This was Mallorca Live Festival 2022

Lights and shadows at the Mallorca Live Festival. Being as it was one of the first festivals of the season and the first one for plenty of people after a two-year hiatus, there was a lot of enthusiasm to enjoy a festival with a very appetizing programme. However, the festival's lack of foresight led to some serious mistakes on the opening day that dampened the mood of the attendees. However, despite the initial chaos there were also some positive highlights to have hope for upcoming editions.

C Tangana at MLF. Photo by Javier Bragado

The experience that a festival-goer makes should be everything. A festival organizer has to think about them from the moment they leave home until the moment they return, because the experience of a festival goes beyond the music offered. And if a festival is committed to growth, it should only do so if it has the capacity to assume that growth without the attendees having to pay a toll for it. I say this because the MLF, despite having grown (this last edition welcomed 25K people), in my opinion made serious planning mistakes that, with the existing range of festivals on offer, if it wants to be competitive and last in time, cannot be repeated. 

To sum up, it is difficult to explain that you have to wait more than 3 hours in line to get your wristband, which is what happened on the opening day. Or that once inside the venue, the queues to go to the toilets or to get a drink were desperate with staff who in general did not seem to be qualified. Details such as the lack of signage, poorly channeled flows of people or obstacles that made people stumble at certain parts of the venue in an almost ridiculous way cannot be tolerated as they are easy to avoid with good planning and a team that has experience organizing events. And if getting into the festival was an odyssey that was overcome thanks to the desire and the good atmosphere of the people, returning home was the last straw due to the lack of taxis or buses, which generated enormous frustration among the people who waited helplessly. 

And yet, despite what has been said, it is also fair to say that there were moments to enjoy on the first day. On that note, MLF has a lot to thank its scheduled artists, who despite the delays and constant schedule changes delivered a very good night of live music. Special mention for C.Tangana and his stellar performance or for the great talent of Guitarricadelafuente.

Guitarricadelafuente at MLF. Photo by Javier Bragado

On saturday, despite issuing a statement of apology (mainly due to the delays) and announcing measures to avoid the previous day's collapse (something not too complicated as most of the attendees had already exchanged their wristbands the day before), the memory of a chaotic night remained and I personally decided to explore the island, rather than going back to the festival. However, I was told that everything improved considerably which certainly renewed my enthusiasm to enjoy the third and last day of the festival. And so it was. On Sunday, the things that could be improved, were improved. And everyone was able to enjoy a very good day of music.

A lot of work to do for the next edition, but a lot of potential to design a festival that, although it still has to create its own identity, has many positive things that can make it a very interesting festival to start the summer.

More info about Mallorca Live Festival here.

Cover photograph by Javier Bragado