Starlite Festival Marbella 2026

Starlite Festival, Marbella - June to August 2026

Contemporary music and dance festivals in Andalucia

by Chris Chaplow

The XV edition of festival Starlite Festival in Marbella 2026 will take place as always in the Cantera de Nagüeles in Marbella, with 49 nights of concerts taking place between 19 June and 29 August 2026. International Artists include Lenny Kravitz, Alan Parsons. Gypsy Kings, Danny Ocean, Grupo Frontera, Maroon 5 Deep Purple, Rick Astley Elvis Crespo, Jean Michelle Jarre,  Anastasia, Yandel Sinfónico, John Legend, Diana Krall, Kool and the Gang and  Ara Malikian.

Star-themed fashion at the Starlite Festival.

The stage is surrounded by 60 metre-high rock walls, which creates an interesting, intimate atmosphere, like a secret, hidden venue beneath the stars for the 3,500 seat auditorium. Access is slightly complicated, but worth the effort. Except for VIPs, cars need to be parked a mile away and minibuses shuttle guests up and down the hill.

The festival set is slightly different every year and the complex has to be reconstructed each season. It is impressive, logistically, to appreciate that everything down to the last bottle of water, in this glamorous 5 open air lounge and concert venue, has to be brought up the hill to the former quarry. In the main auditorium, VIP attendees sit in "Bubble Boxes" (eight-seater boxes) behind and elevated above the 15 rows of stalls and where waiters serve drinks during the concerts.

This year will be the 15^th edition and to celebrate there is special ticket offer:  From the 15^th May to the 15^th June any Marbella resident can enjoy a 15% discount on the purchase of up to four tickets.    There is a quota so if this is interesting to you, we suggest you buy your tickets as soon as possible. To obtain you discount, visit starlitemarbella15.es , complete the form, receive a discount code by email and then purchase your tickets online in the normal way. Flash sales were universally offered for Saint Valentines Day in February and for the Spanish Mothers day in May.  

The Premios Juventud awards ceremony, a gala produced by Televisa Univision and broadcast in the United States and Latin America (not Europe), will be held at the Starlite Festival site in Marbella on 3rd September 2026.  All previous editions have taken place in the USA, with the exception of last year's ceremony in Panama City, where Bad Bunny won three of the 41 awards. It is certainly a coup for Starlite and hence Marbella to be the 2026 location. This event will be re-branded as PJ Fest. For Europe, Atresmedia has joined the distribution, ensuring that the ceremony will also be available to a broad mainstream audience across Europe. More>

2026 Artists line up 

About the Artists

Ozuna
A Puerto Rican artiste born in 1992, Ozuna is a reggaeton, pop and trap singer known for his high-pitched voice who rose to fame in 2016: he has since sold more than 15 million records, making him a bestselling Latin artist.

Lenny Kravitz
New York singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Lenny Kravitz is no stranger to Andalucía’s impressive festival scene, having performed at the Starlite festival in Marbella in 2015, and at Marenostrum Fuengirola in 2020. The American rocker, whose hits include Are You Gonna Go My Way, It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over and American Woman, has sold over 40 million albums worldwide.  Known for his energetic live show, Kravitz moves freely through genres ranging from blues to ballads, to reggae, rock, soul and funk. Since his career took off in the early 1990s, Kravitz has continued to record and tour extensively, as well as acting in several films. He won Music Icon of the Year at the 49^th People’s Choice Awards in 2024, the same year in which he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Kravitz released Blue Electric Light, his 12th album, later that year, which was described in the music press as "A typically diverse collection pulsating with positive energy."

Alan Parsons
Alan Parsons is an English producer, songwriter and musician best known for co-founding The Alan Parsons Project in the 1970s with songwriter Eric Woolfson. This studio-based progressive rock and art rock group was known for concept albums, orchestral arrangements and sophisticated production. He became highly respected both for his studio engineering work and for the polished, cinematic sound of his recordings. Born in London in 1948, he began working at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios as a tape operator in the late 1960s and quickly built a reputation for technical skill and innovation in sound recording. It was during this time that he contributed to several landmark albums, such as The Beatle’s Abbey Road, and Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. His work on the latter earned him major industry recognition and launched him on the road to success. After The Alan Parsons Project ended in the late 1980s, he continued recording and touring under his own name, taking his symphonic rock style shows to audiences all over the world. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential studio engineers and producers in rock music history, and his pioneering work helped shape the sound of progressive and conceptual rock recordings from the 1970s to present day.

