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Mad Cool Festival 2025: Music, Urbanism, and Cultural Consumption

festival-fair · 2026-07-10

The ninth edition of Mad Cool festival began on Wednesday in Villaverde, Madrid, featuring performances by Foo Fighters, Moby, and Arde Bogotá disguised as the fictional band Bigger Splash. Moby used his platform to criticize Donald Trump. The festival, held in a macro venue built for such events, drew crowds from the metro under 40-degree heat. The author reflects on how cultural consumption shapes urban geography and city planning, noting that the music industry's impact extends beyond entertainment to affect urbanism and local environments.

Key facts

  • Mad Cool festival's ninth edition started Wednesday in Villaverde, Madrid.
  • Foo Fighters, Moby, and Arde Bogotá (as Bigger Splash) performed.
  • Moby criticized Donald Trump during his set.
  • Temperatures reached 40 degrees Celsius.
  • The festival uses a macro recinto built specifically for large events.
  • The article discusses cultural consumption's effect on urban geography.
  • The author walked from the metro to the venue through crowds.
  • The festival runs over the weekend.

Entities

Artists

  • Foo Fighters
  • Moby
  • Arde Bogotá
  • Bigger Splash

Institutions

  • Mad Cool

Locations

  • Villaverde
  • Madrid
  • Spain

Sources