The Friday of Primavera brings an epic line up, luckily we're in Spain so playing times are late which helps when you get to sleep at almost sunrise. Before I head down to the festival site I grab some paella for lunch and check out some of the record stores of Barcelona, some of them are pretty impressive and you'll be able to read about them soon on Record Stores Of The World. My main aim is to get to the festival site by the time John Maus hits the stage, while I haven't heard a lot of his music some friends have got me across some of his tracks. Chaneling his best Ariel Pink (which is probably not too surprising seeing he has been a member of his band at times), the set is fun but I feel may have benefited more from a bit later in the evening slot.
Father John Misty
Next up were The Breeders, they played their hits along with some new stuff but the set was sloppy and plagued with technical issues. It is the total opposite when Father John Misty enters the other end of the main stage following them. The day after he just released a brilliant new album, the set is perfectly timed to happen at the Spanish sunset as Tillman and his band play a pretty perfect set drawing off all of the back catalogue along with tunes from the aforementioned new record. 'Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings' proves to be the crowd favourite though in a set full of great moments.
Shellac
The National hit the stage next, I love this band on record but live it feels something is a little lacking, they have a solid adoring crowd though so it's obviously not everyones opinion. I watch about half of their set and head across to another stage because Shellac are about to play! Heading down to one of the smaller stages right on the water, the unassuming three guys that make up Shellac are rolling through their final moments of sound check. Last time I'd seen them was a number of years ago in Melbourne when they hit Australia for the first time in forever. That was an amazing moment and as a band that rate highly in my all time favourite bands list, it was pretty amazing when I saw their name included among the Primavera line up. They blast their way through an epic set seemingly playing at a level one step louder and more abrasive then any other band on the festival could imagine. Steve, Todd and Bob still own it!
I quickly race across to see Superorganism as I really like their album and I was intrigued as to how they'd do it live. Luckily they can deliver it live and really had the crowd in a frenzy, the band themselves were obviously really humbled by the experience as well, and just how quick things have happened for them. At every chance taking the opportunity to let the fans know how surreal and crazy this is, as well as letting everyone know it was the biggest crowd they had ever played to. There was something so beautiful and innocent about this.
Cigarettes After Sex
While Superorganism are one of the newer bands on the line up, Ride are one of the veterans. I make it back to their set a few songs in but thankfully they had left a lot of their 'Nowhere' era tunes until later in the set so I got to witness them, including the indie classic 'Vapour Trail'. They also played some solid new songs off a brand new ep and tunes off last years release which I haven't spent a lot of time with. Earlier this year I saw Cigarettes After Sex deliver a pretty special show in Sydney, they released one if my favourite albums of last year, but I was unsure how they'd go on a festival stage. Thankfully they were still a pretty special experience, there is something hypnotic about their tunes that draws you in and makes you forget where exactly you are at, it's something pretty powerful.
IDELS
At The Great Escape a couple of weeks back, one of the most buzzed bands was IDELS, it was impossible to get into any of their shows there so I made sure I caught them here. The British five piece, who are signed to Partisan Records deliver a driving, energetic show. Sonically they remind of a sound sitting somewhere between Gang Of Four and The Bronx, and their live show doesn't let up from start to finish. These guys are a band we'll be hearing plenty more about soon. To wrap things up I head back to see Ty Segall and the Freedom Band, with a set drawing mainly on his latest record, it is epic, heavy, jammy and provides a perfect wrap up for another huge day.
Ty Segall
I brave a crowded bus back up town to my hotel and get prepared for the final day.