Gipsy Kings
The group of travelling musicians formed in Arles, France, in 1979, born to gitano parents, Spanish Romanis who fled Spain in the 30s during the Civil War. They are known for adding a Catalin twist to their covers of popular English-language songs - including their 1987 track “A Mi Manera”, a cover of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”. Other covers include Bob Marley’s “One Love” which they collaborated on with the famed reggae singer’s son Ziggy. Collectively, they have globalised rumba and flamenco music and found real success with their self titled 1987 album, which was one of few Spanish-language albums to spend 40 weeks in the US charts.

Massive in the USA, where their recordings often sell platinum, the Gypsy Kings are probably the most popular, and populist, nuevo flamenco band in the world. Famed for their 1987 hit, 'Bamboleo', they bring a distinctive French influence from their origins in the gypsy culture around Arles, Montpelier, where Spain's roma legacy overlaps the border of France. Recommended albums: Best Of, Gypsy Kings, Tierra Gitana

Danny Ocean
Venezuelan singer, songwriter and producer Daniel Alejandro Morales Reyes, who performs under the name of Danny Ocean, is best known for blending reggaetón, pop, dancehall and electronic music. Born in Caracas in 1992, he shot to international fame in 2016 with the hit song ‘Me rehúso’ (I won’t give up), which started as an independent release and later became one of the biggest Latin music hits of the decade. The song helped make him one of the first independent Latin artists to dominate Spotify charts globally.

Spending part of his childhood living in different countries due to his mother’s work, he studied graphic design at Universidad Nueva Esparta in Venezuela, before moving to Miami, where his music career expanded internationally.

He originally experimented with electronic music under the name Danny O C T, before moving toward Latin pop and reggaetón, although his more recent music explores more tropical, Afro-Caribbean influences.

Ocean is strongly connected to the Venezuelan diaspora community, and so his songs and performances often reference migration, identity and hope for Venezuela.

Elena Rose
Born in Miami in 1995, Andrea Elena Mangiamarchi, better known as Elena Rose, is a Venezuelan-American singer, songwriter and producer known for both her solo career and for composing hit songs for major Latin artists. Spending much of her childhood between Venezuela, Puerto Rico and the United States, she began her career as a songwriter in the Latin music industry. She has written songs for artists such as Shakira, Jennifer Lopez and Rauw Alejandro, although her breakthrough successes came in 2019 with ‘Dollar’, released by Becky G and Myke Towers.

As a solo artist, she debuted in 2020 with the single ‘Sandunga’, and has since released a string of songs blending Latin pop, reggaeton and afrobeat. Her debut studio album, ‘Bendito Verano’ (2025), helped expand her international audience and earned strong streaming numbers and critical attention.

She has received multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy nominations, both as a songwriter and performer, making her one of the most respected emerging voices in Latin pop. She is currently in the middle of an international tour, including sold-out concerts in Europe and across Latin America and the USA.

Maroon 5
Maroon 5 is an American pop/rock band from Los Angeles, California, who released their first album, Songs About Jane, in 2002, which brought the group relative success with the singles Harder to Breath and She Will be Loved. The band has since enjoyed success with hits like Moves Like Jagger (2011), which reached number one on the American Billboard charts, while the single One More Night topped the Billboard Hot 100 for nine consecutive weeks the following year. Maroon 5 has sold over 135 million records throughout their career, with their most recent release, Love is Like (2025), receiving mixed critical and commercial responses.

Deep Purple
Deep Purple, one of the most important bands in rock history, is returning to Spain in 2026 with four concerts as part of their Mad in Europe Tour. Formed in London in 1968, the band was originally part of the ‘unholy trinity’ of British hard rock and heavy metal in the early to mid-'70s. Famed for rock anthems like Smoke on the Water, Black Night and Child in Time, the group has undergone several line-up changes over the years.

Deep Purple has stayed true to its musical roots, creating a distinctive sound that defines the band today, which is demonstrated on their 2024 album, =1.  Original members Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice continue with renewed vitality, pushing the boundaries of hard rock to audiences around the globe, proving that Deep Purple are very much here to stay.

