The MUD is consolidated as a space for musical discovery

LleidaIf we have learned anything over the years, it is that most festivals limit themselves to programming concerts based on the followers, listeners, trends and exposure on the networks of the artists on the billboard, limiting the variety of discourses and artistic proposals to a very biased range; but with 18 years of MUD, we can say that getting out of this spiral is not only possible, but it is a process of awareness of cultural and musical expression from its essence, guaranteeing the coexistence of different approaches to broaden sound spectrums and deepen the dissemination of new references in the current panorama.

The Festival of Dispersed Music has consolidated this space of discovery, a refuge for those restless ears that seek emotions that go beyond the predictable.

From March 14 to 16, Lleida will become the meeting point of tradition and modernity, where roots music is transformed into avant-garde without losing sight of its remote essence, thanks to a program that shakes labels and challenges stylistic boundaries. In this year's edition, the festival invites its faithful on a journey through auditory landscapes that connect continents and generations, from the deep roots of Mexican rock to the most experimental proposals that have emerged in the underworld of Madrid. And the MUD continues to be a space where surprise is the norm and quality, the only common thread.

Friday, March 14

The festival will open its doors with Depedro, who will repeat this edition presenting A perfect place (Calaverita Records, 2024) at the Lonja. With more than fifteen years of experience and having collaborated with bands such as Calexico and Los Coronas, Jairo Zavala is one of the most unique voices on the scene, combining influences from Latin music, American folk and African rhythms in a live performance full of emotion. The night will continue at the Café del Teatro with Filipin Yess, a promising band from the movida scene. underground Catalan that could remind us of the Beatles doing lo-fi or formations like Unknown Mortal Orchestra. They will premiere their latest work Blues Paradise (The Hidden Garden, 2024), full of captivating melodies and dreamlike atmospheres that oscillate between nostalgia and psychedelic luminosity. Next, Alidé Sans will take the stage with Root (Dmusical, 2024), a proposal that reinterprets the Occitan tradition with a modern and vindictive sensibility.

Saturday, March 15

In the morning, the courtyard of the Teatro del Matadero will be the stage for free vermouth concerts. Raquel Lua will open with her Mediterranean folk with flamenco roots, full of lyricism and sensitivity, followed by Natros Sols Selectors offering a musical session on the "Catalan sixties". In the evening, the Teatro del Matadero will host Maestro Espada, a duo from Murcia that combines the essence of folklore from the orchard with electronics and distortion. Their proposal is a dialogue between past and future, full of intensity and imagination, just as can be seen in their first album of the same name.

Saturday night will continue at the Café del Teatre with two high-voltage concerts. Dug Dug's, pioneers of Mexican psychedelic rock, will offer a journey between garage and progressive rock of the 70s. Next, Mohama Saz will round off the night by displaying his energy with psychedelia, oriental folk and jazz, an explosive combination that has made one of his most stimulating bands. With five albums behind them, the Madrid natives are influenced by artists as varied as Sun Ra, Erkin Koray, Neu!, Baba Zula and John Coltrane, and the result is an explosive and eclectic sound.

Sunday, March 16

In the morning, the last free vermouth concert in the courtyard of the Matadero will feature Martín Puig, an artist who stands out for his ability to transmit emotions through intimate and evocative compositions and who will present his first work Pencil Storm and Lighthouse (Mont Ventoux, 2023). The morning session will close with Ponent Roots making the audience dance to a selection of reggae, soul, funk and other contagious rhythms. Finally, the festival will close the edition in the evening at the Café del Teatro with a highly anticipated performance: that of Benin International Musical, one of the most outstanding proposals on the current African scene. Their combination of traditional voodoo rhythms from this small country, with afrobeat, gospel, rap and jazz, has taken them to the most prestigious stages in Europe and America, and their show promises a vibrant and lively closing.

With a diverse and risky program, MUD 2025 reaffirms its commitment to innovation and tradition and offers a unique experience where roots music manifests itself in all its richness and complexity. A festival that continues to explore new paths, connecting tribes and expanding the horizons of contemporary folk. MUD, open-minded folk.