So what’s more important? The music or the scene?

I’ve been to a fair few festivals in my time but never one aboard – until my birthday this year. Making the leap over into my late 30s (eek!) I decided to treat myself. And maybe prove you’ve never too old for a ‘first time’ – or indeed a party with 100,000 people.

Primavera Sound is one of Spain’s largest music festivals and happens every summer in sunny Barcelona. One of the draws is the very eclectic and alternative line-up, everything from indie, folk, metal and jazz – to pop, electronic, hip hop, and dance. Plus a vast array of experimental music and independent and newly established acts.

It’s held within the Parc del Fòrum leisure site, not far out the city and right on the coastline. Being next to a Mediterranean beach I was looking forward to not lugging around copious stuff for every weather eventuality: raincoats, umbrella, coats, wellies etc – but apart from the fact it tipped it down I found myself missing the green, green grass of home.

The park is an outstanding example of modern architecture and has amazing views of the Balearic Sea, plus the sunsets were beautiful – but the entire place was concrete and there wasn’t a patch of green to be found anywhere. And where were the hay bales and camp fires – after all keeping warm and sitting down occasionally are two things most of us girls enjoy right? The dancing kept me warm but my feet certainly suffered from three days of standing up.

And, something I missed even more were the random interactions with passing strangers and conversations that put the world to rights, if only for a night. Hay bales and camp fires are good for instigating these.

Although, saying all this, the music was without doubt phenomenal. I discovered a lot of bands new to me, if not to the music world, and whom I’m now going to seek out again. Here are just a few of my highlights:

!!! (Chk Chk Chk), a dance-punk band, were formed back way when I was choosing which University to go to but you’d have guessed they’d been around this long. Their electronic music was electric and they put on a fun and fiery gig which ensured everyone was dancing. To top it off their lead singer, Nic Offer, has got to be one of the most charismatic frontmen I’ve ever witnessed.

Another band that got me dancing was Antibalas, a truly funky afrobeat band which incorporates jazz, funk, dub, hip hop and traditional South America and African drumming. They’ve got eleven core members but that night at Primavera their horn section had at least seven players, four of which were on the saxophones. They were worth watching just for this sight alone.

Another favourite, and again very different band, was Black Lips. This band relived me on the final night of the festival – I was seriously flagging with very swollen feet – but was able to rock out for a full hour with these guys playing. They’re a punk-rock band who manage to weave garage across indie, punk, rock and psychedelic – yet have the air of an unruly country band.

It was also good to see the ladies out in force in Barcelona. Another personal highlight was Factory Floor, an electronic band who Primavera describe as the child LCD Soundsystem and Hot Chip never had. Nik Cold Void, the band’s guitarist, vocalist and stage-right electronics manipulator, was absolutely mesmerising – and inspiring. The set was a heady post-industrial mix of electronic, rock, tech and house.

I also caught all girl (& all sister) band Haim. These rock chicks have been setting the world on fire recently and earned a top ranking in BBC’s Sound of 2013 poll, plus the accolade of ‘Most promising band in 2013′. Part of their appeal is the wide spectrum their sound covers; mixing pop, rock and even R&B to create seventies pop, sixties sounds and nineties folk. Wow, what a music smorgasbord indeed!

But for me – while I love good music especially discovering new acts – it’s definitely the scene that makes a festival experience. I‘m off to Beacons and End of the Road festivals next – Yorkshire and Dorset respectively – and will definitely be sticking to the sunny fields of England next year. And guess what Black Lips are playing at End of the Road – I can’t wait!

If you fancy planning the rest of this year’s or next year’s festival season check out e-festivals – a fab website where you can search for festivals by location or the dates you want to go.

Hope to see you all around a camp fire very soon.

 

 

 

Image sources

Image of Parc Del Forum – Primavera Sound: Antonia Hayes for Trespass Magazine

Image of Nik Cold Void, Factory Floor: Imeh Akpanudosen for Zimbo

Image of Antibalas: Popmontreal