Noches del Botánico is celebrating its tenth anniversary with a lineup that looks more like a summer sound map than a simple list of concerts. Between June 3 and July 31, the Alfonso XIII Royal Botanical Garden of the Complutense University will once again be filled with music with 54 concerts and more than 60 artists, in an edition that the festival itself defines as key in its history: in ten years, the cycle has already exceeded one million attendees and on this tenth anniversary it announces its complete program with 65,000 tickets sold and nine sold-out shows, including those by Rick Astley, ZZ Top, Zaz, Belle & Sebastian, and Diana Krall.
The philosophy behind the festival remains one of eclecticism, artistic quality, and a model designed for both the audience and the musicians, who find an intimate and comfortable setting in the garden. To celebrate these ten years, Noches del Botánico is bringing back names that are already “part of the family” and have been writing the history of the cycle: Rubén Blades, Tom Jones, Van Morrison, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Snarky Puppy, Pat Metheny, and LP are returning to a stage where they have performed some of their most memorable concerts in Madrid.
At the same time, the lineup is opening up to new stars making their debut in the Complutense garden: Garbage, John Legend, OMD, The Kooks, the supergroup Beat (Tony Levin, Adrian Belew, Danny Carey, and Steve Vai), Jeff Goldblum in his role as a jazzman, and the electronic energy of Tomora are just some of the new additions that will update the series’ soundtrack.
A round-trip musical journey
Concerts during the festival. | Editorial credit: Noches del Botánico
The tenth anniversary also reinforces the bridge with Latin America, which in recent years has become one of the hallmarks of the festival. The Complutense stage will welcome Babasónicos, El Zar, María Becerra, Cultura Profética, El Mato a un Policía Motorizado, Lasso, Elvis Crespo, and Silvestre y La Naranja, among others, tracing a journey that goes from Argentine pop to reggaeton, alternative rock, and Caribbean rhythms.
The national lineup is also impressive: M-Clan, Veintiuno, Pablo López, and Marta Santos add a Spanish presence to an international lineup, while local roots are represented by Yerai Cortés and, above all, the tribute to Omega by Enrique Morente and Lagartija Nick, who will open this very special edition. With this mix, Noches del Botánico reaffirms the label that suits it best: a festival where you can see a jazz legend, a Latin icon, or a cult indie band.
Much more than an outdoor concert
Editorial credit: ©FerGonzalez / Noches del Botánico
One of the attractions of this festival is that the Botanical Garden experience goes beyond the stage. The doors will open at 7:30 p.m. (7:00 p.m. in the case of Van Morrison) so that the audience can stroll through the green areas, dine at the food stalls, or have a drink at the wine bar before the music starts. The venue retains familiar spaces such as the market, the Momentos Zone, and the various rest areas, designed so that the festival can also be enjoyed before and after the concert, with the trees and sunset of the Complutense University as a backdrop.
Tickets for the new tenth anniversary dates go on sale on Tuesday, February 17, at 12:00 p.m., exclusively through nochesdelbotanico.com and El Corte Inglés outlets; physical sales will open 24 hours later. The festival emphasizes that this tenth anniversary confirms the success of a sustainable summer event model, integrated into the city and respectful of a unique environment, the result of collaboration with the Complutense University of Madrid and the support of its sponsors.
With a lineup that mixes classics, luxury debuts, and a Latin accent, and a garden turned into a musical refuge in the midst of a heat wave, Noches del Botánico once again presents itself as one of those places where summer in Madrid sounds—and is remembered—differently.