In photos and video: Cala Mijas music festival kicks off the weekend in style

Cala Mijas, the end of summer music festival, kicked off its second edition last night (Thursday 31 August) night with a superb performance from Arcade Fire. The Canadian band was one of more than sixty groups that will be playing at the festival that is due to draw around 100,000 people to attend its four stages: Sunrise, Victoria, Sunset and La Caleta.

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The Malaga venue began to fill up from 8pm onwards with thousands of people of all ages from young teenagers to families with their little ones and pushchairs. Cupid warmed up the crowd who sang lustily along to Self Esteem. And the inimitable Siouxsie showed that she is in great shape at 66 years of age with her dancing and jumping around on the main stage. She looked stunning in a long black jacket and sky-blue ensemble too.

Few wanted to miss seeing the headliners, Arcade Fire, who once again placed themselves among the greatest of the greats in front of an enthusiastic crowd. Win Butler and his band surprised everyone by appearing on the big screens that framed the stage, walking down the long stairs of the venue and cheering their audience all the way to the stage. "Spain we love you," Win said amid a light display and confetti shower that sent the audience into a frenzy before launching into their hits, including Rebellion. The last time they visited the country was in autumn last year, when they took the WiZink Centre by storm. And this 2023 Cala Mijas is their only stop in Spain where they very much set the bar at the top of a festival that has only just begun.

Big names like Pabllo Vittar, Idles, Foals or Moderat followed to keep the festival goers on their toes. The highlights continue on Friday night with The Strokes and Lori Meyers. And, of course, on Saturday there is the final blowout with Florence + The Machine, Duki, La Plazuela and Scottish indie favourites Belle & Sebastian.