*Cue loud guitar music*
Picture it now! You hear those first guitar chords in the distance as the crowd goes wild, the sun is shining, you’re sippin’ a nice cold beverage and you’re surrounded by a crowd of ecstatic and gorgeous people. Just like an oasis would materialize in the middle of a desert, the festival’s entrance gates appear before you. You get your entry bracelet on your wrist, and as if by magic – it’s FINALLY SUMMER. And our bodies are ready for the fun-loving, euphoric times to be had.
What can we say? Every year, Madrid’s festival scene has us mesmerized, and the city just keeps getting better at hosting these entertaining events.
We all know that Spain doesn’t do things be halves. Ever since festivals have grown in popularity in our wonderful country, Spain has outdone itself to offer the BEST venues imaginable. Nowadays, everyone is (not so) patiently waiting for festival season to start!
Credit: Andrés Iglesias en Mad Cool
We mean, who can blame ‘em? Amazing live music, tons of interesting and fun-loving people all about the place, and the most top-notch summer atmosphere of all time… What’s not to love? It’s no wonder the festival trend has taken Spain by storm. And it seems like it’s here to stay.
Madrid has an incredible live music scene and Spain’s growing map of must-see festivals shows that there will be many different venues on different weekends in various big cities throughout the summer.
Here at Cats, or as we like to be called “The home of Madrid’s true festival lovers”, (Don’t miss our Pub Crawl) we would like to take this opportunity to invite you along on a musical adventure. Come enjoy Madrid in the best way possible and treat yourselves to tickets for one of these AMAZING summer music festivals. You won’t regret it.
BOMBASTICLAND 2023
When: 16 & 17 June
Where: Auditorio Miguel Ríos
Much more than a festival, Bombasticland is a small city where everything is possible for 48 hours. Immerse yourself in its universe; go to its amusement park or its beach club, while they do a show on radio, twitch or television, all live. Maybe you are the content creator, so here you will have your own corner to create. Well, as well as letting them do your make-up or even tattooed. 5 different areas depending on what you want to do. Absolute madness.
And of course, the music! I take a breath and go: Bizarrap, Funzo&Baby Loud, Recycled J, Delaossa, Ptazeta, Pole, Ysy A, Zetazen, Hoke&Louis Amoeba, Jaime Lorente, Leo Rizzi and Nano, among many others.
A SUMMER STORY 2023
When: June 23, 24
Where: Ciudad del Rock de Arganda
Let’s leave the “petit comités” behind us for a moment to introduce one of the BIG players. That’s right, A Summer Story is here once again. This year’s Djs are ready to knock your socks off, as huge names like Dimitri Vegas, Don Diablo and Armin Van Buuren will be performing at Arganda del Rey (AKA, the City of Rock). You’ll be caught up in the whirl of techno, house and festival mayhem in no time. The party of a lifetime (and the hangover the next day) are included in the welcome pack!
Credit: A Summer Music Story
LOVE THE TUENTIS 2023
When: June 24
Where: IFEMA – Feria de Madrid
Time to get nostalgic guys. Love the Tuentis is the perfect festival to relive your youth or adolescence. Music icons from the 2000s will have us feeling some kind of way at IFEMA as we are taken back to those golden years of pop, dance and beach music. Who to expect: King África, Kate Ryan, Andy and Lucas, Coti, Efecto Mariposa,Tata Golosa and Bustamante.
Credit: Love The Tuenti’s
LOVE THE 90s FESTIVAL 2023
When: 17 June
Where: Recinto Ferial de IFEMA
Let’s take a step back in time. When the 2000s are too far away, here come the 90s, blessed era of tacky clothes, I invite you to see photos of yourself from those years, and good years for music. You will be able to choose between 3 stages, like a week before at the festival we just talked about; Beach, Pop and Dance.
Without distinguishing between genres, we can give you a preview of some of the names that will be here and that will make you sing and move as if you were still in high school, remembering better days with better shape; AQUA, Safri Duo, Corona, Dj Sash!, Chimo Bayo, Los Secretos, Modestia Aparte, OBK, Seguridad Social, Amistades Peligrosas, Azúcar Moreno, Locomía, King África, and many more that you’re going to love.
RÍO BABEL 2023
When: 30 June and July 1,2
Where: La Caja Mágica
The Rio Babel Festival brings the union of music, comedy and art to Madrid. What will you be able to find? In addition to the best music and comedy, there will be some very cool gastronomic areas, two stages, new technologies and the most innovative digital art and NFTs.
Let’s go by parts, what can you find in these three days of laughter? You’ll see Iggy Rubí and Inés Hernand, Ana Morgade, Ignatius, Jorge Ponce, Lalachus and more well-known names in our country.
And what about the music? That’s what we’ve come for. Juan Luis Guerra 4,40, Morat, Jamiroquai, Bomba stereo, Macaco, Julieta Venegas, Guitarricadelafuente, Álvaro de Luna and a long list of other artists you can’t miss.
Credit: Festival Río Babel
MAD COOL FESTIVAL 2023
When: July 6-8
Where: Espacio Mad Cool / Nuevo Espacio de Festivales de Madrid
Hey. If USA has its Coachella festival and the UK has Glastonbury… then Madrid has its very own Mad Cool event. It’s our most well-known musical affair, and a suuuper popular choice to enjoy some indie/rock magic. The organizers have outdone themselves once again this year, with a line-up that will entice anyone, including Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Black Keys,Robbie Williams, Lizzo, Sam Smith, Machine Gun Kelly, Lil Nas X, Liam Gallagher, The Prodigy and many many more! Quality, much?
Credit: Andrés Iglesias en Mad Cool
PRIMAVERA SOUND MADRID 2023
When: 7 – 11 June
Where: Arganda del Rey
This 2023 edition of the Primavera Sound has a more “gato” touch than ever, it tastes different. As usual, the first weekend of June they will go with the whole team to Barcelona but, and we stress that “but” with great intention, from the 8th to the 10th of June they will land in the City of Rock in Arganda del Rey in the Spanish capital.
Not only that, on the 7th and 11th the opening and closing parties will be held, respectively, at the Cívitas Metropolitano stadium with free admission where you will see artists such as Pet Shop Boys, Jake Bugg, Vitalic, Diplo and Ben Böhmer, among others.
More than 200 performances under the slogan I’ll be your mirror, where we can, and should, highlight artists such as Depeche Mode, Kendrick Lamar, Blur, Rosalía, Halsey, Bad Gyal, FKA twigs, Skrillex, St. Vincent, The Moldy Peaches or Calvin Harris. What are you doing reading without your ticket?
RBF REGGAETON BEACH FESTIVAL 2023
When: 22 & 23 July
Where: Espacio Mad Cool / Nuevo Espacio de Festivales de Madrid
The biggest Urban Beach Festival in Europe celebrates its second edition in Madrid and if you are reggaetoner@ this event is a must on your list.
A big beach with water attractions and inflatables, summer food area and artists like Ozuna, Anuel AA, Arcángel, Jhayco, Bryant Myers, Lunay and Sech will be waiting for you. By the way, there are some surprises in store, if I were you, I’d buy your ticket now because when some of the names of the guest artists come out…that’s all I’m saying.