Visor Fest closed its fifth edition, the first in Valencia, with magnificent concerts and an attendance of nearly 9,000 people across all the activities over the two days. This event, which has been promoted by Cervezas Alhambra , has truly become #aconcertfestival, where the public dedicates themselves to living in the moment enjoying the full concerts of legendary bands such as Happy Mondays , Peter Hook and The Light , The Lemonheads , Ash , Echobelly , Then Jerico , Buffalo Tom or Chucho.

For those who missed experiencing #aconcertfestival like the ones before, with full performances and no overlaps, it was impossible to miss this fifth edition of Visor Fest , which came to Valencia for the first time , hosted by the Marina Norte Venue.

And the chapter closed with a spectacular performance, led by an audience that enjoyed magnificent concerts. The audience, which included a faithful Murcian audience from previous years, new Valencian music lovers, and even figures from our scene like the legendary Juan de Pablos, reached nearly 9,000 people throughout the weekend, including official activities and free complementary activities.

Friday kicked off with Alesa DJ under a blue sky as the crowd began to fill the front rows. Alesa has mesmerized us edition after edition. Then Jerico played at home: attendance records were broken for the first concert of any day of Visor Fest . Mark came out like an inexhaustible whirlwind, electric, and, displaying his characteristic charisma, the catharsis finally arrived with “Big Area,” where we were all happy again.

Juan Vitoria delivered a session that knew what he was doing, an exquisite selection for an audience that appreciates gourmet bites. As for Buffalo Tom , the Boston band doesn’t need gimmicks because they rely on power, guitar, skill, and talent. It was a joyful concert.

How about Ash ? Can these Irishmen tell us their secret? How is it possible to get almost 4,000 people to agree? They didn’t let up from the start, and the audience appreciated it, not giving an inch, even during the introduction of new songs.

Seeing the band and Shaun Ryder about to go up the stairs with Alan McGee , the guy who discovered the Gallaghers in Glasgow, was something we never thought we’d see in our lifetime. Bez was buzzing, waggling maracas in hand, and challenging the audience to participate with his unique “24-hour party people” stance and dance. At a Happy Mondays concert , you’re going to have a blast and did we enjoy it! This is a dancing band!  Seeing them live, you realize how important Bez is to the whole Mondays vibe and keeping the crowd animated and grooving. Shaun Ryder was on (surreal) good form and reminded us that ‘Mad Cyril’ was inspired by the film ‘Performance’ and “it is really about Brian Jones…”

Fri Britny , or in other words, the Valencian singer Nita Bonet , was a non-stop performer, releasing hits with female vocals in homage to, for example, the beautiful Dolores O’Riordan.

Chucho unleashed their songs early on Saturday and already had their longtime fans excited and singing along to Fernando Alfaro’s arsenal of imagination. Then, Javier Santos was the smartest in the class: what a knack for reading what people expect. So many golden memories in the form of great songs!

How beautiful the Echobelly concert was and what a voice! Sonya is able to bring back the happy look of youth to the faces of those lucky enough to hear her. Those who have followed TheLemonheads tour already know: Evan Dando is unclassifiable, the most punk person alive on stage. Plus, he gave a cover of Oasis’s “Some Might Say” that will be remembered for a long time.

Giving Peter Hook a halftime show isn’t easy, but Alesa DJ makes it easy. And speaking of Sir Peter, if anyone has the divine right to defend his legacy, it’s him. Respecting what he helped build, because he is music history. His efforts must be praised: he arrived with a serious shoulder injury that prevented him from playing bass and for which he had to cancel subsequent tour dates, but he delivered like the great he is. ‘BLUE MONDAY’ went down a storm and the fans loved the combination of dark ‘JOY DIVISION’ classics and uplifting NEW ORDER tunes too! And, of course, how do Peter Hook and The Light close a festival like Visor Fest ? With “LOVE WILL TEAR US APART,” of course! The moment when he went down to the pit at the end of the concert to give his shirt to a fan enjoying himself in the front row will also be unforgettable. Respectfully, Peter Hook dedicated the entire show to the memory of Ian Curtis… reminding us that “it has been 45 years.”

In its centenary year, Cervezas Alhambra has reaffirmed its commitment to Visor Fest , which it has been supporting for five years. This partnership shares the brand’s unique way of enjoying every moment, creating spaces that invite you to pause, observe, and enjoy the imperceptible and savor the originality of each moment.

Visor Fest would have been impossible without the support of Valencia Tourism (Valencia Provincial Council), Ministry of Education, Culture, Universities and Employment, Valencian Community Tourism, Valencia City Council (Valencia Music City), Ministry of Culture and Valencian Music Office (Cànter) and Cervezas Alhambra.

The fifth Visor Fest was a resounding success, attracting nearly 9,000 people across its two days of offerings, Friday the 26th and Saturday the 27th. This year, in addition to the concerts by legendary bands at the Marina Norte venue and the other complementary activities of this fifth edition, the festival’s first event in Valencia undoubtedly offered attendees the experience of #unfestivaldeconciertos like the ones before. See you next year!

Report by 24/7 Valencia team

Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’

Visorfest photos copyright Kaiko / 24/7 Valencia