MusicFreaks

Tag: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

  • Mad Cool announces transport plan for 2026

    The Mad Cool Festival is gearing up for a landmark moment, marking its tenth anniversary with an expanded vision and some absolutely stellar talent lined up to rock the stage.

    This year’s celebration will take place between July 8 and 11 at the Iberdrola Music Villaverde site, promising an unforgettable experience for music lovers across Madrid. The event is set to feature massive performances from established giants like Pulp, Foo Fighters, Florence & The Machine, and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, among many other celebrated acts.

    Beyond the headline acts, the 2026 festival is assembling a truly eclectic and exciting roster. The expanded lineup promises a feast for the senses, bringing together names such as Twenty One Pilots, Lorde, CMAT, Wolf Alice, Jennie, Moby, The Last Dinner Party, Kings Of Leon, The War On Drugs, Halsey, Teddy Swims, Pixies, The Black Crowes, and David Byrne. Even emerging talent will be showcased with additions like Liens Très Dengereux, Yulie, Ksal, and Color, following their success at the Mad Cool DJ Talent competition.

    The organizers aren’t just focusing on the music; they are also refining the festival experience itself. For attendees, the site map has been updated with exciting changes designed to enhance comfort and viewing for everyone. This includes a strategic reduction in stages, expanded screens for visibility, and more shaded areas to provide relief from the summer heat.

    But what truly makes this massive event manageable is the brilliant new transport plan introduced for 2026. To ensure that getting to and from the festival grounds is seamless, organizers have coordinated with Madrid City Council, the Government Delegation, and various police forces to implement extended public transport hours and increased service.

    Festival-goers will now benefit from significantly extended access to Madrid’s transit network. For departures, the Madrid Metro Line 3 will run until 2am on Thursday morning and until 3am on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings. This service will depart from Villaverde Alto station before connecting to Legazpi, Embajadores, and Sol stations.

    The Cercanías Line C4 service is also being extended to accommodate festival travel, offering special services from Villaverde Alto between 12:30am and 2am on Thursday morning, and from 1:30am to 3:30am on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings.

    To make the journey back easier, Cercanías Line C4 will operate special, free services running directly from Villaverde Alto to Atocha, with no intermediate stops. Furthermore, dedicated access lanes will be set up to improve passenger flow when accessing Metro Line 3 and Cercanías Line C4 at Villaverde Alto.

    Even for those arriving by bus, a free shuttle service is being introduced, departing between 12:30am to 2am on Thursday morning and from 1:30am to 3:30am on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings, connecting the festival site directly to Madrid city centre. Convenient bus routes like Line 22, Line 79, Line T41, and Line N14 will also provide access to Villaverde Alto.

    Safety remains a priority for all visitors. Pedestrian safety measures, including fencing, signage, and dedicated stewards, will be in place to guide and assist attendees during their journeys. While taxi ranks will be limited to one specific point on Calle San Eustaquio, private hire vehicle services will be encouraged via Calle Valle de Tobalina.

    Credit: NME

  • Watch RAYE bring out Alicia Keys and Mark Ronson at Montreux Jazz Festival

    The Lake Geneva shoreline was set ablaze with musical magic last night as RAYE delivered a showstopping performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival. But what made the event truly unforgettable wasn’t just the festival atmosphere; it was the breathtaking surprise guest lineup that turned the evening into a masterclass in musical synergy.

    RAYE kicked off the festivities by transforming the Auditorium Stravinski into an entirely new stage configuration, setting a vibrant tone for the night. Having recently released her album This Music May Contain Hope, RAYE brought an electrifying energy to the stage, showcasing the depth and emotional breadth of her latest work.

    The real fireworks began when the evening yielded two of music’s most iconic voices. RAYE welcomed Alicia Keys onto the stage for a powerful duet, sharing soulful moments with the audience. Later, the magic continued as she joined forces with Mark Ronson for a stunning collaboration, performing their track Suzanne.

    These unexpected pairings provided moments of pure musical joy, especially when they performed classics like “If I Ain’t Got You” and “Oscar Winning Tears,” eliciting huge responses from the packed venue. It was a masterclass in live performance, proving that genuine musical connection transcends genre.

    The evening underscored RAYE‘s own journey. She has spoken about Montreux’s significance to her, recalling her debut performance there when she shared how watching it for the first time with her Swiss grandfather felt like a moment “no money can buy.” This personal history adds a layer of depth to her current success.

    RAYE’s recent artistic output has been intense. Her follow-up record, This Music May Contain Hope, was the result of an intensely busy three years of creation and touring, resulting in an album that critics hailed as “showstopping musical maximalism.”

    Beyond the main act, the festival promises a rich tapestry of talent across the dates. Looking ahead, attendees can anticipate incredible performances from artists like Aldous Harding sharing the bill with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, as well as performances from The Isley Brothers and The Roots. Further dates feature talents such as Loyle Carner and US funk outfit Vulfpeck.

    Credit: NME