The second edition of Kalorama Madrid unfolded on Friday, June 20th, and Saturday, June 21st, inside the multi-court grounds of Caja Mágica. Capped at roughly 10,000 attendees, the festival kept things intimate: two opposing stages separated by only a few metres, just-enough food and rest zones, and a timetable free of painful overlaps. The result was a gathering built around listening rather than logistics, with indie-rock, electronic pop, and band-driven formats taking centre stage.
Photo credit: Sergio Albert
From the first steps through the gate, the mood felt neighbourly, almost familiar. Local openers Bloodstein, Irenegarry, and La Plata eased Friday into motion before Canadian trio BADBADNOTGOOD raised pulses with a fluid set that stitched jazz progressions to electronic undercurrents. Their tight but exploratory approach drew the first big crowd response.
Jorja Smith followed with restraint and power in equal parts. Presenting ‘Falling or Flying’, she shaped each track with delicate choreography and unwavering vocals that floated above a finely detailed band mix. Father John Misty leaned into dry wit and slow-burn melancholy, guiding the audience through stories that landed somewhere between confession and satire.
Nightfall belonged to The Flaming Lips. Wayne Coyne emerged beneath a rainbow of confetti and inflatable colour to perform ‘Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots’ in full, punctuating the suite with earnest reminders of impermanence during ‘All We Have Is Now’ and ‘Do You Realize??’. Moments later, Parisian outfit L’Impératrice flipped the mood again, turning the other stage into a polished disco floor with faultless French electro-pop, Daft Punk covers, and crystalline sonics that invited non-stop dance. Producer-turned-front-man Alizzz then steered Friday into club territory until close.
Saturday opened under shifting skies. By early evening Model/Actriz’s churning post-punk and El Buen Hijo’s bright pop set contrasting tones, while María Arnal delivered hushed emotion grounded in folk textures and contemporary electronics. As dusk darkened, Boy Harsher’s austere synth lines met a brewing storm; flashes of lightning framed their shadowy vocals and ratcheting drum machines, amplifying the set’s raw edge.
The rain held off just long enough for Pet Shop Boys to unveil their ‘Dreamworld: The Greatest Hits Live’ production. Towering light sculptures and widescreen visuals enclosed a surgical run through staples like ‘West End Girls’, ‘It’s a Sin’, and ‘Always on My Mind’, introduced by a full-screen Ukrainian flag.
Shortly after midnight, Azealia Banks seized the spotlight with ferocious delivery over reggaeton-tinged beats, rap cadences, and house-leaning drops. A sea of devoted fans answered every lyric, transforming the grounds into what felt like a queer rave — vibrant, liberated, and loaded with intent. Scissor Sisters closed the festival in flamboyant style, merging glam-pop hooks with theatre-grade staging.
Across two concise days, Kalorama Madrid proved that less infrastructure can mean more music. By pairing globally established names with Spain’s current wave of independents, the event preserved a club-level sense of proximity while still offering headline-scale spectacle.
With the echoes of confetti still drifting through Caja Mágica, attention already turns to what next summer’s gathering might sound like. Full details and future announcements can be found at the Kalorama Madrid official website.
