Almost three years without live music -or better without attending a live music event- were very long! There were some concerts limited capacity but i didn’t go, first of all big names i was going to watch (Beck, Caribou among them) canceled, second i was not so much into music styles of the artist who performed anyway.
This year is the ‘renaissance’ of live music, all festivals and concerts were confirmed all over the globe and i guess it will be permanently like that. Primavera Sound is one the first festival happening after the pandemic and they made it big to celebrate 20th anniversary. They organized two following weekends with more than 200000 people per weekend.
The space inside is huge but still you have the feeling that probably they have to reduce a bit numbers of attendants. I have participated in 2017 edition and i don’t remember such amount of people even if the numbers over the weekend are more or less the same. They have modified the main stage area where basically instead of 3 stages there were 2 and never playing at the same time (one of the problems of other edition where you listened sometimes 2 different kind of concerts in the same time).
The access road to the ‘electronic stages’ was already long in 2017 walking over a bridge, but now became even longer (it was also closed one of the nights at some point because one of the stages in that area was full) making it more annoying to join if you come from the opposite part.
But let’s go back to the music. Day 1 we have started the festival listening Australian band Amyl & the Sniffers, very nice opening over Barcelona sunset. Energy of the singer Amy Taylor was very involving, she really knows how to ‘eat the stage’ if you pass me the expression. We stayed on the same stage and listened Interpol. I have seen them many times, in festivals and lonely concerts, they are always the same, calm and strict in acting. You always have a feeling that you are listening their CD, but, if you like their music, you enjoy anyway.
Then it was the time of one of the best performance of the festival, Gorillaz! Damon Albarn was really inspired and offered an amazing show. They also hosted on stage Mos Def for Stylo and De La Soul for Feel Good Inc songs. Animations were also very nice, i would say perfect exhibition. A quick stop to listen Dua Lipa (my friend wanted to), but beside the show itself, i don’t like this kind of music. We then decided to cross all the area and go to electronic part to watch John Talabot, nice and elegant set as usual.
In day 2 we arrived earlier to enjoy sunset and have a walk between stages before the main act of the day: The Strokes! They skipped previous week because of Covid of one member of the band (not sure but probably the singer) so there was a big expectation. And it was clear because the amount of people listening was incredible! The performance was excellent, they played really well, John Casablancas as usual said some non-sense stuff (or at least i didn’t get) losing some useful time to play something else, but overall they were great.
Then it was time for the amazing M.I.A., artist i always appreciated but i had never the pleasure to watch live. The waiting wasn’t disappointed, she made probably one of the best performances of the festival. Her music style, unique, mixing different genres, was perfect and gave something different in the music scenario we have listened until that time. She transmitted her charisma on the people and all were enthusiastic. We closed day2 watching the end of The Smile concert, the new band with Thom Yorke and Johnn Greenwood from Radiohead. The stage was more intimate and it fitted better on their smooth and dark show, always pleasant to listen these fantastic artists live in whichever band they play.
We wanted to go further with Black Coffee but, as i mentioned before, they closed the access to the electronic stages without giving any explanation (the only bad thing happened during the all festival).
Day3 started with the best performance of the festival in my opinion, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs! They recently came back on the scene with a new single (it opened the show and it had to be repeated for a little mistake, soon forgiven) so they started to enjoy festivals around the world. I don’t know if i waited so long to finally see them but i consider their performance sensational. Karen O was simply perfect, from the colorful dress to her powerful voice. Also musicians made a great exhibition with some cool song extensions, especially at the end.
Full of positive energy we kept staying in the same area to wait for Tame Impala. I wasn’t expecting a big involvement since i have seen them several times but i was wrong, they always make good performances considering also visual effects. They have the attitude to take you in their world, sometimes mellow sometimes energetic.
Last show of the festival was Viagra Boys, post punk Swedish band. Their show was very powerful, guitars, drums, keyboards and also a saxophone perfectly integrated with their style, really recommend to see them if you have the chance. Then last jump at the main stage to see last songs of Phoenix with the final crowdsurfing of the singer.
Overall it was a fantastic experience to come back to a music festival and in general to live music. Everything was well organized, not many big lines to drink and eat since there were many stands (the only annoying thing was to carry the plastic cup with you to re-use next time to save plastic waste at the venue).
Hopefully we won’t stop anymore for such a long time how it happened last 2 years.
Music can’t be stopped, it’s life.
Here playlist with videos i have made at the festival.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaz_km7cZTWd-YlyfO-Jflme55VSrX9eK
Heartbpm 