02 June 2023 (gig)
04 June 2023
Primavera Sound Barcelona 2023 attracted hundreds of acts from across the musical spectrum. Accordingly, the happy, friendly crowd were an international mix representing every generation, matching the musical variety on offer.
The weather delivered perfect conditions with cooling sea breezes for the mainly night-time festival running from early evening through to sunrise for the hardcore Duracell bunnies (suntan lotion needed only until the sun goes down).
This year, Primavera was staged in a more compact venue, compared to 2022, making it much easier to navigate between sets (the long walks from one end to the other were a minus as it took so much time).
Established acts like Blur, Depeche Mode, New Order, Calvin Harris Kendrick Lamar and Rosalia drew in the crowds, but there is much more to Primavera than the headliners. 15 stages allow for a bucket load of variety and tough choices for the festival goer. The event is big enough to host competing smaller headliners like My Morning Jacket, The War on Drugs, Four Tet, Maggie Rogers, Loyle Carner and Halsey. Smaller, intimate stages for new, long-established acts and DJs fill out the event. The newer floating stages in the harbour were intimate and atmospheric, making attendance a unique experience.
The stand out show of the festival was Fred Again.., absolutely nailing his performance on the main stage on Friday night. Fred Gibson is something special to see both visually and musically. His songs were nuanced, emotional and feel exciting and novel, it was a perfect back drop for the capacity crowd.
Outside of Fred Again.. personal shout outs to performances from The Beths (calling out power boaters watching the show for free!), Black Country, New Road and Yard Act, but that is just my taste, the festival is big enough to keep most people happy.
Primavera is easy to navigate, transport links between the main city and Parc Del Forum are pretty good. Free buses, tram service and taxis provide plenty of options. Breaking news, the food stalls are really good too! Refueling (liquid and solid) was quick, easy and pretty good quality for somebody more used to US festivals where the food is generally terrible.
The night-time schedule of Primavera gives ample time see the Barcelona sights or simply enjoy tapas in the Gothic Quarter before the shows commence every evening. What’s not to like?
Primavera does it all again next week in Madrid with mostly the same acts – eat, sleep rave repeat comes to mind. Exhausting, but fun.
Gracias Primavera!
