July and August in Madrid traditionally sees a series of concerts and performances running under the generic title of Los Veranos de la Villa. I only found out yesterday, a predictable consequence of not reading the full list of events, that this week we get some free concerts in the Plaza de España. Starting last night and running until Saturday. Then, in the first week of August, there will be some more free events staged in the park surrounding the Temple de Debod – Madrid’s very own Egyptian temple. Last nights concert was an entertaining event, from the Madrid based tango group Malevaje. Tonight promises to be good too, with a performance (I’m not making this up) of Mexican ska from Panteon Rococó. It starts at 20:30, I hope to catch some of it on my way to the Cuartel de Conde Duque to see Frank Zappa’s son pay homage to his dad.
Talking of Conde Duque, this will sadly be the last year that it will be used for these concerts as it is about to undergo “reformas”; a word sufficient to strike fear into any long standing Madrid resident. It’s a shame because going to the open air concerts there in July has been one of my favourite summer activities since I arrived in Madrid. The authorities have yet to name the alternative site for future events, but have said it will be somewhere more accessible; which in my case can only mean they plan to hold the concerts in my living room. Could be a bit cramped. I suspect that Madrid is soon going to be presented with a venue to rival the Hollywood Bowl, prepare yourselves for the Manzanares Dust Bowl.
Talking of Conde Duque, this will sadly be the last year that it will be used for these concerts as it is about to undergo “reformas”; a word sufficient to strike fear into any long standing Madrid resident. It’s a shame because going to the open air concerts there in July has been one of my favourite summer activities since I arrived in Madrid. The authorities have yet to name the alternative site for future events, but have said it will be somewhere more accessible; which in my case can only mean they plan to hold the concerts in my living room. Could be a bit cramped. I suspect that Madrid is soon going to be presented with a venue to rival the Hollywood Bowl, prepare yourselves for the Manzanares Dust Bowl.
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