Elvis Crespo
Named after the King of rock and roll, Elvis Crespo is an American merengue singer who found fame in the 1990s with the Puerto Rican band Grupo Mania. Although born in New York in 1971, Crespo was raised in Puerto Rico. Since concentrating on his solo career, which took off in 1998, he has enjoyed chart success in Latin America and in the USA.

His debut album, which went platinum in the Venezuelan and Central American markets and gold in Chile, was mainly influenced by merengue, a music and dance style which has become popular throughout Latin America and among Latin communities in the USA.

Jean-Michell Jarre
Born in Lyon in 1948, Jean-Michell Jarre is considered a pioneer for spearheading the electronic age of synthesised pop music performed at large-scale events accompanied by spectacular laser and light shows. His concerts are performed to audiences of up to one million people in iconic locations like the Acropolis in Athens, the Palace of Versailles, the Pyramids of Egypt, Tiananmen Square in Beijing, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. His largest event was performing to approximately 3.5 million people in Moscow 1997.

He first received mainstream success with the 1976 album Oxygéne, which sold around 18 million copies, even though it was recorded in a makeshift studio in the musician’s house. The recording has been described as the album that ‘led the synthesizer revolution of the 1970s’. This was followed two years later with Équinoxe, an album which, as of 2016, had sold an estimated 18 million copies and is one of the best-selling French, electronic and instrumental albums in history.

Carlos Rivera
Carlos Rivera is a Mexican singer, songwriter and actor born in 1986 who achieved considerable success after winning the TV music competition La Academia in 2004, which launched his professional music career.

He signed with Sony Music in 2005 and began working on a self-titled debut album: the same year he recorded ‘Y si tu supieras’ for the feature film ‘Mar de Sueños’, which was nominated for Best Original Song at the 2006 Diosas de Plata annual Mexican award ceremony.

He became known for his romantic Latin pop ballads and gained international recognition playing Simba in the Spanish-language production of The Lion King musical in Madrid from 2011 to 2013.

Miguel Bosé
Pop singer and actor Miguel Bosé was born in Panama in 1956 and began his movie career in 1971, which was instigated by his famous family and the circle within which they mixed. The son of Italian actress Lucia Bosé and Spanish bullfighter extraordinaire Luis Miguel Dominguín, Bosé was raised between Madrid and Colombia and was surround by celebrated family friends like Pablo Picasso, Luchino Visconti and Ernest Hemmingway, so it was almost a foregone conclusion that he would choose the path of the arts.

His music career took off in 1975 with the release of his first single, and two years later he signed to CBS Records.

He had seven top ten hits between 1977 and 1982, which turned him into a major teen idol in Italy, Spain, Southern Europe and in most of Latin America. He has since recorded more than 25 albums and countless singles of commercial pop and light rock music.

In 2008 he announced he would take a break form music to concentrate on literature projects and his acting, although by 2010 he was back in the recording studio. He has continued to balance both his acting and music careers, making him one of Spain’s most productive performers.

Kool & The Gang
Known for chart-topping hits like Cherish, Celebration, Ladies Night and Get Down on It, Kool & the Gang is an iconic American soul band that began in New Jersey in 1964. The group has undergone numerous line-up changes since then and have explored many musical styles throughout their history, venturing into jazz, rhythm and blues, funk, disco and classic pop music. 

The band’s first major mainstream breakthrough came with their fourth album, Wild and Peaceful, released in 1973. This success was followed by a period of decline, before they returned to commercial prominence with a second peak between 1979 and 1986.

Their discography includes 23 studio albums and nearly 70 singles. They have sold 7.5 million and 4.5 million albums and singles, respectively, in the United States, and have sold over 70 million albums world-wide.

The group, who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024, is about to embark on a tour of Europe and America, starting in Marbella on 23 July.

Zucchero
Italian singer-songwriter Adelmo Fornaciari, known artistically as Zucchero, has become renowned for blending blues, rock, soul, gospel and Italian pop. Born in 1955, he became one of Italy’s most internationally successful musicians. Zucchero helped popularise blues music in Italy and is often compared to international blues-rock performers because of his soulful vocals and emotional songwriting style. Known for his raspy voice, he rose to fame as a recording artiste in the 1980s, and has since collaborated with world-renowned musicians such as B.B. King, Pavarotti, Eric Clapton and Sting.

