Primavera 2013 review

As we cruelly found out at this year’s primo festival event - Primavera Sound 2013 - that the rain in Spain doesn’t stay mainly on the plain. This time round was different to the previous ones we'd attended; not just because of the cold weather, but the vibe too was also slightly askew; perhaps it was down to the move of the ATP stage which fucked with our Feng Shui. There seemed to be an increase in people too; and beer prices! 

That said, we can’t really knock Primavera; as a collective, we bang on about it a lot - let’s be honest here - it's awesome. 

Prima is special for us in a lot of ways: it’s the one time a year most of our friends are in one place and we can completely tear it up, whilst listening to epic music, beside a beautiful Barcelona backdrop. In total this year, there were about twenty of our extended group in attendance. We had people from the UK, Spain, Czech Republic, Sweden and the US in our merry crew and we’ve asked a handful of them to help us write a review of the highlights from the festival. So, from team Scene Not Herd, and friends, these are our best moments from another great festival.

AF - Deerhunter opening with Cover Me (Slowly) & Agoraphobia

I've dreamed of this happening since picking up Microcastle a few years back. I was convinced they would run through their newest record 'Monomania', however, my trepidation quickly turned to euphoria when the opening chords confirmed my wish had been granted.

SA - Deerhunter's set was unreal (the first one  I mean - they played three!)

At the Ray Ban stage Deerhunter played a really dreamy, hazy set   - as you would expect. It was full of familiar tracks, and a couple from the new record.  'Don't Cry' was the song of their show for me. The lyrics pretty much summed up how the cold and tired me was feeling at the time. 

OB - Pantha Du Prince and the Bell Laboratory  

In turns delicate, mesmerising, banging, fun... one of the best and most unique things I’ve seen

EH - Our silly dancing competition during The Jesus and Mary Chain’s set

Dancing like crazies to keep ourselves warm, we gained a audience bigger than the one watching the concert! Don't know who won though... think it was probably a tie.

SA - Dancing  to absolutely everything.

Purely because it was so cold, we ended up dancing around manically to ANY music that was playing. Even if it was sad, or slow - like a lot of the Animal Collective stuff towards the end of their set - we just ended up boogying. I remember sitting down at the Knife because my feet hurt and I was tired - but I had a little floor dance, with my eyes shut. I looked like a total dweeb, but had the best time. 

 OB - Animal Collective ending with Purple Bottle

A pulsating end to a great set which wasn’t half as impenetrable as many expected

AF -Seeing the sunrise whilst watching The Suicide of Western Culture/Midnight City

By the third night, I was ill and had what felt like a perma hangover from the opening night. It didn't help that the weather was completely confused, and apparently stuck in Barca on its way to the UK. However, the pure satisfaction of making it to sunrise on the Sunday morning felt like a mighty achievement. My joy was furthered when exiting  the festival, Midnight City was being blasted out by a DJ at the amphitheatre-like Ray Ban Stage. Seeing thousands go mental when the chorus kicked in was a sight to behold, and coupled with the mass ticker tape being blasted from every orifice of the Ray Ban Stage, it was eye candy. 

SA - I actually really loved Phoenix

They pretty much played all of 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix' - which is the only album I know of theirs. It sounded exactly like the record; a lot of people would whine about this, but I thought it was great - because it was blasting out on giant speakers, and everyone was singing along and they were just really, really happy. Obvs we had a massive dance. It was sick. 

 AF -The Breeders playing No Aloha

This was a tough one between the above mentioned and the entire Blur set. However, seeing one of my favourite songs of all time being performed by the Deals and co gave me good vibes and the odd tingle down my spine.

 EH - The epic Crystal Castles gig we stumbled upon on Saturday night.

We ended up dancing like proper ravers only sitting down on the steps at the Ray Ban stage! Gold!

 OB - Wedding Present’s secret set before Blur

 Nice way to deal with pre-gig impatience!

 AF - Honourable mention:

Graham Coxon tumbling backwards whilst still playing guitar was a phenomenal sight. 

(editor: not music related, but I’m going to leave this in, purely because it’s cute)

 EH - Going to be pretty soppy on my last fav moment so apologies before hand...

hanging out with two of my fav girls Soph and Cars (I miss you guys!)