Live Report: Rodrigo y Gabriela bring flamenco flair to the National Stadium

Rodrigo y Gabriela’s show in the National Stadium this evening bears all the hallmarks of a picture-perfect homecoming, as a feel-good atmosphere washes around the arena.

The duo hail from Mexico but dub the Emerald Isle as their “second home”, paying homage to Dublin, the city where it all began. Rodrigo and Gabriela moved to Dublin in the late 90s where they began busking on Grafton Street. It was there they were noticed by Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice, whom they opened for several times, kickstarting their career.

The Mexican guitar duo's Dublin return marks the 20th anniversary of their breakthrough album Rodrigo y Gabriella. The album was lauded for its "unique combination of sensual Latin melodies and brilliant metal-inspired guitar playing," by Hotpress upon its release.

Rodrigo y Gabriela display astounding levels of technique, chemistry and synchronisation evident of their 40 year long relationship. Put simply, Rodrigo is the voice of the duo, while Gabriela is like a full band.

No song exemplifies these characteristics better than their hit ‘Tamacun’. Throughout the song Gabriela displays a variety of percussive, flamenco rhythms while Rodrigo layers on a beautiful and intricate melody.

At times, it’s hard to believe it’s two people playing two instruments such is the extent of their chemistry and synchronisation. The instruments blend so effortlessly that they are practically indistinguishable.

Rodrigo y Gabriela at National Stadium on May 25th, 2026. Copyright Zoltan Szabo/www.hotpress.com

Momentarily, Rodrigo leaves the stage as Gabriela leads a percussive and hypnotic solo, using reverb and delay pedals to break free from the shackles of classical style, delivering a hypnotic atmosphere through a variety of unorthodox techniques and sounds.

Rodrigo’s return is subtle, and so mesmerised by the fiery and rhythmic playing of his counterpart, it takes me a moment to notice. Gabriela's arrangement didn’t feel like it was lacking any melodic elements but when Rodrigo layers on a beautiful solo, it would feel incongruous for it to be taken away.

The same is true when Rodrigo has a solo of his own. He leads an emotional classical guitar piece reminiscent of ‘Spanish Romance’, for its sorrowful melody that glides over a repeating, intricate arpeggio pattern. Displaying masterful technique in a rolling time measure of triplets, Rodrigo gives the piece a distinct feeling of forward momentum and grounded energy.

Gabriela’s return introduces ‘resguardo’ (flamenco strumming), ‘golpe’ (percussive tapping) and ‘tremolo’ (rapid note repetition), giving the free-flowing piece structure, power and presence. The complex time signatures used appear to take inspiration from an unlikely source for classical guitar - heavy metal.

This inspiration is easily explained. The duo met in the 1980s, bonding over their love of classical guitar and their mutual interest in Metallica. No song better exemplifies their mutual musical interest and 40 years of playing together than their cover of Metallica’s, ‘Orion’.

Like all their tracks, they seem to make the guitar an extension of their bodies and make those instruments become one. They transform the heavy metal track into a passionate and percussive flamenco piece. Even with the lack of instruments when compared to a full band, their rendition doesn’t lack any of the power as Gabriela's intense and masterful percussive playing provides an excellent vantage point for Rodrigo to top it off with beautiful melody.

Rodrigo y Gabriela at National Stadium on May 25th, 2026. Copyright Zoltan Szabo/www.hotpress.com

Rodrigo y Gabriela put on a masterclass of guitar playing. Their music is delicately synchronised, and their effortless chemistry creates an elating atmosphere. Blending contrasting techniques of playing along with contrasting styles, the duo create a unique sound that pays homage to their homeland and their favourite styles of music.