Manuel Turizo
Born in Montería, Colombia, in 2000, Manuel Turizo is singer and songwriter known for his blend of reggaeton, Latin pop, trap and bachata-influenced music. He descends from a family of musicians and began composing songs in his early teens, although he initially set his sights on being a veterinarian before choosing music. His rise to stardom came in 2016 with the viral hit song ‘Una lady como tú’, which earned him international recognition across Latin America and Europe. The song became a massive YouTube success and launched his career in urban Latin music.

One of the leading young voices in Latin urban music globally, he stands out for his deep baritone voice and emotional style of delivery, fusing romantic lyrics with urban rhythms and tropical influences like the bachata.

Mau y Ricky
Sons of famous Latin pop singer Ricardo Montaner, Mau y Ricky are a Venezuelan pop duo made up of brothers Mau Montaner and Ricky Montaner. Known for blending Latin pop, reggaeton and urban music with catchy hooks and strong songwriting, the brothers helped shape modern Latin pop by bridging traditional pop songwriting with reggaeton rhythms. They were exposed to the music industry from an early age and began working mainly as songwriters and producers for other Latin artists, before becoming performers themselves.

The duo was formed in 2010 and quickly rose in popularity in Latin America and Spain due to their catchy pop songs with urban/reggaeton influences and romantic themes mixed with youthful lyrics.

Malu
Born in Madrid in 1982, Spanish singer Malú has earned recognition for her powerful voice and enduring impact on Latin pop music. She comes from a musical family that includes flamenco singer Pepe de Lucía, brother of legendary guitarist Paco de Lucía, and this flamenco heritage greatly shaped her early introduction to music.

Malú was just 15 years old when she released her debut album (‘Aprendiz’). This became a commercial success in Spain and marked the beginning of her rise in the Spanish music scene, and she has since released a string of successful albums.

Her musical style is primarily pop, infused with elements of flamenco, and ballads, and she is particularly recognised for her emotional and dramatic songs centred on love and heartbreak. Over the years, she has become one of the most successful and respected female artists in Spain, with millions of records sold and a strong fan base.

Hauser
Stjepan Hauser, known simply as Hauser, is a world-famous Croatian cellist known for energetic performances that blend classical music with pop, rock and cinematic styles. He first gained international recognition as one half of the cello duo 2Cellos, alongside Luka Šulić. The duo gained international fame by turning rock and pop hits into powerful instrumental cello performances and touring globally alongside major artists.

After achieving global success with 2Cellos, Hauser launched a solo career, focusing more on visually striking performances and emotionally expressive arrangements. His solo repertoire often features classical masterpieces by composers like Bach, Vivaldiand Tchaikovsky, alongside classical interpretations of iconic pop and rock songs by legendary bands such as Queen, Coldplay and AC/DC.

Thanks to this crossover approach, he is especially popular among younger audiences who may not usually listen to classical music. He has become one of the most recognisable modern cellists in the world, bridging classical music with contemporary entertainment and helping bring the cello into mainstream global pop culture.

Ivan Ferreiro
Known for his influential role in indie rock and pop music in Spain, Iván Ferreiro is a Spanish singer-songwriter born in Nigrán, Galicia, in 1970.

He first rose to prominence as the lead singer, songwriter and frontman of Los Piratas, one of the most influential Spanish alternative rock bands of the 1990s. The group played a key role in shaping Spain’s indie music scene through its distinctive blend of rock, pop, and experimental sounds.

Ferreiro began a successful solo career after Los Piratas separated in 2003, launching his debut album ‘Canciones para el tiempo y la distancia’ in 2005, which marked the beginning of his individual artistic path. He has since released several acclaimed albums, known for their emotional, introspective lyrics, exploring themes like identity, relationships, memory and time. His work with Los Piratas and his solo albums have influenced many younger Spanish artists in the indie and alternative scenes.

Vanesa Martin
Malaga singer, songwriter and poet Vanesa Martín is best known for her emotional pop and ballad-style music. She began her music journey as a child - learning to play the guitar at a young age - and she quickly developed a talent for writing heartfelt songs with strong lyrical storytelling and emotional depth.

