Christina Volk
BBC News, Madrid
Xavi Torrent/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
Real Madrid Stadium played host to two consecutive Taylor Swift concerts last May
Last year, tens of thousands of “Swifts” – Taylor Swiftfan – rang Madrid to watch a series of concerts at the famous Bernabéu Stadium in the Spanish capital, home to Real Madrid, which won the European Champions League final on June 1st.
The megaconcert was one of dozens of high-profile gigs performed at the newly renovated stadium in 2024, increasing the club’s revenue.
However, the project was short-lived. In September, all gigs were cancelled after residents living in music ears filed legal complaints about the noise.
Nine months later, Spanish pop singer Aitana is the latest artist to trade venues from the Bernabéu to Metropolitano Stadium (home to rival Atletico Madrid).
“All concerts are the exact same,” says Enrique Martinez de Azagra, president of the Neighborhood Association. He and other locals say concerts like Taylor Swift have become louder.
“It is impossible to suffer from this kind of noise, which affects our health, affects migraines, insomnia, heart attacks, and is a crime of our law,” adds Enrique.
In Madrid, the noise levels measured by neighbors were regularly above 90 decibels during concerts.
Ian Marnane of the European Environment Agency said levels above 55 decibels are considered harmful in Europe, and continued exposure can lead to increased blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases such as stroke. There is also a link between noise exposure and diabetes.
Enrique and his neighbors are suing Real Madrid for the noise level of the concert
Enrique says there is a big difference between the noise from the concert compared to football games. He and most of his neighbors have lived in the area for decades. Many of them are lifelong supporters of Real Madrid and are on committees representing the club’s interests.
“Soccer is a sport that lasts more or less for two hours. The noise is normal. Passion only surges when there is a goal,” Enrique says. The problem he saw at the concert is that they vented high levels of noise continuously over a long period of time at a time.
To reduce exposure to these high levels of noise, Enrique and his neighbors took Real Madrid to court.
Sports journalist Felippo Maria Rich believes they have a strong claim.
“The Bernabeu is in the heart of Madrid. The neighbors who live there are good positions and know the right people,” says Felippo. “This fight for the concert can be quite long, but at this point Real Madrid is losing this fight.”
Neighbors say the city government is hesitant to solve the problem as it benefits from the money tourism and concerts generate. Local media reports show that tourists who come from Taylor Swift’s concert alone spent around 25 million euros (£21 million, $28 million).
Filippo says the £1.1 billion renovation to make the stadium multipurpose should provide a major financial boost to Real Madrid.
They also signed an agreement with a US company that sells commercial rights to the stadium.
The protest banner is on display outside several apartment blocks near the stadium
“They spend a lot of money developing a new system for the pitch and take it off to take it off when they have a concert,” says Filippo. “Now, all this new supersystem is gone, at this point, all of that money is gone.”
Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons and AC/DC are among the acts they will play at their rival Atletico Stadium this summer.
The Madrid City Council, Mayor’s Office and Real Madrid did not respond to requests for comment by the BBC.
Real Madrid previously said they were trying to prove the stadium. Local reports say the club hired a specialist company and Windows was installed in the Skywalk area.
They laughed when I put Real Madrid on my neighbors trying to soundproof the stadium. Enrique works as an engineer and believes that “soundproofing of the stadium is absolutely impossible.”
The Bernabéu roof can be closed, but the stadium will not be completely closed due to the open gap between the roof and the front around the stadium.
Neighbors say they are not against all concerts.
“We’ve done concerts in the past, but once a year,” says Pablo Bashwitz, a lawyer and one of our neighbors, campaigning for change.
He recalls concerts with musical legends such as Frank Sinatra and Giulio Iglesias of the Bernabeu, but says that 20 concerts a year are scheduled too many times.
Neighbors Pablo and Lewis, who live across the street from the stadium, measured noise levels above what is considered safe
A roof terrace on one of the neighbor’s flats can be seen close to the stadium.
They refer to health centers that say they struggle to accurately measure patients’ blood pressure, as the sound waves at concerts disrupt machine readings.
Pablo says that concerts aren’t the only thing that matters. During the day, there will also be rehearsals and sound checks that will interfere with the community, including the school.
Luis Jordana de Pozas lives across the street from the stadium, and some noise measurements were taken outside and inside his apartment.
On his terrace overlooking the Bernabéu, he explains how a newly added metal plate to the stadium’s exterior amplifies the sound, showing a recorded video of “unbearable” noise.
In Madrid, banners line the facades of houses around the stadium. Draped from the windows, balconies and terraces, the neighbors displayed protest posters and read “Conciert Snow” (no concerts) and “ruídono” (no noise).
For now, the music has stopped while Case is in court.
