madrid
The first time Morat performed in Madrid was in the centric bar El Intruso, in 2015, in front of just over 100 people. Since then, their story has been woven steadily and at a timely pace to allow them to savor each achievement in their ascending career. On Friday (June 21), the Colombian pop rock band kicked off their first stadium tour, Hasta Que Amanezca, in front of 56,000 fans at the Civitas Metropolitano Stadium in the Spanish capital, the city where their story began.
From that first show in 2015 the band particularly remembers the nerves they felt.
“It was a horrible pressure, because in addition to being the first concert, there was also the press, and I felt like everyone was judging,” bassist Simón Vargas tells Billboard Español in an interview prior to Friday’s show. “We had to make a very good first impression; it was a big opportunity that we couldn’t waste.” In some ways, this memory resonates with the tour they have just begun, and he considers it as “a great first opportunity to do a stadium properly.”
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Friday’s affair started promptly at 10:03 p.m. (Madrid time), after the opening acts Depol and Susana Cala. The Bogota quartet comprised of Juan Pablo Isaza (lead vocals and guitar), Juan Pablo Villamil (guitar), Martín Vargas (drums) and Vargas, started off the night with “Cómo Te Atreves”, followed by “506” and a confetti cannon, making it clear they came with the intention of lighting up the stadium.
“Welcome to our dream, Madrid,” Isaza said during the first minutes of the show. “As many of you probably know, we are proudly Colombian, but our career started in Madrid. You have been part of this dream as much as we have. Tonight, we have a proposal, let’s fall asleep. Tonight is going to be a dream that will turn into a memory that no one will take away from us, ever.”
These words served as an introduction for “Mi Nuevo Vicio”, the song with which they rose to fame and which the audience sang along with all their might. The light bracelets that the attendees received played a key role not only in songs like “Mil Tormentas” but also in an interactive moment where they could decide the next song. The names of three hits appeared on the screens, each associated with a color: “No Hay Más Que Hablar” (blue), “En Un Solo Día” (pink) and “Acuérdate De Mí” (yellow). The audience raised their illuminated bracelets with their color of choice, and yellow prevailed.
One of the challenges Morat faced was interacting with such a large audience, and they spent a lot of time planning how to create an intimate atmosphere in venues as big as the Civitas Metropolitano. Vargas explained: “We’ve never had shows on such a big stage to move freely, and figuring out how to do that has been a challenge.” But the band passed the test with flying colors, moving along a huge catwalk and maintaining a constant connection with the audience.
Throughout the night, each of the members had opportunities to shine solo and connect with their fans. One of the most intimate moments occurred on a second stage, where they performed more relaxed songs, each with a glass of wine. They also presented “Antes De Los 30” (Before 30), a new version of “Antes de los 20” (Before 20) with which they feel more identified right now.
After just over two hours on stage, Morat said goodbye to Madrid with the song “Faltas Tú,” and with all the excitement of having successfully completed the first date of its stadium tour in such an important city for them.
“Our career really started in Spain. In 2016, it was the first time that our name started to become known. And that year we lived a lot of experiences that only happen once — first timers. It was the first time doing a concert with paid tickets, the first time signing an autograph, the first time doing an interview,” Isaza explained to Billboard Español. “So it has that somewhat poetic component for us to say that we are starting the tour where our career began.”
Ready to continue dreaming, they’ll now continue their 24-date tour over 19 other stadiums in 14 Latin American countries, starting in Caracas, Venezuela on June 29. (For a complete schedule and tickets, click here).
Vargas reflects: “As you cross off dreams, you unlock levels, and I believe that [one of them is] continuing to bring our music to places where it might not seem obvious that it would sound, places where Spanish might not be spoken, and see what happens if you try again to start over in another place and look for small bars and start little by little.”
Back in the 1980s and even the 1990s, Spanish artists like Raphael, Julio Iglesias and Camilo Sesto were hugely popular both in Latin America and among U.S. Latin audiences — a situation replicated in the 1990s and 2000s by the likes of global superstars like Mecano and Alejandro Sanz, both of whom hailed from Spain. […]
Madrid is hosting the first UMusic Hotel, a venture that aims to become an entertainment hub in the heart of the capital of Spain. Co-created by Universal Music Group and Dakia Entertainment Hospitality Group, the hotel is located inside the historic Albéniz Theater building, just a few steps from downtown tourist sites such as Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor.
The hotel opened on Nov. 14, 2022 at a 60% capacity and is now fully operating, with Antonio Banderas‘ take on the musical Company showing at the theater until Feb. 14. Next, Spanish singer-songwriter David Bisbal will take the stage for 20 days between March and April as part of the celebrations of his 20th music career anniversary.
The Albéniz Theater was inaugurated in 1945 and was in operation for more than 60 years until it closed its doors in 2009, when its owners wanted to demolish it and build a luxury residential building in its place. A group of citizens came together to create the Albéniz Theater Aid Platform and asked for it to be declared an Asset of Cultural Interest to prevent its demolition, which was finally granted in 2016. This allowed the 898-seat venue to be rehabilitated, and negotiations began for what is now the UMusic Hotel Madrid.
UMusic Hotels is a new international brand that offers first-class accommodations and entertainment. The goal is to create a unique experience for both guests and artists staying at their hotels, and to offer a wide range of music-related services and activities.
Music is in every corner of UMusic Hotel Madrid. Details such as the “Pasillo de la Música” (Hall of Music) — which connects the two buildings that make up the venue, and where you can see works of musicians such as Freddie Mercury, Lady Gaga, Alejandro Sanz and Katy Perry created by the Mexican artist and athlete Hubertus de Hohenlohe — is magical. Upon entering the access foyer located on Carretas Street, visitors are greeted by a neon sign that says, “Vente Pa’ Madrid” (Come to Madrid,) like the famous Ketama song, a cheerful welcoming. On one wall is a verse from Bob Dylan’s classic “Mr. Tambourine Man.”
The hotel has 130 rooms divided into four categories: classic, deluxe, premium and ultimate, all equipped with Nespresso coffee machines and Marshall speakers. There’s also the Artist’s Suite, an exclusive two-floor room with a private solarium terrace, living room and guest bathroom.
Guests can enjoy a vinyl library, gym, bar, amphitheater, outdoor pool, three meeting rooms, a two-level solarium, events spaces, a gastronomic experience at El Albéniz restaurant, 24-hour room service, and the Nota Alta (High Note) bar, located on the rooftop with a lovely city view.
Universal Music Spain has said it will keep working with the hotel to continue attracting top international stars to Madrid. UMusic Hotel confirmed that it is already working on the development of a second hotel, this time in South America, in Barranquilla, Colombia.
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