The festival season is starting earlier and earlier. With the kick-off near San Isidro and the final touch in the throes of September, in the capital we have almost 5 months of outdoor music where we can see in one day our favorite bands, discover new ones and nostalgically revisit some of the bands of our past.
Among all the music festivals in Madrid, here is a list of the most relevant ones. And, as a gift, two extra bonuses: festivals outside Madrid and the best festivals in Portugal– sign up!
Music festivals in Madrid
A Summer Story (June 21 and 22)
The City of Rock in Arganda del Rey does not do justice to its name during the month of June. Coinciding with the end of exams and the beginning of summer, A Summer Story has established itself as the electronic festival that opens the summer year after year, as one of the most important events in Madrid.
The lineup shadows many of Europe’s biggest electronic festivals. Fatima Hajji, Richie Hawtin, Carl Cox, Dj Snake or Don Diablo are just a small summary of the great artists who join this year’s line-up.
📍 Ciudad del Rock (Arganda del Rey)
june 21 and 22.
Botanical Nights (June 4 to July 31)
The series of concerts in the Verde space of the Alfonso XIII Botanical Garden presents confirmations that would envy any subscription festival. From June 4 to July 31, artists such as PJ Harvey, Take That, James Blake, Queens of the Stone Age, Mitski, Pretenders or Sheryl Crow are the most international, and national talent with Sen Senra, Rulo y la Contrabanda (opened by Paul Alone), El Columpio Asesino, María José Llergo, Estrella and Soleá Morente, Israel Fernández or Iván Ferreiro, accompanied by his son’s group, Querido.
📍 Royal Botanical Garden Alfonso XIII. Av. Complutense, s/n (Ciudad Universitaria)
From June 4 to July 31.
💸 From 35 € per concert.
ALMA Occident Madrid Festival (May 30 to June 17)
The ALMA Occident Madrid Festival is a concert series that comes for the first time from Barcelona to Madrid Tierno Galván of Madrid. Deep Purple, Vetusta Morla, Valerie Castro, Jorge Drexler, Jamie Cullum and Evanescence, among others, are the acclaimed groups that will be part of this first edition.
📍 Enrique Tierno Galván Park Auditorium. Av. del Planetario, 18 (Méndez álvaro)
From May 30 to June 17.
Mad Cool (July 10, 11, 12 and 13)
The festival par excellence that in less than a decade has become the biggest and most international line-up of the peninsula. Mad Cool, which since last year has a new location, has closed its lineup for 2024 with names like Dua Lipa, Avril Lavigne, Black Pumas or Greta Van Fleet.
📍 Ciudad de la Música de Villaverde. Iberdrola Music (Villaverde Alto)
July 10-13.
4-day tickets 210 €, day tickets 89 €.
Tomavistas (May 24 and 25)
More than a few of us are looking for The Blaze duo on festival lineups this summer. But in Madrid we are in luck, as their only confirmation in Spain will be at Tomavistas 2024, with its first edition at La Caja Mágica.
A two-day festival crowned with a very danceable line-up: Phoenix, Belle and Sebastian, Editors, Los Planetas celebrating the 30th anniversary of Super 8, Baiuca, Hinds, Repion, Adios Amores, Aiko the band and Rocio Saiz.
📍 La Caja Mágica. Cmo. de Perales, 23 (Usera)
may 24 and 25.
general season ticket 115 €. Tickets per day 60 €.
Festivals that deserve a getaway from Madrid
Bilbao BBK Live (July 11, 12 and 13)
One of the festivals with the country’s most traveled has just closed its lineup for 2024 with the confirmation of the artists by days. In addition to Arcade Fire, Jungle or Massive Attack, who were the first headliners to be confirmed, AIR revisiting his album Moon Safari and Los Planetas celebrating the 30th anniversary of their album Super 8 have joined the line-up in this last round of confirmations, closing the edition in style.
Sustainability, the Basoa and Lisai stages or the incredible environment in which it has been organized for more than 10 years, are the flagship of the most consolidated rock-indie festival in the north of the country. From Madrid, the Bilbao BBK Live is worth a getaway this summer to escape the sweltering heat of the city and immerse yourself in the forest of Kobetamendi, the mountain where it takes place.
📍 Kobetamendi Park / Kobetamendi Parkea (Bilbao)
july 11, 12 and 13.
Azquena Rock (June 20, 21 and 22)
Pure rock is what you breathe in Vitoria-Gasteiz at the beginning of each summer. Azkena Rock is the true mecca of the genre in Spain a few hours from the capital, which this year (with its lineup for days already closed) has distinguished names of national and international rock, including Jane’s Addiction, Queens of the Stone Age, Arde Bogotá, Band of Horses, Lendakaris Muertos and Sheryl Crow. The ARF, since 2002, has brought together not only great artists, but a real community of fans and rockers that make this festival one of the most important in Europe.
📍 Portal de Lasarte Kalea (Gasteiz)
june 20, 21 and 22.
Medusa Sunbeach Festival (August 7 to 12)
The Levantine mountain, the beach and the sunrises from the sea are the natural context of the Medusa Festival which has been organized for years on the beach of Cullera, a natural environment that only adds to the electronic music experience of Medusa.
