We’re into the thick of it now at Madrid’s sun-kissed Mad Cool Pageant – and day two of Spain’s premier music extravaganza served up some suitably scorching units.
Away from 9 Inch Nails‘ late-night industrial rock disco, which you’ll learn extra about right here, NME managed to pack in a formidable variety of performances throughout a number of levels. Listed here are our picks of the bunch…
Phrases: Rhian Daly, Liberty Dunworth, Alex Flood, Andrew Trendell
Natalia Lacunza (6.05pm, Orange)
Performing first at a competition is all the time a difficult job, contending with a crowd that’s slowly trickling in and never absolutely warmed up and able to go. Spanish singer-songwriter Natalia Lacunza took up that problem with aplomb on the Orange Stage yesterday at Mad Cool.
The Pamplona singer combined electro, reggaeton, synth-pop and extra into her set, which captured the imaginations of the early birds for day two. There have been surprises packed into the efficiency, as nicely, with a ripped, muscular bodybuilder becoming a member of Lacunza on stage at one level and Madrid pop star María Escarmiento making an look through the penultimate chart-ready gem ‘Prefiero’. Lacunza, although, didn’t want particular company to make her efficiency a charming affair. The 26-year-old’s magnetic stage presence and hook-filled songs like ‘SIMELLAMA’ had been greater than daring sufficient to maintain even the uninitiated utterly compelled. RD
Future Islands (7.10pm, Ouigo)
“We’re gonna beat this,” vowed Future Islands frontman Samuel T. Herring, staring into the glare of his biggest enemy throughout yesterday’s set on the Ouigo Stage: “the solar”. With simply 50 minutes to play, he promised to get proper to it. Cue that ominous twinkling intro to ‘King Of Sweden’ and comfortable cheers from the group at his inimitable, crablike fashion of dancing.
Herring’s as soon as viral, fame-making stage prowess can’t be understated. From his easy squat-kicks to wanting like a mime artist combating bees in a twister, the showmanship on show had us asking: is there an exorcist in residence at Mad Cool that may assist with the battle between Morrissey, Henry Rollins and Jim Carrey seemingly going down inside him.
He acts and lives each line, as a result of he means it. ‘A Dream Of You And Me’ was devoted to the group. “We’ve been going for over 19 years,” mentioned the elastic-limbed frontman, “I didn’t assume we’d nonetheless be doing it”. This marked Future Islands’ penultimate European present earlier than the tour for contemporary album ‘Folks Who Aren’t There Anymore’ wraps. “We’re so glad you all are right here, we’re in all probability gonna be gone for some time,” Herring warned. Hopefully not too lengthy, although. AT
Alanis Morissette (8.20pm, Orange)
Iconic singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette could have constructed her repute through the Nineties as a poster youngster for the camera-ready MTV era of artists, however her legacy was made on stage – and due to her musical capability.
The completed conductor of mass singalongs was again to her previous methods at Mad Cool yesterday afternoon, directing one of many competition’s largest crowds up to now by way of euphoric renditions of basic bangers ‘Hand in My Pocket’, ‘Ironic’ and, in fact, her defining anthem ‘You Oughta Know’.
There was a severe facet to her set too, with stunning statistics about sexual violence in opposition to younger ladies flashed up on the screens behind her. The ‘Queen of Alt Rock Angst’ has all the time been able to put her politics into her music, and when 30,000 persons are ready to bellow the lyrics to ‘Fingers Clear’ – a livid critique of gender inequality in America – again at her, it’s unattainable to not really feel hopeful in regards to the future. AF
TSHA (9.10pm, The Loop Iberdrola)
Whereas Alanis Morissette was over on the Orange Stage wanting again by way of her discography, former NME 100 star TSHA was heating up The Loop Iberdrola, bringing trendy feel-good membership vibes to Mad Cool 2025.
With a mix of pumping electronica, hard-hitting bass strains and hypnotic visuals, the British artist rattled by way of an unforgettable set because the solar set on day two over the Villaverde website. Surrounded by a psychedelic stage design, bouncing audio system and an unmissable laser show, it was simple to overlook you had been at a competition, because the DJ and producer transported us to the London rave scene for her personal headline present. In the event you had been seeking to douse your self in some unfiltered techno for the Mad Cool weekend, you had come to the appropriate place. LD
NME is the official media companion of Mad Cool
