Mad Cool Day Two: Michael Kiwanuka, Kneecap and Nia Archives triumph at the Villaverde District

There’s an air of mystery surrounding Merina Gris. The trio, hailing from the Basque Country of Spain, have managed to conceal their surnames and faces since their formation in 2020, in hopes that, by doing so, audiences will be able to approach their music without preconceived prejudice.

At Mad Cool, they made no exception, taking to the Mahou Cinco Estrellas stage in their bejeweled masks to deliver an intoxicating set, crafting moments of intensity that unexpectedly and suddenly collapsed into smooth, soft melodies. And, judging by the explosive reception from the Madrid audience, their anonymity hasn’t hindered any dedication from fans – perhaps encouraging greater dedication instead. (LM)

Michael Kiwanuka (7:40pm, Mad Cool)

Summer nights in Madrid were made for moments like Michael Kiwanuka’s sultry evening warm-up. Fresh from releasing new single ‘Floating Parade’ – his first new music in nearly three years, which the crowd were treated to a dreamy live rendition of – the Mercury Prize-winner was on top form as he breezed through one hour on the main stage.
The north London singer commanded a sense of cool, soulful calm before he whipped up a funky frenzy with the help of skittering maracas and his velvety backing singers. Real highlights arrived in the stirring ‘Rule The World’ and bluesy ‘Rolling’, which featured a shredding guitar solo that sliced through the festival site just as the evening sun was descending low in the sky. (HG)

Keane (9:10pm, Region Of Madrid)

“It’s been 20 years, and we’re always still surprised to see that we have fans outside of the UK,’ Keane frontman Tom Chaplin quipped, looking out at an audience that stretched into the horizon. It may have been two decades since the band first broke onto the scene with ‘Hopes And Fears’, but last night, the energy and conviction with which they delivered their was just as powerful as when they first started.

Classic tracks like ‘Everybody’s Changing’, ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ and ‘Bedshaped’ came in thick and fast, and as each word was sung back to them during Madrid’s golden hour. This moment meant so much to band members and fans alike. (LD)

Kneecap (9:20pm, Mahou Cinco Estrellas)

West Belfast’s rowdiest sons caused near-instant pandemonium on the Mad Cool site – even before they hit the stage. An hour before they took to the Mahou Cinco Estrellas tent – which has a strict capacity of 800 festival-goers – hundreds of fans were already waiting to be let inside, bedecked in tri-colour balaclavas and vintage Ireland jerseys.

Their patience was rewarded. Kneecap are pushing the Irish language into a space that it has never previously occupied, on a scale that even they could surely never have imagined. ‘Sick In The Head’ was an electrifying frenzy of pure energy, while anthemic calling card ‘H.O.O.D’ inspired moshpits galore, though not without Mo Chara running through some etiquette pointers first.

Nia Archives (9:40pm, Orange)