Primavera Sound is fast becoming the highlight of my year and that includes Christmas. Parc del Forum at Barcelona’s port, the failed convention centre has become the perfect setting for the festival now in its 9th year. It attracts a huge crowd every year, including fans from England, America, Canada and most noteably this year another huge Irish turnout. One Barcelona native even told me it was hard to find a native speaking person at the festival outside of the bar staff.
The reason for this Spanish invasion? Apart from the obvious glorious weather and magnificent city of Barcelona as a backdrop. The line up.
It goes from strength to strength every year with over 200 acts. This year didn’t disappoint, it had a little bit of everything from folk stars Fleet Foxes delivering pitch perfect tracks from on the Saturday evening to dub step legend Caspa rallying the festival goers into a frenzy late into the hours of Sunday morning. Then there was 2010 newcomer James Blake who scored both a set and DJ slot on the Pitchfork stage at his first festival of the summer.
There were smaller warm up sets by the likes of Caribou and Echo & The Bunnymen on the Wednesday night in a separate venue, El Poble Espanyol. It was a case of first come, first served and we missed out, but no worries we caught Caribou on the ATP stage on Thursday and much like Caribou at Electric Picnic last year it was an intense combo of dense grooves and hauntingly catchy lyrics that creep into your head like only the most talented aim to achieve. Creep away Caribou, can’t wait for the follow up to Swim.
By Fiona Donnellan.
