. Thus, the new venue aims to revitalize the historic center of Lleida through culture, with a broad perspective that has music as its main protagonist.