After eight days of live music we set our sights on the second weekend of Primavera Sound 2022.

With our final weekend, we summoned the last of our energy and gave the final three days our absolute all. We were blown away by a plethora of talented acts. Highlights from weekend two included the illustrious Megan Thee Stallion, Indie heroes The Strokes and the ever soulful Brittany Howard.

Day One: Thursday

Alex Cameron - Binance

As we return to Parc-Del-Forum and it’s sun that lights it, the Binance stage is lit even more brightly by our first act, Alex Cameron. Joined by his co-writer/saxophonist superstar, Roy Molloy, plus a talented backing band, the group opened with “Happy Ending,” from the 2013 album “Jumping the Shark.” As the set progresses with fan favourites like “Candy May” and “Miami Memory,” we are not only reminded of Cameron and his dear friend and business partner Roy Molloy’s great storytelling through song, but also their use of naughty lyrics that your mother would scoff at. Halfway through the set, Cameron admits that he does have a new album: “Oxy Music” to promote, so he continues with its latest release “Sara Jo.” The duo were aware enough of the fact that at a festival setting, the audience wanted a slice of everything. So Alex, Roy and the band curated the perfect setlist that pleased both new and seasoned Al Cam fans alike. “Stranger’s Kiss,” is played towards the end of the set with backing vocalist Rosie, beautifully covering Angel Olsen’s part. The show closes with the hit “Marlon Brando.”

Amyl and the Sniffers - Pull&Bear

Continuing to fly Australia’s flag this side of the world are punk-rock, four piece Amyl and the Sniffers. Bryce Wilson, Dec Martens and Gus Romer’s musicianship is tighter than ever, Amy Taylor is the icing on the cake - the band perfectly compliment each other. It’s amazing to see these guys reach the level they are at now, their loyal fanbase spreading by the second. It’s hard not to fall in love with Amyl and the Sniffers, when you hear tracks like “Guided By Angels,” “Knifey” and “Hertz” live, their spirit radiates through you. Despite their mighty sound, their humility is something that makes them all the more likeable. “I’ve never used one of these long-stage thingys before” Amy gushes (referring to Dua Lipa’s thrust stage), which is hard to believe, as she took it all in her stride, quite literally.

Khruangbin - Estrella Damm

As suspected, it's suuuuuper chill over by the Estrella Damm stage and that’s because of one reason only, Khruangbhin. The trio shared their talents with their welcoming audience and provided the perfect melodies to sway to in the last of the sunshine, or lie down and close your eyes and melt into the music until, wait a minute - is that Mos Def?

We decided to spend the second half of our evening over by the Tous stage as we felt pretty bad for neglecting it last week, plus the lineup was pretty sick tonight.

Cazzu - Tous

We were lucky enough to catch Argentinian trap VIP, Cazzu. Her devilish flow becomes more infectious as each line is delivered. Cazzu is the perfect package, the flawless blend of rap, trap, pure vocals, hefty beats and tight dancing - her shows really do have it all.

Ashnikko - Tous

Next up is blue haired boss, Ashnikko. We’ve been waiting a long time for this show and the American artist did not disappoint. All the bangers were played including: “Slumber party,” “Daisy” and “L8r Boi” much to the audience’s delight. As the night progresses, so does Ashnikko’s feistiness, the crowd too, devouring the artist’s energy. In this world, Ashnikko is king and we are her subjects, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Tous

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard’s fifth and final show takes place on the Tous stage tonight. So far no repeats, pretty impressive but not surprising considering the band's extensive songbook. We guess it's more surprising (and a testament to their talents) when you make the comparison that they can remember their varying setlist each night and we can’t even remember our own names by now. Opening with “Crumbling Castle,” it feels like it’s going to be a heavier setlist with the Gizz boys tonight. We catch a breather with well-timed “Shanghai.” Ambrose congratulates the crowd for seeing Gizz instead of “the monkeys,” (Gorillaz) in-between tracks. King Gizz epically closes their set and their Barcelona chapter with “Rattlesnake,” providing the vigorous charge to whatever dregs of energy we had left by this point. The crowd soaks up every second of it, we shuffle, mosh and chant along till the final note.

Charli XCX - Tous

Having been blown away by Charli XCX during week one we had to go see her “twice”. Once again, Charli XCX blew us away with her explosive pop production. Seeming like more of an icon than ever, the artist tore up the stage, playing a similar set to the first week of new songs from her recent album CRASH.

Day Two: Friday

Our penultimate day at the festival! We can’t quite believe we’ve made it this far. Although it’s pretty easy to do when you are watching your favourite music heroes every night…

Brittany Howard Estrella Damm

First up today and setting a very high bar for the acts to follow, is Brittany Howard. Beginning with a cover of Funkadelic’s “Hit It and Quit It" there’s no doubt that Brittany knows how to make an entrance. We are taken through beautifully written tracks from Howard’s first and only solo album “Jaime” that came out in 2019 (however, due to covid it still feels pretty fresh to hear it in a live setting). Halfway through the show, Brittany Howard and her band treat us to another glorious cover, “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher” (Jackie Wilson) if you weren’t dancing previously, you would be by now. “Goat Head” is followed by “Tomorrow” and then “13th Century Metal,” which is everything you want it to be when you experience it live. Howard closes with yet another strong cover of Nina Simone’s “Revolution.” Howard’s songwriting partnered with her whole vibe is something that reaches right through to your soul. Brittany Howard is like a knight, her vocals are her armour and the guitar her sword. She leads the battle with love and vitality. Brittany Howard is a light that shines brightly, her character drives you the audience, to nothing else other than reflect that light back to her, creating a harmonious spirit and space. This Neo Soul at its best.

