Dorian @ ‘Noches del Botánico’ in Madrid

I had promised myself that I would not go back to a concert until I could do it normally. That means, doing it without masks, without reduced capacity and without having to keep distance between us. Perhaps it was just an absurd attempt of mine to ignore this strange time although at the end of the day, it’s simply not possible to ignore 16 months of restrictions and especially the need to consume live music.

So last night I finally went back to a concert, and I think there could not have been a better ocassion to do it than the ‘Noches del Botánico’ in Madrid. This cycle of concerts or festival takes place, as its name indicates, at the Royal Botanical Garden Alfonso XIII of the Complutense University of Madrid, an oasis in the heart of Madrid. And it certainly is an extraordinary place to enjoy the Summer evenings outdoors living music in nature because the experience goes beyond the concert itself. Around the stage there are stands, kiosks, food trucks and many perfectly delimited and distributed spaces have been installed, adorned by dim lights that invite you to have some drinks, dine and spend the afternoon with friends. A ten for the organization and for the entire team of people, present everywhere and always friendly.

But let's talk about the music. The lineup for this festival is usually eclectic, mixing national and international talent, and always with very interesting proposals of the highest level. This year, for obvious reasons and with a couple of exceptions (Woodkid, Rufus Wainwright, ...) almost the entire lineup is made up of Spanish artists, such as Dorian, the band I went to see.

Dorian is a Spanish band coming from Barcelona with 6 albums released in almost 20 years of a quite international career (their popularity expands to France, Portugal, South America and they usually include Mexico and the US in their tours). Their music is a mixture of styles such as new wave, electronic music and indie rock with reminiscences of the 80’s and they are considered one of the most nationally-renowned artists in the Spanish music scene.

Although it is not sitting and wearing a mask as I think concerts should be enjoyed, a great Dorian made possible the impossible and managed last night that at times the exceptional rules did not matter, letting the music work its magic. Three consecutive encores, after taking us through all their hits, new songs and even some unexpected surprises are proof of it. Without any doubt the world owes one to the culture sector but last night was certainly a breath of fresh air.

Cover photograph by press Dorian