“On behalf of the entire Arnau family, we can only warmly thank everyone who answered the call of the desert and allowed Monegros to shine again.” With these words, the brothers Juan and Cruz Arnau Lasierra –the new generation at the head of the family business born in Fraga– showed this Sunday his gratitude to the more than 55,000 people who attended the most massive edition of the Monegros desert.
A phenomenal response for a festival which is reborn after eight years of lethargy and which, according to the organizers, generated an impact of 30 million euros in the local economy, particularly in the hotel and tourism sector since “everything has been absolutely reserved within a radius of 150 kilometers”.
Although the continuity of the musical event in 2023 is not yet decided, satisfaction is the feeling that reigns among those responsible. “We are all very happy with the end result, especially since the festival hasn’t taken place for so long. It was an extremely moving edition for all and with a great economic impact in the region”, explain sources of the organization. In the coming weeks, a balance sheet will have to be made and a final decision taken, but the predisposition for the electronic festival to continue in fragile lands seems very proactive.
Until the last DJ, Paco Osuna
When at noon this Sunday, Barcelona DJ Paco Osuna concluded his two-hour session in the majestic Temple of the Sound System, the main space erected as a tribute to the “raves” of the 80s and 90s, a crowd gathered before he’s ready to culminate the celebration in style. It was the last performance of more than 125 scheduled on eleven stages for 22 hours. A marathon that started on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. with British DJ Ben Sims in the no less impressive Techno Cathedral.
The literally family nature of the festival, with the Arnaus at the foot of the canyon all day long, provided a very exciting time until the early hours of Sunday. In the middle of the session of Richie Hawtin, a ‘house’ classic and one of the great names of the planetary electronic music scene, Juan Arnau Durán appeared on the stand of the Sound System Temple, which pioneered the bringing this kind of club sounds and culture to our country. Both fused in a heartfelt embrace, aware of all they’ve shared and the path they have traveled together.
Another notable aspect is that there were no major incidents. The Civil Guard, which has activated a device with 300 agents, revealed that seven arrests had been made for drug trafficking and numerous complaints for possession or consumption of narcotics. The armed institute said it was “satisfied” because “more serious incidents given the size and scale of the festival” did not develop.
complicated exit
As expected, the departure from the Monegros desert, which started around 7:00 a.m., was not easy at all and led to long traffic jams and waiting both for those who traveled by private car and in the buses made available by the organization. The festival’s social networks received dozens of complaints like this: “We were in the car for four hours to get out”; “We had to wait an hour and a half in line and in the sun to get on the bus for Zaragoza”; “Queues for miles to get out and without indications”; or “What a disaster! Fortunately, the music was up to the task.”