Born in the capital of the Costa del Sol in 1980, her professional career began in 2006, when she delivered her debut album, ‘Agua’. She gained wider recognition after signing with major labels like Warner Music, and later, Universal Music, releasing several successful albums between 2009 and 2022, when she produced her eighth recording, ‘Placeres y pecados’. This album reached number 2 in the Top 100 Albums chart in Spain, and also tops the vinyl sales-specific ranking for 2022.

She is currently on an extensive tour of Spain, performing at most major cities and towns, including Marbella.

Kiki Morente & Largartija Nick
Kiki Morente : Kiki Morente is a young flamenco singer born in Granada in 1989. He comes from one of Andalusia’s the most influential flamenco families: he is the son of the legendary innovator Enrique Morente and dancer Aurora Carbonell, and brother of Estrella Morente - one of today’s most respected singers of what is termed ‘new flamenco’.

His style is deeply rooted in traditional flamenco, but his approach blends classic cante jondo (the deep flamenco songs) with a modern sensibility. His performances typically focus on traditional ‘palos’ such as soleá, bulerías and fandangos, while also incorporating more contemporary styles in his recordings.

He began performing publicly at a young age at flamenco clubs and festivals throughout Spain, and his first album, ‘Albaicín’ (2017), offered a respectful but fresh take on traditional flamenco. This was followed with ‘El Cante’ (2021), a recording that forged his reputation as part of the new generation of flamenco artists carrying forward the genre, making it more accessible to modern audiences.

Largartija Nick : Lagartija Nick is a Spanish alternative rock band formed in Granada in 1991 renowned for their experimental approach, blending rock with punk, noise, industrial sounds and flamenco. The band started in the Spanish underground rock scene and quickly became known for their aggressive, avant-garde sound. Over time, they evolved into a more eclectic group, incorporating literary, philosophical and flamenco-inspired elements into their music.

Along with their own recordings, such as the breakthrough album ‘Inercia’ (1992), Lagartija Nick collaborated with Enrique Morente on his 1996 recording ‘Omega’ – a landmark album blending flamenco and rock, based on poems by Leonard Cohen and Granada poet Federico García Lorca. This project is praised as one of the most influential works in modern Spanish music.

Their collaboration on Omega is particularly notable for bridging flamenco tradition with avant-garde rock, a fusion that went on to shape later generations of artists, including figures such as Kiki Morente.

Taburete
Taburete is a Spanish pop-rock band known for mixing pop, rock and Latin-influenced styles with catchy melodies and ironic, storytelling lyrics. The band first came together when its members were young, performing in small venues such as restaurants and bars. They later rose to widespread popularity in Spain’s mainstream pop-rock scene in the late 2010s. Their image and lyrics often spark discussion in Spanish media, contributing to their notoriety as well as popularity.

The band rose to prominence in Spain around 2016–2017, drawing large crowds and selling out tours, including major venues such as Madrid’s WiZink Center. They quickly established a dedicated fanbase through appearances at music festivals and nationwide tours, and have since continued to release successful albums.

The Madrid band will return to the stage at Starlite Occident for their eighth appearance at the boutique festival. The group returns with a new artistic phase marked by their latest album, ‘El perro que fuma’, which was released in November 2025.

Rosario
The youngest daughter of singer/guitarist Antonio González, El Pescaílla, and the mythical artist Lola Flores, Rosario Flores, known artistically as Rosario, has become one of Spain’s top female singers.

Rising from the streets of Madrid’s flamenco scene, and often overshadowed by the iconic talent of her mother, Rosario carved a lucrative career with a style of pop, copla and flamenco-infused music, often called ‘flamenquito’, that has earned her many accolades, including a Latin Grammy for best female pop vocal album in 2002, and again in 2004. She has twelve platinum and three gold discs, selling more than 2 million records world-wide.

Rosario has inherited her mother’s incredible vocal talent, along with her sense of humour and impeccable compás, but she has risen above the legend of Lola to become an artiste in her own right.

In 2020 she received the Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts of Spain.

Sergio Dalma
Born in Catalonia in 1964, Sergio Dalma, is one of Spain's best-selling recording artists, having topped Spain's official national album chart nine times, including an unbroken string of five number one albums between 2008 and 2013. Known for his romantic, melodic style rooted in Latin pop and contemporary music, his sound combines emotional ballads with polished pop arrangements.

