Sonorama Ribera 2025: Carolina Durante's explosion, Viva Suecia's magnetic attraction, and Alcalá Norte's surprise

Aranda de Duero (Burgos) has once again hosted one of Spain's most unique festivals , an experience brimming with emotion from the town's streets and squares to the main venue, from the varied music on the stages to the exciting flavors that add that extra something to the event being held in a gastronomic paradise.

This 28th edition offered something for all tastes, as usual: mainly national music , but this time also featuring a handful of high-quality international artists .

As expected, some of the most intense emotions were experienced on Friday night with Carolina Durante , who performed for the fourth time at Sonorama Ribera. With their third album, Elige tu Propia Aventura , they have taken another step forward as a band , with a tremendous collection of new songs that have quickly connected in a very special way with the audience, both for the meaning of their lyrics and for the powerful and vibrant nature of their melodies.

This tour shows the band's reach and resilience : with a curious set based on the series The Office and more musicians supporting the four kids, they've been killing it in different places around the country despite the recent injury and surgery on the cruciate ligament in the knee of their singer, Diego Ibáñez. Now visibly recovered, at Sonorama we saw him move on stage again with his unique style, transmitting (along with the sound-steaming sound created by his bandmates with their instruments) even more of an energy that unleashes euphoria in a big way.

" What happened to us if nothing happened? " ( You're probably right ), chanted thousands of voices, one of those simple phrases that connects so much with the personal stories and feelings of so many people, or " My friends are more than my demons " ( Hamburgers ), a song about overcoming personal setbacks by combining emotional support with the desire to go out on your own in search of those "precious things" of all kinds. Another high point was "Normal ," also a very powerful new anthem that deals directly and overwhelmingly with the after-effects left by some intense relationships. All of this, accompanied by a large Palestinian flag on the stage.

On different coordinates, but also with a huge impact on the audience, is undoubtedly Viva Suecia . Although they came from Murcia, quite far from Aranda, they were playing at home : the singer himself, Rafa Val, commented that someone had told them that, and he agreed, thinking about how well they've always been treated at Sonorama. And he certainly wasn't referring only to the organization, but also to the festival's regular audience, who undoubtedly consider this group one of their greatest references of recent times.

Since they began their adventure, Viva Suecia have grown by leaps and bounds, perfecting an indie pop-rock formula with a broad audience focus, which they've been able to develop and execute skillfully to multiply their reach. Songs like "La voz del presidente ," "El bien ," and "No hemos aprender nada" are already part of Spanish indie history, and they work better at Sonorama than anywhere else. As if that weren't enough, they left behind a glorious motto: " Viva Aranda, viva Murcia, and viva el vino ."

There were also special moments like the collaboration with Siloé (who played right after) on the song Sangre , and above all the emotional version of Un beso y una flor by Nino Bravo , as a tribute to the late Andrés Martín Garrido, better known as Tara , a member of the Sonorama and Art de Troya organizations who left his mark on Aranda and many artists throughout Spain. Throughout the festival, other artists and members of the organization also expressed words of emotion to highlight Tara's figure.

La Raíz were another of the most relevant and crowded performances of this edition. A few years ago, they swept the board with their explosive mix of rock, reggae, jazz, and hip hop, and after a few years of hiatus and other projects, they're back on stage to review their hits. With their extensive lineup, which includes several singers (including, on this occasion , Zoo's vocalist, "Panxo," who is replacing his brother Pablo Sánchez , who is undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma), guitars, and wind instruments, they put their all into songs like A la sombra de la sierra , Nos volveremos a ver, and Entre poetas presos . And of course, there were moments of protest to support the Palestinian cause, defend the collective and public, and attack individualists and cryptobros .

For their part, the Café Quijano brothers not only defended the songs that once made them famous, such as La Lola and Desde Brasil , but they also presented their new album, Miami 1990 , in which they continue to tell of new adventures, loves, and heartbreaks. According to the singer himself, Manuel Quijano, they have unfairly earned a reputation as "scoundrels" because "people think we're the characters in our songs," but in reality they are "hopeless romantics." The concert at Sonorama went well, and also included special guests: Nena Daconte (in No tienes corazón ) and Gabriel de Shinova (in Será mejor callarse ). Daconte, by the way, had her own concert on that same stage, and many sang along with her to the hit Tenía tanto que darte , which was also played when La La Love You performed their respective version.

