In partnership with Mad Cool Festival
We go again – or should that be nosotros vamos de nuevo? Madrid’s foremost three-day celebration of music is back for another year, with Mad Cool Festival 2023’s scorching first day (July 6) witnessing hugely memorable sets from the likes of The 1975, Lizzo and Lil Nas X.
Here’s our round-up of the best of the live action from the opening day of Mad Cool 2023.
Words: Andrew Brown, Liberty Dunworth, Sam Moore and Sophie Williams
King Princess (5:50pm, Region of Madrid)
Though King Princess has never played in Spain before, there are no first-time nerves this evening. The guitar-wielding New Yorker provides one of today’s most dynamic sets, pulling fans up on stage to duet her recent soulful Bose x NME: C23 track ‘The Bend’ before stepping into the crowd for a cathartic performance of ‘Change The Locks’.
King Princess later stands atop a bass drum during ‘Prophet’, beaming as the crowd throws back every word. Her Spanish debut may be at an end, but the approving roars of “olé!” prompt the musician to promise the infatuated crowd she’ll “definitely” return. (AB)
The 1975 (8:20pm, Region of Madrid)
While Machine Gun Kelly is tearing up the Mad Cool stage (more on that shortly), just a stone’s throw away The 1975 are bringing a slightly different energy to their set on the Region of Madrid stage.
Performing part of the show seated — flask in hand— and delivering a near-endless list of fan favourites, the show proves to be a welcome break for the band from the recent controversy surrounding frontman Matty Healy. Their set becomes even more intimate than most are expecting, with the band choosing to use their simple black and white visuals to put the spotlight on the crowd, who proudly recite every song word-for-word. (LD)
Machine Gun Kelly (8:25pm, Mad Cool)
“Put your horns up!” demands MGK, wearing a cropped green top and shiny silver trousers, over on the Mad Cool stage: naturally, festivalgoers as far as the eye can see obey this directive.
As you might expect, it’s a fiery set: bursts of actual flames fire off at the back of the stage as MGK and his slick live band thrash their way through choice cuts from ‘Tickets To My Downfall’ and ‘Mainstream Sellout’. A brief cover of The Verve‘s ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ is a curveball very few are expecting, but the adulation continues: “You make me wanna buy a house here,” Kelly not-entirely-jokes at one point. Estate agents of Madrid, your time is now. (SM)
Lizzo (9:40pm, Madrid Is Life)
It seems like Lizzo isn’t the only one who’s been enjoying Mad Cool’s wickedly refreshing frozen margaritas. “I’m hungover as shit!” the Detroit-born star exclaims at one point, before throwing her head back and bursting into laughter. “But we out here, partying in Madrid!”
This sense of playfulness is physically enacted by Lizzo and her dancers, who execute bouts of stylised choreography to the sugar-rush chorus of ‘Ready 2 Be Loved’ and ‘Tempo’’s thumping beats, throughout her one-hour set. Yet it quickly becomes apparent that this show is not just about humour and body positivity: Lizzo later wraps herself in the Progress Pride flag and launches into a cover of Chaka Khan’s ‘I’m Every Woman’; her delivery elevated by clear joy. (SW)
Nova Twins (10:10pm, Ouigo)
Nova Twins‘ 40-minute slot was always guaranteed to be an incendiary performance. The rock duo spend every second on stage wisely: there’s little conversation as the Ouigo stage is instead pounded with ferocious performances of ‘Cleopatra’ and ‘Taxi’.
The crowd is a sea of mosh pits when ‘Choose Your Fighter’ closes the set, and although Nova Twins acknowledge how their set clashes with Lizzo’s on the Madrid Is Life stage, there’s not a face in the crowd here that regrets being caught up in tonight’s fury. (AB)
Lil Nas X (12:55am, Madrid Is Life)
“Y’all ready to have a good motherfucking night?” asks Lil Nas X, who has an answer by the first pounding chorus of ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’.
The hooks of ‘Industry Baby’ and ‘Old Town Road’ get predictably enthusiastic receptions, but the real surprise is the crowd’s shrieks for a steamy choreographed routine that whips the audience into a frenzy before ‘Panini’ and ‘That’s What I Want’ wind down Mad Cool 2023’s first night in spectacular fashion. (AB)
Franz Ferdinand (1:00am, Region of Madrid)
It may be near home time, but it seems like everyone who isn’t at Lil Nas X is crammed into all of the available space in front of the Region of Madrid stage to see Alex Kapranos and co. take to the stage. And when they launch into ‘Michael’ from their 2004 self-titled album, well, it’s a moment.
Franz Ferdinand faves galore – ‘The Dark Of The Matinée’, ‘Do You Want To’, ‘Take Me Out’ – just keep on coming, rewarding the gigantic crowd for their longevity. “I fucking love a late-night gig,” Kapranos gleefully tells the Franz faithful at one point. “That’s why I love Spain!” Spain loves you right back, Alex. (SM)
Check back here at NME for the latest news, interviews, photos and more from Mad Cool 2023.