Opening its doors for the first time back in 2016, Mad Cool has become a staple of Madrid’s music scene – and celebrates its eighth edition this summer. Over the years the festival has hosted everyone from Dua Lipa to The Killers, and for punters wanting to combine top-notch live music with a bit of city centre exploring during the daytime, this Spanish festival is a strong choice.
Thinking of hopping aboard the good ship Mad Cool for the very first time? The 2025 edition takes place July 10-13, with three-day tickets available here from €210.
If you’re still mulling things over, here’s everything to know about the festival.
Hate camping? Step this way!
Unlike a lot of UK festivals, there’s no camping on-site at Mad Cool and everyone books accommodation elsewhere in Madrid – meaning there’s absolutely no need to roast alive within the exceedingly sweaty confines of a two-person tent. Madrid has plenty of cheap hotels on offer, and self-catering accommodation all over the place. So it’s very easy to book somewhere comfortable and well-placed enough that you can go out and explore the city without walking miles. You’ll have the day free because the live music doesn’t start until late afternoon, so make the most of it!
Getting around town
Speaking of which, you’re probably wondering how to get to and from the festival. Located in an industrial area south of the city centre, the nearest Metro stop to the site is Villaverde Alto Station. Line 3 runs from here much later than usual during the festival to ferry people home to Legazpi, Embajadores and Sol, so it’s worth keeping an eye out in those areas if you’re after well-located accommodation. Line C5 will also stay open until the wee hours, running fast between the festival and central Madrid station Atocha. Otherwise, the festival also runs a free shuttle service between the site and Atocha, with an additional stop in Legazpi. You’ll also find a taxi stop nearby.
And what about the music?
Far from being wedded to one genre, Mad Cool’s line-up is, typically, a pretty diverse offering, with plenty to love for music fans of every persuasion. Pop fans are very well-catered for this year, with Gracie Abrams, Olivia Rodrigo, Benson Boone, Noah Kahan and Artemas all playing the 2025 edition, but on the alternative rock front, Kings Of Leon, Iggy Pop, Weezer, Nine Inch Nails, St Vincent, Bloc Party and Thirty Seconds To Mars are a handful of the big hitters.
Mad Cool’s dedicated electronic stage, The Loop, is chock a-block with dance music talent – TSHA, The Blessed Madonna and Sammy Virji are all playing there – while Justice are booked for the Saturday. Plenty of rising stars are billed to play, too: Blondshell, Royal Otis and Deadletter are just three of the highlights on that front.
Hotter than July
One fun thing to know about Spain: it gets incredibly, stiflingly hot during the summer, with temperatures in Madrid often rocketing well into the thirties. It’s the perfect weather for remaining almost completely motionless under a shaded brolly, but doesn’t really lend itself to dancing and all of the other usual festival shenanigans. For this reason, Mad Cool’s sets tend to kick off post-5pm when the sun is less intense; though you should still pack a hat and suncream up accordingly, headliners play well after the watershed. From here, music carries on right through until the early hours of the morning – leaving dancefloors cooler and daytimes free for relaxing.
If you’re feeling cultured, there will be plenty of time between days to visit Madrid’s ‘golden triangle’ of art museums, inhale patatas bravas, and watch a spot of flamenco. Alternatively, if you fancy spending the day lounging next to the lake in Parque del Retiro and doing absolutely nothing else, fill your boots.
It’s an eco-friendly festival
Sustainability is at the heart of Mad Cool’s ethos. As well as having its own on-site recycling sorting station, you won’t find any single-use plastic on sale anywhere at the festival. Pints are served in reusable cups, food vendors offer organic and locally-sourced grub and the festival lays down reusable astroturf in place of thirsty lawns that would consume huge amounts of water. Many areas around the site are lit with energy-efficient LED lights, and organisers also reuse as many materials as possible from previous iterations of the festival to save on unnecessary waste.
Anyone for Sunday Brunch?
Feeling peckish? For those still standing on Sunday morning, the festival is hosting one final hurrah in collaboration with fellow Spaniards and daytime party-starters Brunch Electronik. Though the name might conjure up visions of bopping politely along to a background DJ while enjoying a spot on avocado on toast, the reality is a lot more attention-grabbing.
Admittedly there are food trucks, but the main serving is dance music. Peggy Gou is headlining the day party, which will also host DJ sets from soul-pop duo Jungle, Dutch tech house DJ Mau P, and local favourite Macarena Hoffmann, a Madrid DJ spinning a blend of Afrohouse, soul, and jazz.
NME is the official media partner of Mad Cool. Tickets for the festival are available here
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