WE SAY GOODBYE TO CRUÏLLA 2023: REVIEW THE MOST DIVERSE AND SUSTAINABLE EDITION OF THE FESTIVAL!
One more year, Cruïlla has landed at the Parc del Fòrum to give us the best four days of the summer. From July 5 to 8, the festival brought together 76,000 attendees, fifty national and international musicians and bands on five different stages, a new edition of the already consolidated Cruïlla Comedy and a dozen artistic proposals for all tastes and ages.
The most urban night
The first night of the festival, the most urban of all, was headed by Nicki Nicole, Cruz Cafuné, Delaossa, Sen Senra and Las Ninyas del Corro, who opened the Estrella Damm and Oxfam Intermón stages. Triquell, who opened Cruïlla 2023, Wos and Rusowsky, with two of the most surprising concerts of the day, and La Élite, who closed the night with punk, performed on the Vueling stage. Lia Kali, Tesa, Yeico X Toni and Santa Salut heated up the Johnnie Walker stage.
In addition, during July 5 also began to develop the portraits of the headliners of the edition by the Street Art artists selected this year and the live illustrations of El Estafador, who created several murals and organized a visual combat between artists and a unique photocall. On the other hand, Wedo Goás and Zeso WF started their large format murals in collaboration with the Gargar Festival and the various art installations were set up by Un parell d’arquitectes and Antigua i Barbuda.
The Latin proposal
The second day consolidated the Latin proposal at Cruïlla with big names such as Rubén Blades and the Roberto Delgado Big Band, who once again offered a concert of more than two unforgettable hours, Iseo & Dodosound, Tash Sultana, Bomba Estéreo and Omara Portuondo. Judit Neddermann, Los Van Van and Rodrigo Cuevas rounded off a night that also featured Lal’Ba, Nanpa Básico, Miss Bolivia and Nico Roig as emerging proposals.
On Thursday, July 6, the Espai Transforma’t also opened its doors, the area of the festival where twenty NGOs organized activities around the visual and performing arts with the aim of nurturing the critical spirit of the attendees, raising awareness of various current issues around the world related to violence or the climate crisis and making them reflect and learn between concerts.
The return of the guitars
Friday was the day of the return of the guitars. The Offspring, Franz Ferdinand, Sigur Rós, alt-J, Peces Raros and also national groups like Viva Suecia, The Guapos, Carolina Durante or Cala Vento proved that rock is more alive than ever. Ciudad Jara, who had the sign language interpretation of the collective Encantades, and Ladilla Rusa, who offered an apotheosic end, were also two of the protagonists of a night in which Menta, Sexy Zebras, Pinpilinpussies and Victorias made the tent explode.
Once again, the Cruïlla Comedy opened on the Vallformosa stage on the third day of the festival. Presented by Tomàs Fuentes and Irene Minovas and with a new scenography, the festival’s humor proposal welcomed comedians such as Eñaut Zuazo, Març Llinàs, Vanessa Lokiu, Andrea Farina, Andrés Fajngold, Oye Sherman, Manel Vidal or Xavi Daura, among others. During the last hours of the night, Sidonie and Cupido also performed there.
The most eclectic day
Saturday was the most eclectic day of Cruïlla 2023, with the islanders Antònia Font and the international Placebo, Moderat and Parov Stelar as some of its leaders. Dani Fernández, Amaia, Leiva or Carlangas were some of the national alternative pop rock proposals that made the audience stand up, while Suu, Stay Homas or Renaldo & Clara made all the festival-goers feel at home. Mourn, Sienna and Shego were also part of the last day of the festival that also featured the Cruïlla Comedy, headed by comedians such as Ana Polo, Ignasi Taltavull, Marc Sarrats and Ignatius Farray, and concerts by Pau Vallvé and Ramon Mirabet to close the Vallformosa stage.
Although music, art and comedy have been the protagonists of Cruïlla 2023, the program has been completed with a gastronomic offer for all kinds of palates and realities, with gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian or vegan proposals; various activities around technological innovation such as the experience of a concert in 5D or the interaction with the social robot of PAL Robotics; or the focus on social awareness that has been concentrated in the new Espai Transforma’t.
This year’s edition will be remembered for having made Cruïlla the first large-format festival to be supplied with 100% energy from the electricity grid, thus eliminating generators that use fossil fuels and pollutants. In fact, sustainability has been at the center this year with the introduction of returnable and reusable cups, the printing of t-shirts in situ to avoid the accumulation of stock or the promotion of public and electric transport, all with the aim of continuing the path towards the 0 waste festival.
Whether you have been part of Cruïlla 2023 or not, we hope that this journey through the most diverse and sustainable edition of the festival has filled you with nostalgia for everything lived between 5 and 8 July at the Parc del Fòrum and also with the desire to multiply the experience from 11 to 13 July 2024 in the next edition of Cruïlla!