The La La Love You concert, by the way, was one of the most fun : good vibes the whole time and a show that included some curious moments like when their guitarist got into a plastic ball between the hands of the audience like the Flaming Lips, or when they said they were hungry and were going to order some pizzas for everyone, which were later handed out by two volunteers and turned out to be some kind of pizza-shaped toys that many took home as souvenirs. The crowd got carried away and got really excited with songs like Pócima del amor , Que nada nos pare or of course El fin del mundo .

It was also special to have on one of the main stages an Aranda native who is becoming increasingly famous: Barry B , who combines elements of rock, pop and urban music. The singer had a very emotional gesture when he invited his cousin, who suffered from leukemia, on stage to dedicate the song 40K to her, the same song he sang to her in the hospital when he supported her through the illness. In addition, he performed with Diego Ibáñez from Carolina During the song Yo pensé que me había tocado Dios , a collaboration that Carolina themselves had also played just before in their concert.

Quality international music

Sonorama Ribera is a benchmark festival for national music, but every year it also tries to save space for some international artists . Last year there wasn't much in that area, but this year there were some very strong things . For example, the Scottish band Franz Ferdinand , who always guarantee dancing and partying, with the well-known indie rock formula and hits everyone knows like Take Me Out or Do You Want To , but also presenting several songs from their new album , The Human Fear, in which they continue along that path with a renewed line-up following the addition of drummer Audrey Tait.

It was also a privilege to enjoy at Sonorama a legendary 90s band like the English Supergrass , who were celebrating the 30th anniversary of their debut album, I Should Coco , which was so popular in the mid-90s, at the height of the Britpop explosion, and who continue to play phenomenally after all these years. Something similar could be said of the Northern Irish Ash , one of the most beloved bands by devotees of power pop and pop punk , who continue to add great songs and more than decent albums, and at Sonorama they gave us with great sonic force some nostalgia ( Girl from Mars , Shining Light , etc.) along with some more recent material.

Returning to the national artists , we also cannot forget Fermin Muguruza , one of the great legends of Basque rock both as the singer of Kortatu and Negu Gorriak and for his solo projects, who together with his band reviewed songs from different stages of his career, ending with the collective revelry of Sarri Sarri, and of course remembering Palestine. Nor can we forget Rufus T. Firefly , one of the great gems that we have in our country when it comes to rock and psychedelia , who presented the new and wonderful album Todas las cosas buenas .

The energy, fun, and excitement of Ginebras , who closed their Billie Max Tour in style; the evocative flamenco chill of Chambao , which remains a great way to start a festival day on a leisurely basis; the urban pop party of Alizzz ; the danceable pop that's so Sonorama-esque like Dorian ; and the show by Zahara , who presents the personal and reflective songs from her new album Lento Ternura . Duncan Dhu 's concert was a bit of a catch, because it wasn't really a reunion with the original members, but rather a celebration of Mikel Erentxun and his band celebrating the 40-year legacy of his former group. In any case, it was a joy to see those classics live; and what's more, right after the show, Erentxun quickly went to another stage to sing En alguien lugar again with Jordi Évole's fun cover band, Los Niños Jesús .

At festivals with multiple stages and overlapping artists, it's not always the best option to go to the headliners on the big stages. We want to celebrate the magical things that often happen on the secondary stages , and this Sonorama was a good example of that. As much as Arde Bogotá is killing it (and they're a band that has its value and that we've seen many times; we're not haters or anything like that) and they presented such an ambitious show at this Sonorama, Cala Vento was performing on another stage at the same time, and it was clear to us which part of the venue to go to.

This Catalan duo, whose limited line-up is enough to create authentic hits and not miss a trick, is without a doubt one of the best bands to have emerged on the national rock scene since they burst onto the scene a decade ago. They are currently celebrating their first ten years of musical career, and to mark the occasion, a few months ago they released a covers album called Brindis , featuring their interpretations of artists as diverse as Julieta Venegas ( Lento ), El Último de la Fila ( Insurrección ) and the Catalan group Els Pets ( Pau ), to which they contribute their own style and energy.

But of course, most of the show was dedicated to Cala Vento's own wonderful repertoire , and those who gathered there were very happy singing, jumping and moshing along to songs like Ferrari , Gente como tú or Abril , and toasting to many more years with moments like this.

