Mad Cool 2018 as we lived it

Mad Cool in its 2018 edition brought us 7 stages filled with music of all kinds. 80,000 people a day were dissolving in a summer party with the big headliners such as Depeche Mode, Tame Impala, Arctic Monkeys, Pearl Jam and Nine Inch Nails. This is how we lived it.

Mad Cool, which celebrated its most ambitious edition, doubled its capacity compared to its previous bash in 2017. The beginning was rather chaotic. More than complicated were the accesses on the first day. The large number of attendees had to wait around two hours to enter for security retentions. It’s true that growing big led Mad Cool to such problems, but it’s fair to say that the issues were getting solved and the following days were smooth. Talking about other aspects, the production was very well executed in terms of stages, screens and fabulous sound. Undeniably excellent.

Thursday – July 12

Overcoming the drama of the entrance on the first day, there was only one to take the bad taste out: Mark Oliver Everett. Eels had been presenting “The Deconstruction”. Given Eels' extensive discography, there was no lack of references to “Werewolf” or “Souljacker”, or even a song composed as a presentation of the group’s new drummer, Little Joe.

Later that day Tame Impala gave us a show full of rock psychedelia. The band opened with songs from "Currents", while we were witnessing the beautiful sunset in Madrid. A smoke-covered stage, colorful background visuals and distorted images were a perfect combo to devote to band's flagship sound. Themes from "Innerspeaker" and "Lonerism" also sounded at Mad Cool. Feels Like We Only Go Backwards took the crowd to a parallel universe, and with The Less I Know the Better the dancefloor seemed to fade into the air. Several explosions of confetti blasted out to close their show with the New Person Same Old Mistakes.

The first day of Mad Cool was definitely big as Pearl Jam returned to the Spanish capital after 11 very long years. Despite being a festival set, the show acquired a legendary state. The victory of life was celebrated, and it’s not the victory of nostalgia, it’s the victory of an immortal, infinite, and timeless present. Release was an opening theme followed by six other songs from the group's first album “Ten”. Pearl Jam played Alive which is one of their musical milestones, followed by the Rockin’ in the Free World. These grunge heroes made us sing along and forget all the sorrows for a couple of hours.

Later that night it was time to give it all, and freak out the neighborhood with Justice. Their live show was from another planet, but literally. The sound and the light effects offered by the French duo seemed to be from the interiors of an extraterrestrial spacecraft that hypnotized us with its full-blown synthetic rhythms. The thunderous sound power made everyone tremble. Even Kevin Parker of Tame Impala did not hesitate to be among us to enjoy this extraordinary experience.

Friday – July 13

The day began with Snow Patrol, and their most recent album "Wildness." Their performance at Mad Cool was sincere and neat, as the band is loyal to the pop-rock and catchy melodies. While they played Open Your Eyes or their famous Run and Chasing Cars, the dedicated audience were crowding the stage.

Later it was time for one of the greatest of the night – Jack White. A guitar hero sang his classy Connected By Love, followed by the infallible Hotel Yorba and Hardest Button to Button. Jack White also got some space for The Raconteurs with the distorted guitar strength playing Steady As She Goes.

The headliners of the night landed to present their new album “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino”. Arctic Monkeys with Alex Turner on the lead, played new songs - Four Out of Five and Star Treatment - among the well-known classics. Arctic Monkeys went from intense and sweet moments like One Point Perspective and Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino to the pure rock blast like Do Me a Favor and Cornerstone. Only few bands are capable to deliver a magic like that.

Franz Ferdinand were going next. The band always pulls a great setlist, songs like Do You Want To, No You Girls, Walk Way, and their catchy Always Ascending, served to set up a real party at 2am. The show was packed to the point that the public decided to jump the fences and crowd the VIP area. Alex Kapranos didn’t hesitate to interact with his fans. To wrap up the show Franz Ferdinand played hymns like Jacqueline, Lazy Boy, Take Me Out, and This Fire.

Saturday – July 14

Wolf Alice remains one of the most attractive bands of the current musical environment, offering the perfect conjugation between the 90’s heritage and the contemporary sound. Its musical genius is halfway between grunge and alternative rock. The band delivered reeling songs from their new album "Visions of a life" where they handled sensual cuts like Don't Delete The Kisses or Beautifully Unconventional mixing it with the hits from their debut LP.

Later it was the turn of Queens of the Stone Age - one of the most anticipated bands that did not disappoint. The formation of Josh Homme created a thunderstorm atmosphere in seconds. The crowd went fully wild while the band played The Evil Has Landed, Burn the Witch, Make it Wit Chu, Little Sister and Go With The Flow. At some point Mr. Homme made reference to the VIP area, calling the crowd from a main zone to jump the fence. Queens of the Stone Age are capable to lead any human to paroxysm, reaching some stratospheric dimensions.

Depeche Mode is a devotion without a limit. The overflowing and contagious charisma of Dave Gahan paired with the porous sensibility of Martin L. Gore are the cherry on a cake. Listening to them and living them live is like recycling your soul through an emotion purifier. The sound of myths like Precious, or World in My Eyes made the crowd sing along. The historic artist-audience pairing of Never Let Me Down Again, the absorbing Walking in My Shoes, the immortality of Enjoy the Silence, or the indelible Just Can't Get Enough. A moment of nostalgia of several generations with Personal Jesus or Everything Counts. And a huge final, a full-fledged Back To The Future Past.

Everyone who witnessed Nine Inch Nails at Mad Cool knows how insane and apocalyptic it was. Trent Reznor brought some extraordinary show – a perfect soundtrack for the end of the world. No one has ever managed to combine rock with electronics in a better way than NIN. Trent is the greatest alchemist combining machines and humanity, a solid and seamless amalgam. The band began with the two initial cuts from the “The Fragile”, followed by the abrasive lashes of “Broken” playing Wish, Gave Up, Less Than, Shit Mirror, and the version of I'm afraid of Americans by David Bowie. The end of their set was rather epic, Nine Inch Nails shook us with their anthems Head Like a Hole and Hurt.