The Californian played at least three sets during the Festival; I was happy to have caught him at the smallest stage, though his music is slightly less to my taste than Hiss Golden Messenger's last year.
Unusually, I chose to watch this Catalan folk singer from afar, in order to preserve some remaining energy for the night ahead, but her easy going, melodic music was perfect for a relaxed early summer afternoon by the Mediterranean.
Another local Barcelona band, but whom impressed less in what was a slightly slow start to the final day of Primavera; early evening at Primavera is the equivalent of a midday slot at other festivals when atmosphere can be lacking amidst thin crowds.
Meghan Remy presented one of the more experimental and unpredictable sets of the Festival with eclectic influences including 70's disco, which owed something to theatre too. It made heavy use of a backing tape, but the acting and sheer creativity won me over.
The Norwegian trio came on stage in blonde wigs, and proceeded to undress to reveal flesh coloured underwear. The tuba player later cut Jenny's wig with scissors, and they smeared lipstick on her. There were multiple surprises, and layers of symbolism in this performance art. After being exposed to creative talent for almost three days, I was in just the right state of mind to be open to this eccentricity, and I found something of the zany, rebellious streak that is so evident in St. Vincent's work. As Jenny explained near the beginning of this amazing journey, she was there to 'make things complicated'.
Understandably heavy on tracks from her recent Hope Six Demolition Project record, PJ Harvey was totally committed, moving around stage with inspiring energy, alternating between vocals and saxophone. Her sizeable band's contribution was almost as important, almost amounting to an orchestra, and the impact was far greater than you might have expected. Given that the last time I was able to see this artist was 2011, I'm immensely grateful for this opportunity.
One of the first dates of the Icelandic post-rockers' 2016 tour when they performed as a trio for the first time, this set was absolutely transcendent. Notable for the explosive visuals, more than Radiohead, the large stage added rather than detracted from its live power. The highlight of the entire festival.
The German producer played with a band and attracted a sizeable, enthusiastic crowd, despite playing until 4am (which by Primavera standards, isn't particularly late). The style combines elements of Caribou's electronics with disco, and proved to be an upbeat end to my Festival.
Introduction
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
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