Gig review: The Critters Acts Tour, Madrid 2025
Three concerts, two cities, and 28 musicians to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Raw Critters. Even though we had never organized a concert before, we wanted to mark the fact that we’re still going strong after all these years, together with the artists who are part of the Critters Acts project. We featured 9 of the bands and solo acts from the latest edition, and we hope to expand the lineup in other cities until all 12 current Critters Acts have taken part.
The tour kicked off on September 13 at Sala Vesta in Madrid, featuring the Swiss band Flamingos, the Toledo-based singer-songwriter Juan Alonso, and the Madrid local band Lapsus Planck. Valencia followed in October with three more bands, and we’ll return to Madrid to end the tour on January 24, 2026, with our most international acts. Each show includes artists from abroad, at least one singer-songwriter, and a local band, each one distinctly different and arranged in a lineup designed to shake up the audience’s expectations.
Most concerts, especially those in Madrid, tend to group artists by genre, so the entire lineup caters to a particular taste. Singer-songwriters or lesser-known musicians usually open the show, with a program that gradually warms up the room. But at Raw Critters, we don’t see music that way. Our goal is for people to leave with more than they came in with and to expand their ears with something unexpected. In that sense, the Critters Acts are like a gift: each one different, each with its own style and a varied set of well-crafted songs, beautifully performed.
Anyone who walks through the door to see a Jungle Band should be ready to enjoy the music. The show is designed to feel it in a warm, welcoming atmosphere, to get to know the artists on stage and blend in with them like one of the crew. Those who came to this birthday celebration, planned with so much love, took that experience home with them, and they’re already thinking about coming back for more.
Thanks to everyone who made it possible. See you again. See you in the Jungle!
Flamingos
Flamingos’ performance was one of the most well-received. They’re an easy-listening duo, a melodic rock act that goes down smooth. We had a feeling it would be that way, which is why they opened the tour, setting the bar high from the very first minute. People weren’t going to miss the band from Geneva, and they were our ace to win over the crowd right from the start.
This Swiss Jungle Band, formed in 2023, is actually led by Canadian Rowan Palmer on guitar and vocals, and British drummer James Greenway. For this concert, they were also joined by Sam Petragallo on bass. So far, they’ve only released one EP, but they have a stash of unreleased material that we absolutely loved.
Flamingos are a no-frills band whose simplicity makes it seem like what they do takes no effort at all. But it’s precisely their drive to play and to do it well that reinforces their sound and makes their live show so solid. They are the perfect birds to delight our jungle, a crowd that savored every note and was left wanting more after their stop in Madrid.
Juan Alonso
Flamingos’ charm was followed by the sweetness of Juan Alonso. Singer-songwriter music might be seen as something for a more mature audience, but that doesn’t have to be the case, if you’re willing to listen. Music has no age. And that’s exactly what the Zaragoza-born, Toledo-based singer-songwriter proved in Madrid, captivating the audience with his guitar, his voice, and his lyrics. That’s the magic of bringing such different acts together on the same stage.
Alonso writes about life, the everyday, the human experience, a world that moves at a different pace, slower than what we’re used to in the big city. His songs and his unique spirit filled Sala Vesta, soaking us all in a calm that made us pause to savor his melodies and appreciate the exquisite contrast of Ana Segura’s backing vocals.
Let’s not forget the great work by multi-instrumentalist David Sánchez and drummer Richi, supporting this remarkable artist who’s about to release his debut album. Juan Alonso is one of the most promising solo acts in the Critters Acts project, a musician who started out in a post-punk group, of which little remains in this new chapter.
Lapsus Planck
And with Lapsus Planck, the place went crazy. The main course of the night was served by the Madrid-based band that throws two parts rock, two parts punk, a dash of pop, and a sprinkle of funk into the same pot. And the mix works.
Txema, Pesto, Cuenca, and Juan have, musically speaking, less in common than an opera singer and a bagpiper. But that variety of influences is exactly what enriches their sound—and they’re bold enough to throw it all in their mouths and chew it up with a handful of Pop Rocks candies.
Lapsus Planck are genuinely off the wall, hurling their songs from the stage for you to rub up against them. They made us jump and scream at the top of our lungs to “dejarnos de putas mierdas” and celebrate an anniversary that wouldn’t have been possible without them.
The tour’s debut left its mark on Madrid, with a fired-up crowd that had a blast celebrating Jungle’s triple somersault alongside the unforgettable Critters Acts.
