‘Demand For Live Entertainment In Spain Is Huge’: Q’s With Nacho Cordoba, Head Promoter, Live Nation España

Live Nation Spain had a record-breaking 2024 in Spain, and the positive trend only continues. From clubs to arenas to stadiums, the promoter is operating with success across the circuit.

For our annual Spain Focus, Live Nation España’s head promoter Nacho Cordoba agreed to respond to a few questions about the state of the market.

Pollstar: How would you sum up the state of business at Live Nation Spain?
Nacho Cordoba: After a record-breaking 2024, this year continues to show steady growth: there are more shows, more demand, and audiences remain eager for live music, which has become one of the main forms of entertainment.

How’s your 2025 calendar shaping up, and how does it compare to 2024 at this point in time? Any events you’d like to highlight?
We’re seeing growth in both arena and stadium shows this year, especially over the summer months. The stadium season kicks off in May with two sold-out Ed Sheeran shows promoted by Mercury Wheels, and continues with stadium shows by AC/DC, Stray Kids, Imagine Dragons, Blackpink, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, and Post Malone.

At the arena level, we have Rauw Alejandro, who has sold out five shows in July between Madrid and Barcelona.

What challenges is the Spanish live entertainment business facing in 2025? What are some of the opportunities you identify?
We are lucky to be in a position that our main challenge is also our main opportunity – demand for live entertainment in Spain is huge. Concert tourism is well established in Spain, people travel here for shows thanks to the ease of access and good weather, which has led to rapid growth.

We are finding new ways to cater for audiences and artists alike. The growing trend for open-air artist residencies, in particular, is one that Spain is ideally positioned for.

Are VIP/premium/elevated offers as in-demand in Spain as in the rest of Europe?
We’re seeing significant growth in audience demand for VIP and premium services at concerts. This is especially noticeable at Latin artist and K-pop shows, where these types of services are highly sought after.

How’s the Spanish grassroots sector doing? What are the smallest shows at club level Live Nation and your affiliated businesses are involved with in 2025?
We’ve always considered it essential to support artists from early on in their careers. The development of new artists is something that excites us all and is a crucial part of our business.

Artists like Delaporte, for example, who Planet Events has helped grow from 200-capacity rooms to now performing on major festival stages and selling over 5,000 tickets in Madrid.

We also created “The Spanish Wave” which helps export national talent beyond our borders. La Cendejas, Depresion Sonora, Sila Lua, Queralt Lahoz and Izaro are just a few of the amazing acts who have benefited from this exposure.

What the biggest show of the year for you?
There are several: two sold-out 360 Ed Sheeran shows promoted by Mercury Wheels at the Metropolitano Stadium; two AC/DC shows at the Metropolitano will see the band returning to Spain after selling out Sevilla Stadium twice last year; the Kendrick Lamar and SZA show at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, which marks a milestone in Spain as the largest hip-hop show ever held here; three sold-out Lady Gaga shows at Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona; Imagine Dragons sold-out Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid; Fito & Fitipaldis, with a huge arena tour performing in 28 cities across Spain, beginning in November 2025 and lasting until May 2026.

What are markets outside the main hubs of Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, etc. that have a large audience for live events?
In Galicia, we have been developing Gozo Festival, which consists of a series of concerts across all the Galician cities throughout the year, culminating in large shows at Monte do Gozo for over 30,000 people. This year, we have artists like Lenny Kravitz, Alanis Morissette, Franz Ferdinand, Maná, and David Guetta, among others.

We also see Valencia becoming a key destination for live events with the opening of its arena later this year.

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