Primavera Festival Highlights: Day One
Still Listening staff cover 10 days of Primavera Sound 2022 and yes, we are wondering how we’re still alive.
Primavera Sound, for most festival-goers, marks the start of summer, a season packed full of patchy sunburn, balancing multiple drinks through seas of people, hours and hours of music from iconic artists (that you still can’t quite believe you saw play), dancing until the sun slips back over the horizon and repeating it all again the next day until the inevitable journey home back to reality.
Once you’ve been to Primavera for the first time, it’s hard to ignore re-attending when that first week of June comes back around. The festival’s continuously legendary lineup, idyllic settings and chilled atmosphere from the last time you went, will hold a place in the heart forever.
Anyway, enough of our love letter.
Let’s talk about who we saw, who we wish we saw (but sadly missed due to clashes) and the overall vibes of one of the largest most-attended festivals in Europe.
Primavera Sound kicked off its 20th edition by returning to its first home, Poble Espanyol. One of the more picturesque venues out of the Primavera a la Ciutat sites. Entering the 4500-capacity space on Montjuïc hill felt like entering a film set. The magic of the opening night, which served as both a welcome parade and reunion, was about to be enhanced by our first act.
The Linda Lindas
The Linda Lindas are relatively new on the scene, which is hard to believe as the LA four-piece has the confidence of groups with decades of experience; everything about them is infectious and radiant. Bursting onto the stage, with The Blue Hearts cover of the on-brand track “Linda Linda”, the group know how to kick off the celebrations. Following their opening, the group jump into “Growing Up,” a highlight from the night and their new album of the same name. Other highlights from the set included: “Talking to Myself,” “Cuantas Veces,” “Tonite” (The Go-Go’s cover) and “Racist, Sexist Boy.” Bela Salazar (17), Eloise Wong (14), Lucia de la Garza (15), Mila de la Garza (11), have uplifting, spontaneous energy and fun choreography, reminiscent of School of Rock. But The Linda Lindas aren’t gimmicky. They are charismatic, effortless and really fucking cool.
Wet Leg
As the last of Barcelona’s sun hangs sleepily in the sky, crowd favourites Wet Leg take the stage. Like two tornadoes, Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers spin on the spot in time with their guitar twangs. The Isle of Wight natives seem to constantly be on the road. However, Wet Leg shows are never boring and the guys never seem to feel deflated, maybe due to the catchy hits and the energy boost the audience brings as they enthusiastically chant along.
Teto Preto
Admittedly, we hadn’t heard of Teto Preto before tonight. We soon learned that they are impossible to forget, for all the right reasons. Carrying us through dusk into the night, the Brazilian band kept the vibe alive with their electric spirit and music that is best described as a fusion of genres. Known for their politically-horned songwriting, vocalist Laura Diaz/Angela Carneosso commands the stage in a chainmail harness and warpaint, echoing their lyrics “Tu Cuerpo Es una Armada”. In translation: “Your body is an Army”. Strong first impression? Consider it made.
Rina Sawayama
Not to be overshadowed by the location and the magic of Barcelona’s night sky, tonight’s Headliner Rina Sawayama brings bags of confidence and magnetism as the artist and her dancers enter the stage. Chants of Rina’s name echo from the crowd before the performer as she opens with “Sawayama” hit “Dynasty”. Rina already feels like royalty, the opulence (or populence, wheyy) she brings, her songwriting, energy all make her the right choice to close the night out. Other tracks performed by the Japanese-British artist included: “Comme des garçons (Like the Boys)" “XS” and new country-infused bop “This Hell.” Closing with a cover of Lady Gaga’s "Free Woman,” Rina further proves that we need to back up Primavera’s openness to welcoming more pop acts onto the line-up.