This venue, which serves as a car park during the day, has great potential as a performance space, with a natural backdrop of towering fortifications and connecting bridges. It has been overlooked by many locals but not by the film industry, which used it in a scene for Gladiator.

Etnika and Valletta local council have chosen this site to be the venue for a cultural event and transformed into a performance space.

Valletta mayor Paul Borg Olivier said that Valletta local council has been working with a number organisers of cultural events to help make use of previously unused venues in Valletta and, together with the Malta Stock Exchange, is supporting Etnika with this event.

Through these artistic performances, Valletta local council has created more sensitivity towards the historical sites around Valletta, bringing people closer to the sites and making better use of such unique venues.

After the success of the World Music Festival at the beginning of the summer, which was held at Lower St Elmo, Etnikafe will be the second event this summer to make use of “new venues” for artistic performances.

The staircase from City Gate down to the ditch will be closed for the nights of the events – on Friday, Saturday and Sunday – as will the entrance and exit of cars parked within the Ditch.

Entrance to the Etnikafe concert will be through the Excelsior side from Great Siege Road on the way to the Yellow Garage. Parking for the event will be available alongside the public library, the Excelsior Hotel, the Phoenicia Hotel or along Great Siege Road. Etnikafe will commence at 8:30pm. Tickets, at a price of Lm6, can be purchased from St James Cavalier, D’Amato or at the door.