The weather is warm, the nights are cool, the food is unbelievable, and the passion is palpable. This is what the beloved Mexico City festival Corona Capital brings to the table each November. This year’s edition, which went down November 14th through 16th, served as the festival’s grand 15th anniversary celebration, and they pulled out all the stops: Foo Fighters, Chappell Roan, and Linkin Park topped the bill, with fellow headlining performances from the likes of Queens of the Stone Age, Deftones, Vampire Weekend, Weezer, Franz Ferdinand, and more.
At Corona Capital, it’s challenging not to indulge in nostalgia. As they’ve done every year, the organizers are happy to bring treasured acts of yore to the festival’s five stages; this year, that strategy led to performances from ’90s and 2000s rock heroes, 2010s indie favorites, and a ton of acts in-between.
But like any great festival, Corona Capital can’t ignore the way the music landscape has changed on a global and a regional level since their inaugural edition in 2010. So to help Corona Capital stand out amidst the When We Were Youngs of the world, they secured some strong of-the-moment showcases and current touring stalwarts like Men I Trust, Adéla, Nilüfer Yanya, Polo & Pan, Lucy Dacus, and the aforementioned Chappell Roan.
Despite a few cancelled sets, the festival ran smoothly and the vibes were high. There’s a ton to see and experience at Corona Capital for local and international fans, so here’s a rundown of what made this year’s festival a memorable celebration of Mexico City and music’s past and present.
— Paolo Ragusa
Live Music Editor