After stepping off the crowded metro platform, getting waved through the security checkpoint, and finally walking through the front gates, it was official: Primavera Sound had begun. The sun was beginning to set, and there was an air of excitement pulsating between the thousands of people in attendance that first night. A mirrored expression could be seen on everyone’s faces, one that seemed to shed relief after so much uncertainty and anticipation leading up to this moment.
Having to endure two excruciating years void of live shows, music lovers have been jumping at the chance to spend their summer attending various festivals around the globe to witness performances by their favorite artists. Primavera Sound Barcelona brought in a sweeping number of attendees, totaling nearly 100,000 across the first two weekends in June. Nestled on a beautiful waterfront overlooking the Mediterranean sea, the festival was held on the grounds of the Parc De Forum. This massive outdoor venue is home to over eight stages, the likes of which would become occupied by an eclectic lineup of musicians spanning nearly every genre imaginable.
Originally founded in 2001, Primavera has garnered a lot of attention over the past 20 years, and due to ever-increasing popularity, expanded its reach to several other major capital cities around the world. This includes a festival site in Los Angeles, as well as three more across South America, including Sao Paulo, Santiago, and Buenos Aires. However, due to the fact that Primavera was originally founded in Barcelona, efforts were made to ensure that this particular location remains the most impressive and sought out.
As far as the lineup, there was truly something for everyone to enjoy. Individuals who revel in music produced by old school legends from the 80’s got to witness a rare performance by Bauhaus, as well as The Jesus and Mary Chain. For those who get down with more experimental sound waves, they were treated to names such as Tame Impala, The Gorillaz, and King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard. Some of the biggest names represented by top 40’s charts were, of course, also included because you can’t leave out crowd pleasers like Megan Thee Stallion or Dua Lipa, among others.
One of my personal favorite shows of the entire festival was the Russian-based group, IC3PEAK. This electronic duo rose to popularity in response to their politically motivated lyrical expression which often criticizes Russian government oppression. During their set, a point was made to pause the performance in order to address the ongoing war in Ukraine and condemn Russia’s invasion. Such a profound acknowledgement was humbling and allowed the audience to feel that much more connected to the music, as well as the message behind it.
Ticket purchasers were given the opportunity to choose between buying a pass for weekend one, weekend two, OR a third option that included both weekends, plus five days of shows in between. Needless to say, 10 consecutive days of music is essentially unheard of throughout festival communities. Even Burning man cuts off after nine days. Such an extensive amount of time may sound impractical to those who have experience either attending or organizing festivals, due to the exhaustive nature of these types of events. However, the relatively inexpensive cost of tickets made the all access wristband a worthy investment, especially for those traveling from countries outside the EU.
Regardless of which weekend or the number of days attended, festival-goers were treated to an unforgettable experience in one of the most magical cities in the world. The fact that Primavera is not a camping festival made it easier to escape the grounds at any given point, whether to catch up on sleep, hit the beach, grab some tapas, go shopping, or just explore everything else Barcelona has to offer. Not only is public transportation efficient and easily accessible nearly 24/7, the Parc De Forum is just steps away from a metro line which connects to every major point of the city.
Undoubtedly, a few hiccups and customer complaints arose over the course of the two weekends, most of which were a result of overcrowding. There were several last minute cancellations attributed to illness or exposure to coronavirus, most prominently The Strokes weekend one set. As a result, organizers scrambled to appease the situation by offering weekend one ticket holders access to shows being held on the second weekend. However, there was not enough staff on hand or resources to seamlessly regulate the influx of people.
While there is no surefire way to predict how these kinds of unfortunate circumstances will unfold, there should have been more preemptive measures put in place to prepare for what many regarded as foreseeable. Nonetheless, there were so many electrifying shows executed without a hitch and such a unifying ambiance present on the grounds that it was hard to let anything sour the overall gratification gained from attending Primavera.
So, for all those stateside festival junkies who couldn’t make their way overseas, it’s not too late to get tickets for Primavera Los Angeles taking place September 16 through 18. The set list features a few returning artists who also made appearances in Barcelona, although this leg of the festival has a drastically different lineup and will assuredly be unique in its own right. With yet another diverse set of headliners scheduled for each day of the weekend, including Lorde, Nine Inch Nails, and The Arctic Monkeys, you won’t want to miss it.
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