Finishing in fourth place in the Eurovision in 1991 with the song Bailar Pegados, Dalma went on to enjoy international success, especially with Hispanic audiences in the USA. He has performed in Spanish throughout his career, but has also recorded in Italian, English and French.

Gente de Zona
Cuban two-piece, Gente de Zona will take to the Starlite stage this summer with their Carribean beats. The duo rose to fame in 2016 after featuring on Enrique Iglesias’ hit song ‘Bailando’. The song spent 41 weeks at Number 1 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart and received six Latin Grammy awards, amongst many other accolades. During their career, spanning over a decade and a half, their Cuban reggaeton or ‘cubaton’ hits have won them six Latin Grammys, including the award for Best Tropical Fusion Album in 2016. Their newest album ‘Demasiado’ brings south American dance to Andalusia, the Starlite festival describes their newest record as “an album for everyone who wants to dance, have fun, and enjoy life.”

Delaossa
Malaga rapper and songwriter Delaossa is known for his strong connection to the urban hip-hop scene in southern Spain. He emerged from the rap collective scene in the province of Malaga and became widely known as part of the group Space Hammu. This band helped shape a distinctive style in Spanish rap that blends introspective storytelling with trap, boom bap and melodic influences.

He is considered part of a generation of Spanish artists who helped move rap in Spain from underground circles into mainstream recognition. He first gained attention through underground releases with Space Hammu, before launching a successful solo career, which began with ‘Un perro andaluz’ (2019) - an album that significantly increased his popularity in Spain’s urban music scene.

He continued to grow his reputation, establishing him as one of the most respected voices in modern Spanish rap. His songs explore life in Málaga and southern Spain, youth, ambition and struggle.

Alvaro de Luna & Nil Molier
Álvaro de Luna : Álvaro de Luna, a Spanish singer and songwriter known for his emotional Latin pop style, first gained attention as the lead vocalist of the band Sinsinati, which had success in Spain with songs blending pop and indie sounds. Following his departure from the group, he launched a solo career and quickly became popular in the Spanish pop scene, especially known for melodic ballads with catchy choruses.

Nil Moliner : Spanish singer and multi-instrumentalist Nil Moliner started his musical journey playing in local bands in Catalonia before gaining recognition as a solo artist. He became widely known in Spain after winning the Los 40 Principales Best New Artist award in 2025, after which he built a strong following through streaming platforms. His music is characterised as upbeat pop with folk and indie influences with lyrics that focus on freedom and love.

Antoñito Molina
Born and raised in Rota, Cádiz (1989), Antonio Caballero Molina, known artistically as Antoñito Molina, is a singer who rose to stardom with his 2006 recording El tren de los sueños.  In 2010, he teamed up with the Sevillian singer, Mara, and the couple recorded three CDS, which turned them into the most popular Andalusian pop duo in Spain.   Since 2016, Antoñito Molina has concentrated on his solo career, and his popularity among the Spanish flamenco-pop fans is supported by around 250,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.

Mau y Ricky
Sons of famous Latin pop singer Ricardo Montaner, Mau y Ricky are a Venezuelan pop duo made up of brothers Mau Montaner and Ricky Montaner. Known for blending Latin pop, reggaeton and urban music with catchy hooks and strong songwriting, the brothers helped shape modern Latin pop by bridging traditional pop songwriting with reggaeton rhythms. They were exposed to the music industry from an early age and began working mainly as songwriters and producers for other Latin artists, before becoming performers themselves.

The duo was formed in 2010 and quickly rose in popularity in Latin America and Spain due to their catchy pop songs with urban/reggaeton influences and romantic themes mixed with youthful lyrics.

Love of Lesbian
One of the most iconic bands of Spanish alternative pop, Love of Lesbian began in Barcelona in 1997, and came to the attention of the music-buying public after coming second in a competition in the Ruta 66 magazine. In their early years the band sang in English, a language in which they recorded three albums. One of the highlights of this period was supporting The Cure on their Drean Tour in 2000.

Describing this period as a ‘learning the process’, the group began performing and recording in Spanish in 2005. Their 2009 recording (1999)) was considered a turning point in their career, winning the Rolling Stone magazine awards for Group of the Year and Tour of the Year. They promoted the album by touring Spain constantly for two years, before heading to the UK, and to Buenos Aires, their first venture into Latin America.

