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This was my first time doing the whole of Canela. Three days. And I will say it plainly: it wrecks your body, but it fixes your mind.
Ruido Necesario showed two faces.
Yerman in the pit, tireless and methodical, catching every band at its best like German clockwork. Shot after shot, not missing one.
And on the other side, the rowdy part. A group of friends and contributors. Greetings, girls, we love you very much. What a brilliant time we had together! Three days enjoying the bands before ending up in costume on Saturday, our legs already giving way but holding out until the end, as you do at Canela.
If you were there, you know what I mean. If not, write this down: 26, 27 and 28 August 2027. Torremolinos. Nothing more to say. Now, down to business.
THURSDAY 27 — ALL IN
Me and the Bees opened with just enough. Textbook garage pop, effective at 6:00 pm under a punishing sun. They deliver, but take no risks.
Man/Woman/Chainsaw (UK) — Controlled chaos. I had really been looking forward to them. True to their live show: violin, screams and impossible shifts. One of Thursday’s best. They are hungry.
Geordie Greep (UK) — The former Black Midi frontman came to make people uncomfortable. A set from his solo album, misshapen jazz, excessive theatricality. Half the crowd left to get a beer; the other half were fascinated. Only Canela dares to book this in southern Spain.
Melody's Echo Chamber (FR) — Dreamy psychedelia that always loses its edge live. Pretty, ethereal, but flat at that hour. It worked better as a sonic siesta.
Basement (UK) — Emo revival with no tricks. They sounded huge. Collective catharsis. Nostalgia, well executed.
Friko (Chicago) — The surprise. They were not on the initial bill and they tore the place apart. Exactly what Canela needed. From now on, they are already among my favourite bands.
Maruja (UK) — Incendiary jazz punk. If you have not seen them this year, you have understood nothing. Saxophone, political fury, a finale with the crowd sitting on the ground. Live show of the year.
Speed (AUS) — Australian hardcore at 200%. Fifty minutes of positive violence. No speeches. A perfect cleansing after Maruja.
Baiuca — An electronic finale with bagpipes. He got everyone whom Speed had left for dead back on their feet. Folktronica that makes complete sense in Torremolinos.
Prostitute (USA) — New York noise rock to close the night wounded. Filth, feedback and a singer you do not forget. The perfect ending.
FRIDAY 28 — THE HOMEGROWN DAY
Gazella — Dream pop, shoegaze, electronica. A ten-out-of-ten live show. Perfect for starting the afternoon. At three in the morning they might bring you down, but at that hour they lift you up. I wish this band and the Valencian scene all the best; it is enjoying one of its finest moments, as Mario from Discos Oldies Valencia told us in his interview.
FUET! — Another band I did not want to miss. Hardcore, alternative punk. These Madrid lads are absolutely killing it. Perfect for Canela.
Ángeles Toledano — Deconstructed flamenco. A commanding voice, subtle electronics. She brought the whole site to silence. An ovation.
Weird Nightmare (CAN) — Alex Edkins (METZ) in power-pop mode. Two-minute songs, very Ramones. Fun, nothing more.
Mannequin Pussy (USA) — One of the weekend’s most forceful performances. I would have travelled to Torremolinos just to see this band. Missy raises and lowers the volume at will: from whisper to scream. I Got Heaven sounded like a generational anthem, before they closed with Loud Bark. And what can you say about their bassist, Colins “Bear” Regisford? What a presence! A little piece of my heart stayed at Canela.
High Vis (UK) — Working-class post-punk with grandeur. They sounded like The Chameleons and The Cult, backed by a choir of hardcore kids singing along. Far beyond what I expected.
La Paloma — The best Spanish live act right now. No gimmicks, hit after hit. Every time I see them, they win me over again. Best of all: seeing our friends Mari and Ceci from Bar La Faena enjoying this band. Unbeatable.
Rufus T. Firefly — Progressive psychedelia for the fans. Good sound. A peaceful breather among so much urgent guitar work. Bravo.
Mala Gestión — Nervy punk, sharp lyrics. A short set with no breaks. The festival revelation. I did not expect much from them and they won me over. One of the most enjoyable shows; it flew by. Punk, pop, electro-punk.
MAQUINA. (PT) — Hypnotic Lisbon krautrock. Motorik drums, infinite loops. The perfect ending to a night that did not want to finish.
SATURDAY 29 — CLOSING TIME AND COSTUMES
Amor Líquido — Bright pop punk. Ideal for starting with a hangover.
joseluis — Lo-fi bedroom music that loses intimacy on a big stage. Fine. Joselvis came out in costume, as Canela demands, but once he starts playing it feels as if he were singing into your ear in his Murcia bedroom.
Sandré — They are not here to please you. They are here to scream in your face. A beautiful sunset. Four on stage, Rosa howling as if her life depended on it, and two minutes per song running you over like a sonic hit-and-run. Paciencia Infinita at full fucking blast. This is happiness.
Karen Dió (BRA) — Brazilian post-punk with hooks, energy and a message. She won everyone over. Everything in order.
Wavves (USA) — Surf-punk legends. Nathan Williams bringing California to Torremolinos, where it should always have been. If Sandré was the punch, Wavves was the cold beer afterwards. Canela’s most summery concert. And by this point on Saturday, it was exactly what we needed.
Nation of Language (USA) — Elegant synth-pop. They sound like OMD and New Order in 2026 without sounding like a revival. An unexpected dance floor. This was not the show for circle pits. It was the show where you stopped, hugged your mate dressed for an aerobics class and thought: fuck, this is why coming to Torremolinos is so good.
Carolina Durante — Headliners. No argument. They turn every festival into their own backyard. The crowd sang more than they did. The year’s mass karaoke session.
Deafheaven (USA) — Blackgaze in broad daylight. They do not care. Sunbather at 11:00 pm in Torremolinos, and it works. An immaculate wall of sound.
Upchuck (USA) — Black, queer and furious punk. Fifty minutes without drawing breath. One of the festival’s most political performances.
Las Petunias — Rowdy garage, neighbourhood riot grrrl. Short and direct. No frills. It was not one of my favourites.
Chalk (UK) — Industrial post-punk from Belfast. Dark, dense, very Gilla Band. Second to last on Saturday, with everyone already tired. Perhaps it was not the best slot for them.
CERVATANA — They are Miguel García and Jose Ugía (Derby Motoreta's) plus Fran Sánchez, but there are no kikos or robes here. Organic electronica, rave, kraut, big beat. If Derby was the desert, Cervatana is the spaceship taking off after the apocalypse. In Torremolinos, already a dystopian setting in its own right, they fit like a glove. This is not rock to sing along to; it is music that makes your chest vibrate. Lights, smoke and bass that moves your flip-flops.
A finale with confetti, costumes and everyone hugging. Just as it should be.
Verdict: Fewer hierarchies than ever. Inspired booking, both international and Spanish. Maruja, Friko, Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Nation of Language, Mala Gestión, Mannequin Pussy and Cervatana justified the price of the pass.