Madrid’s Bernabéu Stadium Unexpectedly Cancels Concerts Until 2025
Written by Sigal Ratner-Arias on September 15, 2024
The plans to transform the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, into a new musical epicenter have encountered an unexpected setback. Following successful shows by artists like Karol G, Taylor Swift and Luis Miguel, the football club Real Madrid announced on Friday (Sep. 13) that it has decided to suspend scheduled concerts at its official venue until 2025, though no specific date was provided.
“Real Madrid C. F. hereby announces that it has decided to provisionally reschedule the calendar of events and concerts at the Santiago Bernabéu. This decision is part of a series of measures that the club has been taking to ensure strict compliance with current municipal regulations during concerts,” the club stated in a press release published on its website and social media.
“Despite the soundproofing of the Santiago Bernabéu and the additional measures that have been put in place, compliance with these regulations by the various organizers and promoters has been hampered by the challenge of meeting all the requirements,” the statement added. “Real Madrid will continue to work to ensure that during concerts there are the precise conditions in the production and broadcasting of sound that allow concerts to be held at our stadium.”
The affected concerts include those of Dellafuente and Aitana, originally scheduled for Nov. 15 and Dec. 28-29, respectively, and Lola Índigo’s, scheduled for March 22, 2025, Real Madrid said, stating that all of these would be rescheduled. The Music Bank Festival, which was to bring K-pop stars like BOYNEXTDOOR, KISS OF LIFE and aespa on Oct. 12, has been definitively canceled.
No further details were provided. Billboard Español attempted to contact the communications department of Real Madrid C.F. but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
On their social media accounts, Aitana and Lola Índigo quickly reacted to the news. Aitana immediately announced new dates for her shows, which will now be on June 27 and 28, 2025, while Índigo stated that she would announce new dates as soon as she has them.
“We are sad, but everything is postponed until 2025 and I am sure it will be incredible,” a visibly affected Aitana said in a video posted on her Instagram account. “It’s a blow, but we will come back stronger next year, promised!” expressed Lola Índigo. Fans flooded their accounts with messages of support, although the dismay over the wait was evident.
FACUA, a Spanish non-governmental and non-profit organization that fights for consumer rights, posted the following message on X (formerly Twitter): “If you are one of those affected, you have the right to get your money back and to be compensated for transportation and accommodation expenses that you have incurred and are non-refundable.”
With a capacity of up to 65,000 people, the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium opened its doors to musical events last April with the show Locos por la Música, followed by a series of concerts from Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour on May 29-30, and Karol G’s four closing shows of her Mañana Será Bonito Tour from July 20-23. Other major concerts at the venue were those of Duki (June 8), Manuel Carrasco (June 29) and Luis Miguel (July 6-7). The last act to perform there was the group Aventura, on Sep. 7-8.
The Bernabéu Stadium, which hosts one of the largest football teams in the Spanish capital, is located in the Chamartín district, right on Paseo de la Castellana, a mainly residential area. The noise level generated by the shows is not the only issue; the traffic and massive crowds have also been noted as a problem.
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