History

The first use of the former Puerto Banus stone quarry site, situated above Marbella, was in 1983. Alfonso Hohenlohe, who founded the Marbella Club Hotel, and singers Julio Iglesias and Plácido Domingo, decided to create the Auditorio de Marbella open-air auditorium, and to found an internationally-renowned music festival. They held a successful Tenors concert, however the annual festival didn't happen. David and Elizabeth Brockman did try and revive it with the Festival International de Music Marbella in 1989. The quarry was then left abandoned for 23 years. 

In 2012 the quarry site was cleaned up and a new auditorium constructed for the inaugural Starlite Festival. 13 acts performed  It has been held annually ever since and grown to become on of Spain's leading music festivals. Over the years Enrique Iglesias, Elton John, Lenny Kravitz, Lionel Richie, Andrea Bocelli, Ricky Martin, Tom Jones, Pet Shop Boys, Alejandro Sanz, Eros Ramazzotti, Luis Fonsi, Plácido Domingo and Anastacia have all played. 

The second edition of the Platino Awards took place at Starlite on 18 July 2015, just before the opening of the fourth edition. It was the second Platino Awards Gala, taking over from Panama. It is a global event that supports and promotes the film industry in 23 Spanish-speaking countries in the Americas and Iberia.  The first edition of the festival in Mexico took place in 2016, from 3 to 12 March. 

The 2017 edition was overshadowed by a  late license dispute with the Marbella town Hall, and 'Marbella' was removed from the Starlite Festival name and logo. The Lounge concept was dropped in favour of Sessions stage and VIP areas to avoid allegations of unfair competing with Marbella nightclubs. Due to the nature of the open air all-seated venue the now Starlite Ocidental festival was able to continue in Summer 2020 and 2021 albeit with social distancing few international performers. In 2026 the Marbella name returned to the logo as a location and not a sponsorship. 

A parallel event, the Starlite Gala, a star-studded charity concert and dinner which was launched in 2010 at Villa Padierna Hotel and moved to the present venue in 2012. The Starlite Gala usually takes place on second Saturday in August, and is led by Antonio Banderas.

Buena Vista Social Club at Starlite Festival 2013

Starlite Sessions

Starlite Sessions (called Starlite Nights in 2017 and prior to 2016 called Starlite Disco) start in the lounge area at 22.30. On some nights (13 in 2022) an artist performs on the sessions stage and tickets need to be purchases. On other nights when there is an artist in the Auditorium one may enjoy a drink and dance in the sessions area.   Pre 2017 entrance was free before 24:00, 12€ from 24:00 to 03:00 hrs, and 20€ after 03:00 including one drink). Entrance is also open to those exiting the concert shortly after midnight; stopping at the disco is encouraged to disperse the 'rush hour' queue for the buses back down the hill to the car parking area. o the concert. However the open session area is quite small and  the former open lounge areas are now six different VIP areas and table must be reserved. The Starlite Sesions closes at 05.00. On nights that there is no concert in the Audirorium (most non August Sundays in 2022) the Starlite sessions in closed as well. 

Starlite Auditorium Concerts

The 'Under the Stars' auditorium is divided into three areas: the Stalls (plateas), the six seat Boxes (palcos) and the Podium (tribunas) which used to be called Granstand. Each of these is sub-divided; the stalls have a Super Premium area (centre front), Premium (centre), General (centre/side) and Lateral Stalls (sides). The boxes have Platinum, Starlite (was Gold) and Gold (at the sides) and Silver (further sides), and in the rear Podium or grandstand there are Podium Club (front rows centre), Podium A (front), Podium B (centre) and Podium C (back).

Starlite Restaurants

Dining at the 'Starlite Restaurant' is in two sittings: one before the concert (20.15 or 20:45 hrs), during the concert (22:00hrs, and without visibility of the show), and one after (23.59 hrs). In 2023 the restaurants were re-branded as Temazo (grill), Anima (Mexican), Tana Bata (Japenese), Rafella (Italian), and Sandra’s Caviar Bar. Temazo is the most economical, there are two menus;  Menu Starlite 4 course for 70€ per person and Menú Glut a complete selection from the menu for 100 € per person (plus drinks). The other three are a la carte with a 30€ per person reservation.

