Barcelona’s Finest. Primavera Sound.
Here’s all that I’ve heard about this star in Spain’s festival calendar.
As a teenager, my favourite Vietnamese restaurant was ‘Lucky Star’. This tiny hole in the wall can be found in Balmain, an inner-city suburb of Sydney, Australia.
For some strange reason, the place had a fascination for global music. Every year, they’d slap posters all over their walls of tours, festivals and everything in between. There was one poster in particular that always had a prime position amongst the clutter. PRIMAVERA SOUND. Names like Tame Impala, The Strokes, Radiohead, Flying Lotus and Dixon would always glare down at me, while I slurped down won ton soup. Artists I’d been dreaming of seeing for years and years. In just over a week these dreams become reality!
Here’s why I can’t wait to attend Primavera Sound 2019, and it’d be fantastic to see you there too!
The Glorious Parc Del Forum:
If it was the lineup that first won me over, it was the festival’s location that really got me drooling. Situated in the north-east of Barcelona, this expertly designed space was put together to host events of epic proportions.
Picture a beautiful labyrinth of concrete, an amphitheatre, a beach space and comfy grass spots. From what I’ve been told (by many overly excited friends) the space feels like a vortex, drawing you further and further in. Imagine clambering to the top of a hill for a better view of Erykah Badu, then stumbling through a passage and popping out in the midst of a rave thanks to Job Jobse. Let me remind you, there’s a place to kick off your shoes and dance with sand between your toes (I mean who doesn’t love that)? I could blab on and on about a venue I haven’t even set foot in, but like they say the ‘proof is the pudding’. And for some reason, I just know the pudding’s going to be delicious!
The Fact You’re In Barcelona:
This one speaks for itself. Barcelona is an outstanding city! From stunning beaches, scrumptious tapas, pumping nightlife and Gaudi’s insane architectural feats it’s full of diversity. For me, this sounds like the perfect day on earth; wake up, head for a Spanish bocadillo, next pick up some beers and ice with one goal in mind — the beach. Post swim, head home to shower and refresh, arriving at Primavera just in time to see Pusha T take the Main Stage. Undoubtedly, this will be one of the better days you’ve had in quite some time.
An Atmosphere Like No Other:
One of the biggest drawcards to festivals these days is their vibe. Statements like “beaming sunshine, full of smiles, totally free” get thrown around all the time. It’s often hard to work out which of these blanket claims you can trust but in Primavera’s case, the mountain of good word spoken it can’t be ignored.
I’ll often probe my friends who’ve been and ask why it’s such a magical feel and most say something like “I don’t know there’s just something in the air”. Of course, the artists involved and curation is key but you really can’t put a price on an authentic feeling of enjoyment! I guess it has to be seen to be believed.
The Breadth Of Music On Offer:
I mean I alluded to this in the intro but it goes without saying there’s seemingly an artist for everyone at Primavera. If you’re a rap lover — there’s Nas, a soul diva — there’s Solange, a pop hound — there’s Miley Cyrus or an underground club connoisseur — there’s Anthony Naples. There’s an overall level of calm about the lineup every year as it’s always golden.
If you’re an expert planner, you’ll spend 72 hours basking in the Barca sunshine, chasing your favourite artists from stage to stage. There are that many people booked, I’m expecting there’ll never be a dull moment.
