- Festival Nrmal made its debut in Mexico City on March 1st of this year, preceding the popular Monterrey version by several days. Blazing sunshine welcomed the festival to the capital, and Deportivo de Lomas Altas seemed a venue of ideal size and ambience for the occasion. Nrmal has developed an excellent brand within Mexico, both aesthetically and musically. Most striking of all at this event was a huge, 3D version of the festival's logo at the back of the main stage, which later became a light installation. The presence of sponsorship from Vans was balanced out by a mercadito displaying smaller, local traders.
Nrml's lineup promised a diverse range of sounds from across the globe. Canadian artist Destroyer was the first prominent name to appear on the main stage, and his acoustic set warming things up nicely. As the day progressed, Matias Aguayo and Mostro demonstrated why they're so popular here in Mexico, lifting the energy of the crowd with acid-infused salsa before gradually moving into a more new wave-influenced style, exemplified by tracks like "Nervous."
Highlights of the Noisey stage, which hosted most of the electronic artists, included American singer Kelela and Spaniard Pional, even if the latter's live set was disrupted by technical problems. Far and away the day's strongest point, though, was Dev Hynes, AKA Blood Orange. The UK singer brought the show to life, conveying incredible stage presence through a whole range of dance moves and interactions with other members of his band. (Friends' vocalist Samantha Urbani more than matched him in a range of songs, particularly in "Always Let You Down.") As a unit the band were incredibly tight, effortlessly combining electronic elements with saxophone and soulful vocals.
All in all it was a very promising start for Festival Nrmal in the capital. The organisers took risks with the lineup, catering to the sort of leftfield tastes that are rarely considered in the city's wider club scene. The mix of acoustic and electronic acts worked well, with artists like Pional rubbing shoulders with Silver Apples. There were some technical difficulties, namely the persistent feedback and soundbleed on both stages, but given that this was only the city's first edition, any teething problems will hopefully be ironed out come 2015.