Short version: This is the best music festival I've ever attended. And based on a lot of attendees and even some bands, it's in the running for the best in the world.

Long version: I decided to go for Pulp when they announced the reunion dates last November. The rest of the lineup was just a bonus, or so I thought. Besides, how could this not have been a win/win situation? It's Barcelona in May. First of all, the setting is spectacular - on an exposition site on the north side of Barcelona.









Secondly, the lineup was terrific (http://www.primaverasound.com/ps/?page=cartel&lang=en). Acts play from 5pm with the last going on at 5am. Unlike a lot of major festivals, I never got the feeling that headliners were a big deal, aside from Pulp. Sure, people were interested in the bigger names like PJ Harvey and Animal Collective, as well as the recently hyped like James Blake (see Pitchfork stage image above) or Cults (see ATP stage image above), but it was just as likely to see a huge crowd gathered for low-billed acts like Garotas Suecas, who were awesome, or La Celula Durmiente. That doesn't seem to happen in the US as much.

I had a chance to hear a few albums in full - Echo & the Bunnymen's Heaven Up Here and Crocodiles were horrible with Ian being a complete dick the entire set. Suicide's performance of their first LP was also disappointing in that it looked like Alan Vega had no idea how to perform anymore. But the best I saw all weekend was Mercury Rev killing it with Deserter's Songs and an encore of "Solsbury Hill", "The Dark is Rising" and "Senses on Fire." They sounded tremendous. (And then I ran into them at the airport the next morning and told them so.)

The Pulp set was amazing. They started with "Do You Remember the First Time?" and blew through a lot of His N Hers and Different Class with only two others ("This is Hardcore" and "Sunrise") tossed in for good measure. There was a marriage proposal and Jarvis had the crowd in his hand all night. Just a really excellent festival all around, apart from a couple organizational issues like drink cards not working or too few shuttle buses when public transit wasn't in session.


[obvious]


Mercury Rev


Las Robertas

edit: This person was standing about ten feet from me:

Jo sóc molt gelós

I loved Barcelona during the very short visit I made there a decade ago, and to top that city with incredible music, yeah, I can see why you felt it was the best festival you've ever attended.

I miss Barcelona.

Oh man that looks like a fucking BLAST. JEALOUSSSS

I would love to go to this festival one day. Looks awesome.

im planning a trip for next year

who's with me

we'll charter a plane

i call aisle seat

Pulp must have been epic.

my two complaints were that they only played 90 minutes and it was the most crowded i've ever been - almost to the point of uncomfortability. but to finally hear those songs live and be amongst everyone losing their minds and singing along... yes, "epic" is a good word to describe it.

set list, for reference:

do you remember the first time?
pink glove
pencil skirt
something changed
disco 2000
babies
sorted for e's & wizz
f.e.e.l.i.n.g.c.a.l.l.e.d.l.o.v.e.
i spy
underwear
this is hardcore
sunrise
bar italia
common people
razzmatazz