Xavier Herrero |
Madrid (EFE) with collapses that, if on Thursday they were lived in the accesses, today they have moved inside making this at times a much more uncomfortable and claustrophobic experience.
Last night was the only day with all the capacity sold, some 70,000 people, only 3,000 more than on Friday according to official figures, although in practice that small difference would not explain how the 185,000-square-meter venue has become blocked in several points, including key transit areas such as toilets, which has led many attendees to urinate in any corner.
That it was the weekend and there was a desire to make the most of the day, it has already been noticed in the early entry time of a good part of the attendees despite the 33 degrees above the Iberdrola Music space, which have been deployed among proposals such as the rockers Belako or the pop of Cupid, in the midst of an offer that -this time yes- has been lavished on more Spanish names such as Morgan and Shinova.
On the other side of the venue, the hedonistic synthesizer-pop band of the British Years And Years, promoted to one of the main stages since their previous visit to Mad Cool, perhaps for having rounded off the latest Dcode in the capital, this time with the mission of starting the party with songs such as their cathartic version of “It’s a Sin” by the Pet Shop Boys, “Desire” or “King”, while the crowd has danced, washed down by water hoses.
timeless hymns
Time after the timeless hymns, those of a Liam Gallagher who -still challenging the people of Madrid with the Manchester United anthem- 25 years later continues to attract a large public around the glory days of his time in Oasis and not so much in Beady Eye.
As a result, his concert has been vibrant at the start, with cuts like “Morning Glory” or “Stand by me”, from that stage with his brother Noel, followed by a central section that has apparently been a process even for him with his perpetual gesture of boredom, and a finale riveted with “Champagne Supernova” and, just before, with a “Wonderwall” that has been chanted from the front row of the “show” to the hamburger stands at the other end.
MIA, a last-minute substitute for Janelle Monae due to the cancellation of her European tour, has subsequently been the great victim for having become the big stars of the day at halftime. Not even having starred in a great concert at this same festival in 2017, nor have hits like “Paper Planes” saved her from a slow and fateful exodus to dine in the absolutely saturated gastronomic area.
This, despite the fact that at the same time other legends such as Primal Scream were playing and that there were thousands of visitors to this Mad Cool who have decided to remain at the foot of the first stage for their idols Red Hot Chili Peppers, who did not play in Madrid since their concert at the Palacio de los Deportes in 2016, this time with Joe Frusciante’s guitar back in their ranks.
A perfect electric jam session
His, along with Chad Smith and Flea, who entered the stage doing a handstand, has been an electric jam session, perfect as a start and a prologue to that already classic “Can’t Stop” that has put Mad Cool’s voltage to the fore. maximum and that has given entrance to the singer Anthony Kiedis, who seems to keep the secret of eternal youth.
Some dissidents, and saying that on a day like this is equivalent to no less than 4,000 people, have bet in parallel on the commercial pop of the American Ava Max, whose abundant dose of “hits” would have deserved a main stage, but in general the bulk of the crowd has remained loyal to the Californians.
As a reward, these have exploited a repertoire that has compared in contributions a work as recent as “Unlimited Love” (2022) with another so emblematic “By The Way” (2002), of which they have not stopped playing the headline cut, not so much so “Californication” (1999), reduced to the song of the same name with which Frusciante has once again shined with a nice guitar tail.
Along with it, the band’s live show has also returned an “Under the Bridge” that was stolen from the Madrid public on their previous visit and that has sounded like a perfect closing pitch along with “Give it Away”, with a few remaining songs to go. hours to close after three days this Mad Cool with The Prodigy and Jamie XX.