Mad Cool Festival 2023: three days of huge headliners and thrilling festival fun

In partnership with Mad Cool Festival

Just like that, Mad Cool 2023 has officially come to an end, but here at NME, we’re still revelling in the joyful festival spirit that defined the weekend (July 6-8). From the superstar charisma of Robbie Williams to the mammoth mosh pits at Queens Of The Stone Age, we’re not quite ready to get back to reality after experiencing one of the biggest line-ups of the summer.

You can relive the best moments of the star-studded Thursday here, our top picks from Friday and the most unforgettable parts of the closing Saturday.

While we reminisce over the past few days in Madrid, take a look at the best moments from this year’s edition, and discover why the festival offered something we’re not likely to forget anytime soon.

Liberty Dunworth, Staff Writer

Additional words: Andrew Brown, Sophie Williams

The Villaverde district proved to be the perfect new venue for Mad Cool

In June, Mad Cool announced that it would be moving from Valdebebas to south Madrid’s Villaverde district for the first time in the festival’s history, as part of wider plans to transform the area into a cultural hub. The decision was made in partnership with Madrid City Council who, together with the festival, wanted to create a new cultural meeting point within the Spanish capital.

Thankfully, the plan paid off – the new site proved to be more accessible for festival-goers, particularly tourists, due to its close proximity to the Metro. There was a vibrant, relaxed atmosphere all around, making it a festival to remember. (SW)

Madrid’s phenomenal local talent landed win after win

This year’s Mad Cool was a massive victory lap for the festival’s Spanish acts, who were given a hero’s welcome from their home crowd. The Ouigo Stage could barely contain Basque Country rockers Belako, whose crowd spilled from the enclosed tent to hear the live debut of ‘Sangre Total’ – which was performed entirely in Spanish.

Mad Cool was also a massive celebration for the country’s diverse music scene. Dora, already a big name in Spain, took over the Mahou Maestra stage with pop ballads like ‘Call Me Back’, while Madrid’s own Sila Lua led the same venue through a run of electronic bangers – including her latest single ‘Ready’ – to a rapturous response. One thing was clear: if you weren’t catching some of the best Spain has to offer, you were missing out. (AB)

Artists chose to uplift and honour the LGBTQ+ community 

As well as hosting some of the biggest names in music and providing a platform for emerging local talent, Mad Cool 2023 also offered something that stretches beyond the realms of music: a message of unity and acceptance. During her set on the opening day of the festival, Lizzo made it clear that her performance was dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community, proudly wrapping herself in the Progress Pride flag — and the celebration didn’t stop there.

Later that night, pop sensation and activist Lil Nas X also shared a similar sentiment. Bringing an unforgettable performance to the Madrid Is Life stage, he won over the crowd through his hour-long set, just three years after admitting that he initially had serious hesitations about revealing his sexuality.

Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander also honed in on inclusivity during his set, breaking into a rendition the Pet Shop Boys classic ‘It’s A Sin’. The cover nodded towards his role in the hit series of the same name, which shed light on the struggles faced by the gay community throughout the ’80s.

The most captivating moment, however, came from Sam Smith’s set. Showcasing their evolution as an artist, the career-spanning spectacle held themes of acceptance at its core. “This show is about freedom and love and having fun,” they declared, and received an a passionate cheer from the audience in return. (LD)

The three adjoining Mahou Stages brought a new vibrancy to the festival

New to Mad Cool for 2023, the Mahou-sponsored stages quickly became home to some of the sweatiest and most exciting sets of the festival. HotWax kicked off Friday’s Mahou Cinco stage with an explosive performance – and although their debut EP, ‘A Thousand Times’, only launched in May, the fast-rising trio saw a queue stretching out the door for their performance.

Next door, Liverpool’s STONE led Mahuo Rosé through their own ferocious party, with the crowd twisting into raucous mosh pits with every song. The same stage also saw Cardiff rockers Himalayas take their clashing stage time with headliners Mumford & Sons in their stride, encouraging their audience to embrace chaos with every snarling guitar riff.

Along with Mahuo Maestra, the three stages were frequently packed with Spanish revellers celebrating their own heroes, which included Ralphie Choo, Sila Lua, and Dora. (AB)

Dozens of emerging acts enjoyed breakthrough moments 

With plenty of sunshine and even better music, a bevy of new and young artists stormed this year’s festival and gave their all as they strove to win over thousands of festival-goers. Mad Cool proved to be an apt opportunity for producer and songwriter Sila Lua to assert her global ambition, while likes of HotWax and Himalayas performed to packed-out tents.

The atmosphere of a particularly rowdy Friday night crowd made for an atmosphere that STONE are built for, while Dora made her DGAF attitude and full-on choreography look effortless. We’re looking forward to seeing all of these future superstars play on even bigger stages when they inevitably return to Mad Cool one day. (SW)

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