Heading an electronic lineup loaded with national and international names, DJ Snake, Afrojack, Vintage Culture, ATB, 3 Are Legend, Hardwell and Vini Vici promise 4 days of festival and beach where electronic music will be the protagonist. In addition to that, the stage specialized in hardstyle has confirmed this year Angerfirst, Anime, Broken Minds and Lil Texas among others, along with the already legendary ORO VIEJO by Dj Nano.
📍 Medusa Beach Club. Plaça Numero 22, 74 (Cullera)
August 7 to 12.
Zevra Festival (July 19, 20, 21 and 22)
Urban music also has its festival. And not just any one, but the Zevra Festival, which we dare say has the best urban line-up in Spain this summer 2024. From August 19 to 22, a few meters from the Mediterráneo in Cullera Beach, the Zevra Festival will celebrate its 5th edition with Rels B, Nicki Nicole, Maluma, Myke Towersm Siko, Omar Montes and many more.
Our recommendation is to get a Super VIP ticket, which includes drinks at a much cheaper price, VIP access to restrooms and showers, and a separate ticket that will speed up your festival experience. Season tickets, camping Zone and all the extras are already on sale at Fever.
📍 Plaça Numero 22, 74 (Cullera)
August 19-22.
Son Rías Baixas (August 1, 2 and 3)
The essence of Galicia cannot be commensurated in a festival, however, its music and emerging talent does have a stage that does it justice: They are Rías Baixas Estrella Galicia, in Pontevedra.
Cool Nenas, Tanxungueiras or The Rapants will be some of the representatives of Galician talent from August 1 to 3 in Bueu, who will take the stage along with La Élite, Álvaro de Luna, La Oreja de Van Gogh, Rozalén, Ginebras or Ryden.
📍 Recinto Multiusos Da Estacada. Rúa Johan Carballeira, Xardins of Urbano Lugrís (Bueu, Pontevedra)
August 1 to 3.
Primavera Sound (from May 29th to June 2nd)
Although this year we don’t have our own Primavera Sound in Madrid as in its 2023 edition, we couldn’t avoid mentioning the festival of festivals, the mother of them all. The festival presents the line-up for the 22nd edition, with 150 groups and surprises such as Stella Maris, the group from the series La Mesías, by the Javis.
Almost flying straight out of Coachella, this edition stars Mitski, Lana del Rey, Charlie XCX, Troye Syvan, FKA Twigs and The National.
📍 Parc del Fórum (El Maresme-Fòrum and Besós Mar)
May 29 to June 2.
last subscriptions at 295 €, day 125 €.
Sónar (from June 13 to 15)
The festival, scheduled for June 13-15, features a stellar lineup with renowned artists such as Kaytranada, Jessi Ware, Judeline, Charlotte de Witte and Vince Staples, among other notable names.
As is tradition, more than 100 activities ranging from digital culture to live music will take place at the Sonar venue, fusing creativity and technology in celebration of the event’s 30th anniversary.
In addition to music, Sonar continues to be a meeting point where digital culture, diversity and innovation converge in a festival that reinvents itself year after year.
📍 Sonar by day: Fira Montjuïc. Avinguda Rius i Taulet, s/n. Sónar by night: Fira Gran Via L’Hospitalet Av. Joan Carles I (Botánica corner)
june 13, 14 and 15.
💸 Subscription from 175 €. Night tickets from 85 €, day tickets from 45 €.
Bonus track: heading to Portugal
MEO Kalorama (August 29, 30, 31)
MEO Kalorama is the best excuse for visit Lisbon this August. From August 29 to 31, the festival was consolidated last year as one of the most complete musical events on the peninsula. With a line-up that includes artists such as Fever Ray, Gossip, Raye and Burna Boy, the festival promises to cool off the summer at Parque da Bela Vista.
📍 Parque da Bela Vista (Lisbon)
August 20 to 31.
💸 General admission ticket 160 €, day for 65 €.
Vodafone Paredes de Coura (from August 14 to 17)
One of the most veteran festivals in Portugal returns in the second week of August, from the 14th to the 17th. In its usual location next to the picturesque river beach of Taboão, the festival is recognized as an emblematic event for lovers of alternative music.
This year’s lineup includes a list of bands and artists such as IDLES, Girl in Red, Fontaines D.C., The Jesus and Mary Chain, Slowdive, Cat Power, Baxter Dury, Nouvelle Vague, Superchunk, and many others that are very much worth going to see while enjoying the unique setting on the banks of the Coura River.
📍 Praia Fluvial do Taboão. Paredes de Coura (Viana do Castelo)
August 14-18.
subscriptions from 65, 49 €.
Rock in Rio Lisbon (June 15, 16, 22 and 23)
Rock in Rio is back to invade the streets of the Portuguese capital on June 15, 16, 22 and 23. With legendary rock icons like Scorpions and the powerful presence of Evanescence, the festival promises an epic dose of nostalgia. In addition, Europe joins the stage to remind us why rock is still the leitmotiv of the festival.
Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat and Macklemore will be on the second weekend of the Portuguese festival, to which is added the presence of Spanish Pop with Iñigo Quintero and Aitana.
📍 Tejo Park – Lisbon
june 15, 16, 22 and 23.
💸 Season tickets from €147 per weekend, day tickets €84.