MAD COOL 2022 :: WEDNESDAY’S REVIEW
After three years we were delighted yesterday to be back to Madrid’s MAD COOL FESTIVAL 2022. The first day included huge actas such as METALLICA, TWENTY ONE PILOTS, PLACEBO, CHVRCHES, CARLY RAE JEPSEN, GLASS ANIMALS, WOLF ALICE, YUNGBLUD, THRICE, YVES TUMOR, SEASICK STEVE, FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES, FEVER 333, VILLAGERS, ALEC BENJAMIN, THE REGRETTES, ALFIE TEMPLEMAN, SPORTS TEAM and THE LAST INTERNATIONALE, among others.
Yesterday, Wednesday July 6th we were glad to witness what happened at Mad Cool 2022, Madrid, Spain. It all started on main stage 1 (Mad Cool stage) with country blues two-piece set SEASICK STEVE – that actually is Steven Gene Leach solo, AKA Wold (singer and guitarist), together with his drummer. They were in charge of warming up the main stage of the festival and they kept up quite well.
At the same time, singer songwriter ALEC BENJAMIN jumped on stage (stage 5, Vibra Mahou) to play the most beautiful and amazing songs. The audience knew the lyrics for literally all the songs of the folk-pop singer from Phoenix, Arizona, and sang along during all the set.
The ones who opened the third stage (Region of Madrid stage), were VILLAGERS.
From Dublin, Ireland, alternative Conor O’Brien’s solo project now counts Danny Snow, Brendan Jenkinson, Kevin Corcoran and Brendan Doherty in. O’Brien’s personal voice metronome-like cured rhythm and music measures to delight the public.
WOLF ALICE were in charge of opening main stage 2 (Madrid is Life stage). From London, England, the dream pop band formed in 2010 by Ellie Rowsell – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, synthesizers, piano-, and Joff Oddie – guitar, violin, synthesizers, backing vocals-, and completed later by Theo Ellis – bass guitar, synthesizers, backing vocals-, and
Joel Amey – drums, percussion, synthesizers, backing vocals. A European festival these days cannot call itself an indie festival if they lack a band like Wolf Alice. They were truly contundent from the beginning and degrained all of their hits.
The headliner of the last night needed no presentation at all. From Los Angeles, California, hard rock, speed metal band METALLICA were next to main stage 1. Formed in 1981 by James Hetfield – lead vocals, rhythm guitar-, and Lars Ulrich – drums (1981–present)-, they exploded in a fireball of rock from the intro tape – It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll) (AC/DC song)-, and the videotape – The Ecstasy of Gold (Ennio Morricone song), to the encore.
Many, oh good lord, so many times have we stated on indiefestivals.com good bands start with a very good song and then smash it with a great song, before relaxing a little bit. The heavy metal band brought not two, but three giant songs to start up: Whiplash, Creeping Death,and Enter Sandman. The bands’ anthem didn’t let anyone down. It’s so crazy when you get one of the songs you came for in the first three songs of the set! Other awesome moments came with Ride the Lightning, Wherever I May Roam, and Nothing Else Matters. For this huge hit’s live version, Mr. Kirk Hammett – lead guitar, backing vocals- impressed the audience with his amazing guitar intro. Whiskey in the Jar (‘traditional’ cover) was a really nice surprise for some reason we didn’t expect!!! For Whom the Bell Tolls (at the front catwalk) Kirk Hammett and Roberto Trujillo gave it all to the audience, knowing they had some serious shit in their hands -literally everyone around was recording the song with their smartphones or, at least, with their brains. Moth Into Flame, Fade to Black and Seek & Destroy main set closers. The encore included: Damage, Inc., One, and Master of Puppets!!! Hope to see you again soon, men. You made our night, day and week!!!