After years in the dry dock, the new festival bets on insurance and achieves great figures despite the doubts of the nostalgic
The new era of the Benicàssim International Festival at the hands of The Music Republic it is presented differently from the FIB that the most purists defend and that the most veteran “indies” yearn for but it leaves on the table the overwhelming support of the public that confirms that the brand, doomed to disappear after years adrift, has a future.
The last day, traditionally the one with the lowest public, followed in the footsteps of the first three days and has registered a great entrance. The Argentine based in Barcelona, Nathy Peluso set the main stage on fire to the blow of the hip, charisma and sensuality and has left an unusual image: everyone singing bachata with the song ‘Ateo’, which the artist recorded together with C.Tangana.
Before the Valencians The Red Room has acted in one of the secondary scenarios in which they have explained that 24 years ago they made their debut at the FIB and have shown their desire that “we enjoy it”.
The day has also given to listen to the great voice of the mancuniano Tom Walker with impeccable sound and heartbreaking on the main stage. And for other British bands, like Circa Waves or Sea Girl putting the Britons who were waiting to dance, like the rest of the attendees who were listening to La MODA, the Kasabian concert.
With the waltz that will sound to close the festival -as has always happened at the FIB-, after the Viva Sweden concertan edition that has dispelled doubts will be closed and has marked the beginning of a new era for the oldest festival on the national scene.
It was born when the Morán brothers paved the way for the great festivals in Spain in 1995. In the following 15 years they became a prestigious giant, in the best event of these characteristics, in the most modern, innovative and risky ones. A place to see great artists but also to discover others no less exciting.
But the drift came to the festival when the British businessman Vince Power took full control in 2009. By then many other events had already emerged in the Spanish music scene As the Spring Sound of Barcelona or the BBK Live from Bilbao and the following years festivals of all kinds proliferated until a bubble was inflated in which it was already difficult for the cake to give for more portions.
what of @fiberfib ?❤️. pic.twitter.com/Kym37QkH7F
— Zahara (@zaharapop) July 17, 2022
Power witnessed the gradual loss of public and left the date on the verge of disappearance drowning in debt until in 2014 the British businessman Melvin Benn took the reins of the event but with the premise of saving it from economic disaster, so the posters could not meet the expectations of the public that continued to decrease. The businessman, who confessed his love to the Benicense date which he had been trying to buy for years, finally succumbed and sold it to The Music Republic at the close of the 2019 edition.
The Music Republic, company that promotes the Arenal Sound, the Festival de Les Arts, the Interstellar Sevilla, the Viña Rock and the Granada Sound, then took control of the event and promised to “keep the essence”.
With the pandemic, the examination and verdict of the public on the new FIB was suspended. A few weeks before its celebration, the most veteran lovers of the FIB they looked skeptically at the course who had made the appointment.
Subscriptions at much lower prices, a bill without risk and with names to satisfy the mass public -with bands like Izal, FASHION or Love of Lesbian- and with a mostly Spanish audience, the FIB started on Thursday with a huge traffic jam on the N-340.
A sign of what has been seen afterwards: a completely packed venue since the early hours of the afternoon, with a festive, uninhibited, hedonistic atmosphere and with many reunions. And the main stage recovered and supported by tens of thousands of spectators.
It is not the same FIB, but probably in the current scenario plagued by festivals and bearing in mind that festivals are also a business that cannot be carried out if it is not profitable, this is the only International Festival of Benicàssim possible.
The organization has explained to EFE that it feels very satisfied with the progress of this edition, willing to correct possible errors and continue to grow. They have names already closed for 2022 that they cannot reveal yet but that show their desire to continue working on the brand.
And it has already announced that the next edition will be held from July 13 to 16, 2023 and tickets will go on sale next September 22.