Second day of Noches del Botánico 2022, second day that started with the rhythm of La Dinamo. Another good ration of funk to warm up the previous day of a program that brought together two of the great stalwarts of the Catalan rumba. The clock had not yet struck 21:00 and Kiko Veneno was already drawing with "Lobo Lopez" and "Memphis Blues Again". What a great day and how the sun was biting on that Friday afternoon where we said goodbye to the Figueras to the sound of his unconditional "Volando voy, volando vengo" (Flying I go, flying I come). Of course, we could not linger long on the road because in just over half an hour a renewed Gipsy Kings, led by the veteran Nicolás Reyes, burst onto our stage.
A few strolls through the Mercado del Encanto and a last break at the Codorníu wine bar, before returning to the dance floor to give it all to the sound of the mythical songs of the French group. There was no lack of "Djobi, Djoba", "Volare" or "Bamboleo" on the first flamenco night of the weekend. We say first night, because in less than 24 hours Miguel Poveda would be presenting his "Diverso" tour at our stage in front of more than 2500 full seats, in what was the first show in seated format of our sixth edition. We closed the week with the visit of Eli Paperboy Reed, and his playful rockabilly, and Imelda May who returned to the botanical garden with a darker show, but with the light and intensity to which her unique voice has already accustomed us.
Without haste, but without pause, we got to the first Monday of Noches del Botánico 2022. If Mondays are usually those days of maximum laziness, the Dirty Loops took it all away at once with a spectacular concert where at times we traveled to the Motown era of Michael Jackson or Stevie Wonder, if we closed our eyes. The Swedish trio did not stop distilling virtuosity on stage in a night of contrasts. And then came Khruangbin. To this day we are still hallucinating with the psychedelic staging of the American band, which turned our stage into a discotheque in the purest style of the 70's. With a very complete set list; Laura Lee, Mark Spencer and Donald Ray Johnson had time to recreate themselves on the stage performing a medley with great classics such as David Bowie's "Let's Dance".
And from psychedelia to the emotionality and closeness of Pablo Alborán. The Malaga-born artist's program was one of the most awaited dates of the month of June and it started with the masterful performance of Ezequiel Montoya in the Zona Momentos Alhambra. Another full house in our garden to experience the presentation that Alborán has prepared in this tour of theaters. There was time to get excited, chant those choruses that we have been singing for years and get up from our chairs to finish jumping with a powerful and forceful encore. I'm sure you still remember the great moment when Pablo said to call his mother in the middle of the show. Epic.
After Pablo Alborán's performance, we reached the first week of our sixth edition and we celebrated with a rock n' roll madrileño beat. For the first time in the capital, we established a new subway line from La Elipa to the botanical, through Malasaña called Burning and Los Enemigos. The guitars started to sound early in the afternoon with DJ Tonin Sambeat's session in the Zona Momentos Alhambra, just before getting ready to welcome Josele and his band. A dazzling start for Enemigos, who came out accompanied by their "Señora" in tribute to Joan Manuel Serrat.
After 22:00, it was Burning's turn. Indeed the formula worked. Leather jacket, rock glasses and all the botanical feel better. A delight to listen to the guitars of Nico and Dani, accompanied by the voice of Johnny, unique in its kind and great standard bearer of the remembered movida madrileña. After the last chord of "Una Noche Sin Ti", we turned on the amplifier standby until Saturday 18th.