In the last few years restaurants had been unbranded, and prior to 2018 the restaurants, were aligned to each of the VIP areas in the Starlite Lounge, and each giving access to the VIP area for the five persons dining. Table reservations ranged from 250€ to 3500€.

Tanabat

In earlier years the restaurants were run and branded by famous restaurateurs such as MIL LUNAS BY MILLESIME (2015 & 2016) or Danni Garcia in 2012.

VIP AREAS

VIP areas adjoining the lounge were introduced in 2015. Since then these have been expanded into areas previously open to concert ticket holders and visitors. Names and locations have also changed.

LE PRIVEE, is the liveliest VIP area and where the celebrities tend to go. The Mezanine area within Le Privee is called Up le Privèe  (not to be confused with a classic Carry On film) and TOP Le Privé Tables can be reserved for 4-6-8 people with a minimum consumption of 150-300-400€ respectively. Le Plus and Le Plus Up is more select and located on the quieter side of the session stage. La Reserve over the entrance has 6 person tables for 300€. Le Club is the most exclusive and largest VIP zone located on a raised platform overlooking the sessions stage and the dancefloor. This is where the clients of the auditorium concert boxes meet after the concert. Tables can be reserved for 8 persons with a 400€ minimum consumption. In 2016 Le Club was called The Stage where one could share the space with the DJs on the Moonbeds where no sunshade was required.

Starlite Lounge

The impressive former Starlite lounge concept had a mix of general seating and several drinks brand-sponsored cocktail bar areas serving pre-concert drinks. The Starlite Lounge was replaced in name after 2017 with the Sessions dance floor and the VIP areas. It opens at 20.00. The carefully-designed lighting comes into maximum effect as the sun set.

On concert nights, this area filled quickly to standing room only, now that it is much smaller concert goers hang out under the grandstand. The lounge also featured retail outlets, bars and other stalls selling sweets and costume jewelry. By 2017 shopping had increased to 21 stands and were being called Starlite Shopping and Starlite Gourmet.  Both are now located under the grandstand. The shopping is now closer to a brand display in a upmarket department store. In 2017 when the licensing dispute with Marbella council erupted the lounge concept disappeared from the Starlite website.

Starlite Events

The Starlite Festival had also included fashion shows, open-air film premier's, art exhibitions and nightclub style events on nights when there were no concert.  There has been less focus on the parallel events since 2017. Starlite TV seems is another iniciative.  The lounge had come a long way since the opening year in 2012 when the catering was provided out of shipping containers, albeit chicly decorated ones.

Starlite Festival is a major event in the Marbella cultural and social calendar.

ACCESS AND PARKING

From centre of Marbella, at Plaza Bocanegra near the Palacio de Congresos (Exhibition Centre), take Avenida Don Jaime de Mora, cross the motorway and turn into Avenida Buchinger, which becomes Avenida Albinoni. Keep going up, following the other cars, and look out for Starlite signs. On reaching the checkpoint you will be directed left into an unmade car park - the VIP area is first, and then the public car park. It looks a bit shabby in daylight. Don't wear your best shoes and have your mobile phone light or a torch ready, as you'll need them when you return to the unlit car park. Here is the location map of the car park that you have to drive to.

After parking the car, walk back (gently uphill) to the AstroTurf corridor entrance where a fleet of minibuses ferry the visitors one mile up the steep hill to the bottom of about 50 steps which you have to climb to reach the Starlite entrance. There is a VIP car park nearer the venue and this is only available to those with Gold and Silver boxes for the concerts. The entrance area is much enlarged and improved since the early years.  Valet parking is for Platinum box ticket holders.

BUS SERVICE

Since 2016 Starlite have provided a free shuttle bus service from Marbella town. The bus route is from Marbella Alameda, Farmacia Berdaguer, Edificio Portillo,  Porcelanosa near Plaza Bocanegra to Starlite. It runs about every half hour from 22.30 hrs to 05.30 hrs. Link to timetable for this local bus number 10 on Marbella bus page.

All this sounds complicated to first-timers, but once in the venue you will see it was worth the effort.

All editions of Starlite festival

Line up and notes about the other editions of the Starlite festival:

Contemporary music and dance festivals in Andalucia