On Tour: Primavera Sound 2010

The only bad thing about Primavera Sound, neatly tucked in the Forum in the centre of Barcelona, is that it still smells like a festival. By the Saturday evening, when HEALTH burst eardrums at one end of the festival, and reggae sooths the other end to a comedown, there's the unmistakable whiff of festival toilet, discarded pizza and that thing that happens when loads of people leave lager lying about and/or spill it on hundreds of pairs of canvas shoes.

Still, we had fun getting there.

Monotonix

Perhaps it's just as well that Monotonix are not playing on the actual VICE stace, a location that despite the great line up is criticised over the weekend for not being as awesome as the other stages for sound and atmosphere. They play a set of firey punk rock from the middle of the crowd, dragging the mosh pit with them. Despite shutting down after 2 songs at All Tomorrow's parties they make it through a full set and even those who are sitting safely on terraced area are dragged into chaos as it comes to a clattering close.






(Located a little bit further away than the Pitchfork and ATP curated areas, it's more than likely that a lot of people are just a bit lazy).

The XX

I have a confession to make. I have a problem with the XX. No, not the one that has some of the crowd in tears as every minor chord washes over the crowd. Not the one that has music snobs pretend-confess that they've never heard them. It's one that goes like this.

Last year I saw the supporting Micachu and The Shapes and I was really impressed by them. The delicate samples, the sweet demeanor coupled with a tough look, the fact that they rely on good songwriting...it was great. But I wasn't blown away on record or by "Crystalised" eeking out of the radio every half an hour. They seem detached on tape, not like kids singing in their mirror. But live. Phwoar. The XX are the perfect band for the main stage on the first night. Nice lights, too.



Titus Andronicus

Pre Primavera they played 53 US shows on the trot but you can tell Titus Andronicus still relish playing live. Less snarly, a lot more epic than their earlier work, "The Monitor" sounds big and brave while the addition of Amy Klein on guitar (seriously, she rocked out more than anyone all weekend) is a touch of brilliance.




Fuck Buttons

The next evening chat to Ben Power, one half of Fuck Buttons, hanging out at Panda Bear. He's smiling, swaying through the crowd unnoticed as he enjoys the rest of the festival. And so he should. The night before his project has converted half the audience to noise making kit and pedals and convinced the naysayers, "ooohhhh surely only poncey bores like fuck buttons", that they can be bloody exciting. Plus they had a massive disco ball and lights that made them look like a two man mobile disco.



The Smithwesterns

Those Smithwesterns are cheeky little sods. They saunter on stage like they own the place, charm the pants off everyone with their prom night pop and then forget the whole weekend in a drug haze. Guess they better come back and play next year.




Best Coast

Bethany was a little disappointing on her UK tour but it seems like the initial teething problems have been sorted out. She's bolder (playing a cover of boyfriend Nathan Williams' "So Bored" even though well, Primavera isn't too partial to Wavves anymore...) and seems like she's having more fun. "When I'm With You" makes everyone move the most.





Beach House

Festivals can ruin a band for you. Seeing an old favourite dirge their way through two albums of materials in the pouring rain (Especially after last night's fiasco where your boyfriend kissed someone else. Again.) really takes the edge off any hit. Fortunately, it can also go the other way. In Barcelona, Beach House's "Teen Dream" (with some extra special additions from the self titled) is transformed into the soundtrack to sitting on the grass, glancing back at the sea and hanging with your mates at the most perfect festival ever. That's probably what they intended it to be anyway.




Pixies

Ok, I'll admit it. For the whole of Pixies set I was standing on a box in the guest area jumping about like a loon with lots of my friends. It's the Pixies. What else was I supposed to do?

[Photos: Lauren Evans]

To be Continued...