Just after Cala Vento, another secondary stage featured a young English band with high expectations: The K's , who have just reached number 1 in the UK with their recently released second album. This year's international appeal wasn't limited to the big bands from the 90s or early 2000s, but also included this band that is on its way to becoming a very relevant name for its generation, with a new breed of indie rock inspired by bands like Arctic Monkeys and The Libertines, and who convinced those who came to see them at Sonorama.

Those stages also hosted one of the most fun concerts of the entire festival on another day: Camellos , which was a real riot of chaos and pogoing from start to finish. They even had a seemingly friendly exchange with another Madrid punk band they've undoubtedly met many times and know well, assuring everyone that their concert was going to be better than the later Parquesvr show: "They're used to losing, they're from Atleti," Camellos said sarcastically.

As expected, Parquesvr responded in their own unique way to this curious football provocation, dedicating the song El Palco to Camellos, which tells the story of how so many things supposedly go down between politicians and businessmen in the Santiago Bernabéu box. The truth is that Javier Ferrara, singer of Parquesvr, is used to leaving no stone unturned , and you could say that he is a bit of a hater as well as daring: he sang " Siempre viva Murcia pero nunca Suecia " the same night that Viva Suecia was performing at the festival (there were even some people in the audience wearing a t-shirt with that slogan). But he also criticized from the stage that Sonorama brought in "ultra-Catholic groups," a clear reference to Siloé , saying that they probably had something of a "Juancarlist" feel to them, like the Parquesvr song. But it's okay to live with these contradictions a little; In fact, we encourage the organization to bring the Nervous System next year (those who know a certain song will understand the reference).

The secondary stages also hosted such great concerts as Los Punsetes , who recently celebrated their 20th anniversary and are still going strong with their pure rock melodies and charismatic lyrics; Nudozurdo , who always dazzle with their post-rock and post-punk; or the Catalans Anabel Lee , who even dared to perform a punk version of Karol G's Si antes te había conocí (If I Had Met You Before ). Cristalino 's pop-rock performance was also very enjoyable to see and hear; curiously, they performed on the same stage where Florent Muñoz, the character Cristalino played in the acclaimed film Segundo Premio , played last year.

One of the best concerts of the entire festival took place on the smallest stage in the venue, at the very back. Those who were there at the right time were able to enjoy what is surely the most fascinating project to emerge recently in Murcia: the Maestro Espada brothers , who revive Murcia's musical tradition and combine it with contemporary rock and electronic elements. They recently received the Paco Martín Award from La Mar de Músicas .

It is, to define it both literally and spiritually, Murcian folklore wrapped in Nine Inch Nails t-shirts (among many other references), and the result is excellent, thanks to the talent of these musicians and the strength of their performance; plus, they're accompanied live by Raúl Frutos of Crudo Pimiento on drums. Aside from the tremendous songs from their self-titled album, another highlight at Sonorama was Maestro Espada's brutal and dark cover of Mecano's Maquillaje .

But of course, talking about a festival like Sonorama can't be limited to just the concerts that take place there, because the true identity that defines this event lies in what happens during the day in the town's squares, and especially in the Plaza del Trigo . And the most talked-about thing there each year are the surprise concerts , featuring artists who appear without having been previously announced; sometimes they're bands that also perform in the main venue, thus creating a "double act," and other times, they're groups that didn't even appear anywhere on the bill.

This year, the most exciting surprise was one of those bands that no one knew would be in Aranda, even though many rumors pointed to it: Madrid-based Alcalá Norte . Since releasing their debut album last year, they've immediately connected with a passionate audience that values their post-punk melodies and lyrics with neighborhood pride. And while Plaza del Trigo can be a challenging setting, with a great atmosphere but also with many people who are more interested in the party and are more receptive to more "bright" (so to speak) ideas, Alcalá Norte passed the test with flying colors thanks to songs that have quickly become important to many, such as their great hit La Vida Cañón , with which they culminated.

Another surprise was Despistaos , very appropriate for Trigo with their fun and easy-going songs , to jump around casually, and of course they closed with the song Física o Química ; before that, they brought out Álvaro Benito from Pignoise for another song, who would later perform on one of the main stages of the venue (curiously, last year it was the other way around; Pignoise surprisingly brought out Despistaos, who were originally going to perform on the main stage, as guests at Trigo).

