Primavera Sound 2016 Day 3

Cass McCombs 7/10
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.

Joanna Serrat 7/10
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.

Pajaro Jack 5/10
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.

U.S. Girls 8/10
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.

Jenny Hval 8.5/10
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'.

PJ Harvey 9.5/10
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.

Sigur Ros 10/10
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.

Roosevelt 7/10
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

Primavera Sound 2016 Day 2

Shura 8/10
The English synth pop artist and producer impressed me greatly with her enthusiasm, opening Day 2 on what became one of my favourite stages, for its intimacy.

Ben Watt Band 6/10
Influenced by jazz and folk, the British artist disappointed somewhat, only serving to emphasised the lack of roots and Americana artists at this Festival.

Moses Sumney 8/10
One of my most exciting discoveries this  year, the LA singer songwriter made imaginative use of vocal effects (with no fewer than three microphones) and loops, yet he also takes in folk influences. If you enjoy Bon Iver, I'd strongly suggest investigating this artist.

Savages 9.5/10
In contrast to Radiohead's that followed, the crowd for Savages was incredibly warm and generous, and Beth ditto's audience engagement made this the highlight of my day, and it was incredibly cathartic, escapist post punk.

Radiohead 8/10
This was easily the most eagerly awaited set of the festival, and few were disappointed with the wide-ranging setlist. In addition, A Moon Shaped Pool is a return to form after King of Limbs, and will be easily one of my top albums of 2016. That ultimately I came away with some disappointment partly reflected Primavera security's attempt to sabotage the set for VIP customers just before it started, but also the difficulty of presenting such nuanced music to a crowed of 50,000. Near the front, the low volume levels were less of an issue than for others, and the refusal of the band to be filmed conventionally wasn't a concern. Yet, their act is uncompromising: there was little attempt to engage the audience, other than of course within the music, and little concession to the fact that they were not playing at the 1700 capacity Roundhouse on this evening. Ultimately, I've had more moving Radiohead experiences sat listening at home, or travelling with headphones, than stood in Barcelona.

Animal Collective 9/10
Coming directly after Radiohead, the smaller stage quickly became over-crowded, due to an exodus away from the Last Shadow Puppets who have received mixed reviews. Yet, these masters of electronics exuded a playfulness and sense of life that had been lacking over the past two hours.

Beach House 7/10
The Baltimore dream pop group closed my Coachella this year, and for the first time I felt I really appreciated their escapism. Yet, on a larger stage, without the backdrop of palm trees and with a less sophisticated lighting setup, they entranced me less here; perhaps I was still perturbed by the Radiohead situation.

Introduction
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3