Mallorca Live Festival became established as one of the major Spanish festivals with its fifth edition, a celebration postponed for two years due to the pandemic, but which this weekend brought together 72,000 attendees at Calvià’s Old Aquapark on the 24th, 25th and 26th of June.
According to organisers, 60% of the audience came from the Balearic Islands, 30% from mainland Spain and 10% from abroad. These figures, in addition to the increase in the number of people attending this year’s edition, confirm the festival’s commitment to attracting new audiences and promoting cultural and quality tourism in Majorca.
The festival has been the most important cultural event in the Balearic Islands for years due to its ability to attract visitors and its artistic proposal. This year, in its most international edition, the line-up included big names such as Muse, Christina Aguilera, Franz Ferdinand, Justice, Editors, Metronomy, Cut Copy, Milky Chance, Supergrass and Temples.
It also featured some of the most anticipated Spanish bands of the year such as C. Tangana, Izal, Kase.O Jazz Magnetism, Rigoberta Bandini, Guitarricadelafuente and Sen Senra; as well as some of today’s best DJs: Jamie xx, Jeff Mills, The Blessed Madonna, Ben Ufo and Max Cooper.
Some of the most outstanding proposals as well as the most promising of the local Balearic scene had their place in the line-up. Opening each day were Saïm, Amulet, Alanaire, Yoko Factor, Trigga and Bisuri i ElsMossos, winners of the Mallorca Live prize at the Palma Pop Rock Contest, amongst others.
C. Tangana’s long-awaited concert
On the first day, Friday 24th June, C. Tangana was by far the long-awaited moment of the festival, with a massive attendance of more than 27,000 people. Incidents with the validation of wristbands before entering the venue and the traffic jam on the Andratx motorway meant that part of the audience was unable to attend Rigoberta Bandini’s concert and it showed their discontent on social media.
Izal‘s farewell to their Majorcan audience was perhaps the most emotional moment of the festival, only on a par with the epic concert by Kase.O Jazz Magnetism, who also announced his temporary hiatus from live shows, or the incredible session by Jamie xx, who joined the line-up only a few days earlier due to the announced absence of Korean DJ Peggy Gou for family health reasons.
Christina Aguilera and Franz Ferdinand, Saturday’s queen and kings
The organisers were able to react the following day by reorganising and increasing the number of staff in wristband stands, information and bars, and the day went on as normal. Christina Aguilera, who spent the whole week in Mallorca rehearsing for her tour, proved with her show that she still is one of the great pop divas. Franz Ferdinand, in full communion with the audience, brought their career celebration tour to Majorca and set the venue on fire with 90 minutes of non-stop hits, becoming the real kings of the festival.
Before Aguilera came the psychedelic-tinged guitars and great style of Temples, in what was their first concert since March 2020. The Brits enjoyed revisiting their back-catalogue with an outstanding sound. Cut Copy arrived from Australia to close the first stage with dreamy melodies and synthesisers. In the electronic section, the live sets by Cobblestone Jazz and Klick & Frik stood out and, above all, the session with which the magician Jeff Mills closed the day.
Muse closes the festival in style.
British band Muse performed for the first time in the Balearic Islands on Sunday – in what was their first Spanish festival date this year – and gave a tremendous concert. Matt Bellamy and his band blew away Calvià’s Old Aquapark. Such a show had never been seen before on the islands.
The first of the highlights of the day was the always special live performance by Guitarricadelafuente, and Metronomy gave one of the best concerts of the weekend, and they had the audience in their pocket with their catchy rhythms. The fun show by the Germans Milky Chance and the irresistible Latin rhythms’ dance session by Mexican Pahua were not far behind.
But if there was one band that had caused expectation on the island that was Justice. The French duo deployed all their electronic arsenal to put the finishing touch to this fifth edition with a show marked by hypnotic light effects. The Blessed Madonna closed a magical night on Mallorca Live’s dance floor.
Happening! Market and OFF Mallorca Live
The festival also opted once again for a restaurant area and design market with more than 30 stalls and food trucks: Happening! Market, which will stay on site during the Mallorca Live Summer concert series. T-shirts, vintage clothing, makeup and glitter, temporary tattoos, jewellery and local crafts are some of the products that could be purchased in this area. Within the gastronomic offer, local product also had its place with the 100% local pastries from Forn Santo Cristo or the smash-style hamburgers from Double Take prepared with coca de patata from Valldemossa.
One more year the festival had a free daytime programme on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 June. Within OFF Mallorca Live, the festival had a stage in the Momentum Plaza shopping center in Magaluf, where bands such as Pazzvegga, Rotten Kings, Honolili and Jane Yo.
On the same location but a few metres above the ground, the festival offered different DJ sessions at INNSIDE by Meliá Calvià Beach hotel’s rooftop, with Pucheros Atómicos, Los Dos, Sideways and Pahua.
Mallorca Live Pro
Artists, managers, bookers, festival directors and other professionals from the international, national and local music industry met again at Mallorca Live PRO 2022, the professional conference organised by Mallorca Live Festival that took place on June 23 and 24 at Fundació Miró Mallorca.
More than 30 international and national representatives attended showcases, speed meeting sessions, talks and debates on some of the most relevant current issues in the music industry.
Institutions and sponsors
Once more the festival has had the support of institutions such as the Government of Spain with the support of the National Institute of Performing and Musical Arts (INAEM) and Acción Cultural Española, the Government of the Balearic Islands through the Agency for Tourism Strategy of the Balearic Islands (AETIB), of the Institut d’Estudis Baleàrics of the Ministry of European Funds, University and Culture; the Consell de Mallorca through the Mallorca Tourism Foundation, the Department of Culture, Heritage and Language Policy and the Calvià City Council through the Department of Culture and the Calvià Foundation.
It also had Estrella Damm as its main sponsor, as well as the support of the INNSIDE by Melià hotel chain, the shipping company GNV, the airline Air Europa, Ron Barceló, Porto Pi, B The Travel Brand and See Tickets. Cadena SER Radio Mallorca and the music magazine Mondosonoro are the festival’s official media partners.