As for Siloé , they have grown in recent years betting on more accessible songs that have worked with the audience such as Todos los besos , incorporating electronic sounds and with a clear intention of seeking a larger audience, following the success of groups like Viva Suecia. They had already been in many editions of Sonorama, "playing on all the stages", and in 2025 is when they have most exploded at the festival, first at night on the main stage and then by surprise at Trigo , a very conducive stage for the proposal they represent. This concert began in a very special way, with the singer Fito Robles coming out with a guitar from one of the balconies of the plaza , and then joining his companions below.

Other double acts included Besmaya , an indie pop act with a rock spirit who harnessed the energy generated at Trigo to instigate mosh pits and interact with the audience. Interestingly, both Siloé and Besmaya performed (in their own unique way) the same legendary Blur song, Song 2 , on different days at Trigo.

Of course, the surprise "double" of greatest quality has been Carlos Ares , one of the most outstanding new talents in Spanish music: after his performance on one of the secondary stages of the festival on Saturday (which was slightly delayed due to technical problems), he closed the Plaza del Trigo in style on Sunday , performing songs from his recent album La boca del lobo (which in a short time has already made a deep impression on many) and from his successful Peregrino , shining with the large and wonderful band that supports him.

But there aren't only surprises in the Plaza del Trigo; of course, artists who do appear in the program also perform. And among them, the most memorable of this edition has probably been Sanguijuelas del Guadiana , a young rock band from an Extremaduran town of just over a thousand inhabitants (Casas de Don Pedro) that claims a new imaginary of rural Spain , in search of new dreams and opportunities for all those small towns from which many have had to leave to make a living in the city, but which in reality are fertile land for cultivating many things of great value and future. And one of those things is undoubtedly Sanguijuelas del Guadiana, a group that has the potential to go very far and give a voice to many people. In addition, in the Trigo they had very special guests for some of the songs, which contributed to making the moment even more special: Antonio García from Arde Bogotá , David Ruiz from La MODA and the Extremaduran flamenco singer Celia Romero .

By the way, it's also worth mentioning that, despite all the charm of Plaza del Trigo, the experience is clearly radically different when you get to the front row than if you were watching from further back, because without being well positioned, you can barely see or hear anything of the concert. It would be a great idea to add speakers and screens at the back , so everyone knows at least what they're seeing.

In any case, many interesting things are happening throughout Aranda as part of the Sonorama program. In the Plaza de la Sal , each morning people could start the day in a good mood with fun concerts like the one by Aranda-based Histeria Punk Rock , and the Charco stage also featured a lot of variety, including the final dances of the festival to the rhythm of Tito Ramírez and his band, this Sunday afternoon. The new Big Bang tent , with talks and workshops on astronomy and science, deserves special mention.

In the end, it's always worth visiting Aranda de Duero during this August season, and there are plenty of things to see for different tastes, from lovers of easygoing indie pop to rock and punk enthusiasts. All this, with the key element being that this municipality has the best food (those roasted lambs served in the asadores) and that the exquisite Ribera del Duero wine is very present. Oh, and let's not forget that Aranda requires a direct train to Madrid and Burgos, which would be so useful for so many people and would generate more opportunities in the area.

As for the festival's areas of improvement, we'd say the restrooms in the main venue need a little updating : while we're grateful for the decent restrooms built there, the lines during peak and off-peak hours were horrendous (with several zigzag lanes), and this is an issue that needs to be improved in other areas. A similar situation exists with the food court, which is too isolated from the concert area, and it would have been nice to have more food options within easy reach. At a festival, where time is always limited, it's important to make eating and using the restroom easier and faster. On the other hand, it must be said that things have been streamlined at the bars, largely thanks to the good idea of setting up quick beer and calimocho bars.

Overall, the experience has been very positive and enriching , as it is every year. The atmosphere is special and different from other events, and going to eat lamb of such quality is almost as exciting as the concerts themselves, even though many of them are wonderful: some of our favorites this year have been Carolina Durante, Supergrass, La Raíz , Ash, Cala Vento, Camellos, and Maestro Espada ; and in the Plaza del Trigo, we would especially highlight Alcalá Norte, Carlos Ares, and Sanguijuelas del Guadiana . Next year, even more so.