Lorde Pull&Bear

It seems that the covid hiatus for artists, not only provided them with some time to make some wonderful albums, but also time to think about how they can enhance their performance through stage design. Lorde’s set on the Pull&Bear stage is a perfect example of this. Equipped with sharply dressed musical associates, Lorde and her posse are introduced to us via a giant, rotating sundial. Yep, you read that right, giant, rotating sundial. Keeping it on brand with her latest album, “Solar Power,” the sundial was the perfect performance playground for Lorde and the gang to have fun on. “The Path,” this evening’s opener, was a great choice, as by the time we reach the chorus, everyone is cheering along to the lyrics. It’s noticeable and not surprising that Lorde has a lot of super-fans. It’s really highlighted when we hear tracks from older releases like “Ribs,” and “Liability,” the audience act as a choir, religiously singing every single lyric, it was both heartwarming and transcendent. The James Turell-esque lighting indicates what’s next, the audience erupts further as the intro chords for “Green Light” are played. Lorde closes with “Solar Power.”

The Strokes Estrella Damm

The moment we have been waiting for is finally here. The filler music drops and The Strokes take the stage. Opening with “Bad Decisions,” we are reminded of how iconic The Strokes truly are. Julian, now covid free, cracks jokes in between songs, “I was told I would be speaking to my Catalan people. Bullshit!” he cries out to the audience. We are treated to earlier indie bangers; “Juicebox” and “Someday.” Another cheeky comment Julian makes through a crooked smile, “Do animals find us cute?” was a fun segue into “Reptilla.” It’s not all older songs tonight though, we hear “The Adults Are Talking,” from 2020 album “The New Abnormal,” This was the first time experiencing this song live and it was worth waiting for. “I think if I went to this festival I would never listen to music again,” Casablancas comments on the audience’s stamina in his own charm. The band blast through the rest of their set, closing with “Under Cover of Darkness.” Although Julian is the frontman, Albert, Nickolai, Fabrizio and Nick are not outperformed by him, their sharp, sophisticated, tight playing on their respective chosen instrument seems to have got better with age. Apparently, “At the Door,” and “Ode to the Mets,” were on tonight’s setlist however, the band ran out of time and couldn’t play because Julian talked way too much (sorry couldn’t resist). The boys encored with “The Threat of Joy.” The show was everything you wanted it to be. The Strokes curated a setlist that consisted of back to back anthems. Yes, they didn’t play “Last Nite,” but they didn’t need to. That’s why we love The Strokes, they play what they want to play.

After decompressing from The Strokes, we cruise a loop of the main festival site. We hear portions of The Smile’s set (which sounded great) on our way back to the Estrella Damm stage.

Run the Jewels Estrella Damm

Casablancas wasn’t wrong with his comments on the endurance the audience needs when attending Primavera Sound. But this marathon isn’t a difficult one and that’s because of the festival’s line-up, each act provides the perfect energy boost. Our final act and lift on our list tonight is Run the Jewels, what a pick me up eh? Run the Jewels are hip-hop legends and they know it, the duo’s self-assurance is concrete and it solidifies even more as they power through each track. EL-P and Killer Mike end our night on a high with “Run the Jewels” - obviously.

Day Three: Saturday

The time has come, the inevitable is here and as much as we don’t want it to be true, it’s our final day at Primavera Sound Barcelona.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Pull&Bear

The NYC trio’s welcome return to performing, kicks off with “Spitting Off the Edge of the World,” from their forthcoming 2022 album scheduled for a September release. Karen O is embellished in charisma (and metallic rainbow outfit). The band steamed through their set, introducing fresh songs like “Burning,” that needed to be restarted because Karen forgot the lyrics (hey it's a new one!). We get transported back into the 2000s with “Heads Will Roll,” complete with massive inflatable eyeballs bouncing into the crowd. Karen O is a queen tonight, leading the indie sleaze resurgence, Yeah Yeah Yeahs encore the set with “Date With the Night.”

Tame Impala Estrella Damm

Take 2 with Tame Impala, we’re in a much better spot compared to last week. Similar to the other headliners, there is no restricting the set design here. It’s an exhilarating audio, visual adventure right from the get go. Like an advert from Black Mirror, the screens either side of the stage open with a pharmaceutical type character explaining what kind of journey we are about to embark on. The pre-recorded video gets glitchier and trippier until it transitions into a kaleidoscope of colours and the intro of our opener “One More Year” is played. Parker and his crew that form Tame Impala, take us through a healthy fusion of “Lonerism,” “Innerspeaker,” “Currents” and “The Slow Rush” releases. All the while, lasers and a beaming UFO-like structure dips and lifts around them. It’s a lot to take in. It’s always nice to hear Tame Impala’s earlier work live. Their humble beginnings feel contrary when you experience songs like “Elephant” and “Apocalypse Dreams.” The guys close with “Runway, Houses, City, Clouds” and encore with Currents favourites “The Less I Know the Better” and “New Person, Same Old Mistakes.” After seeing Tame Impala a few times at Primavera across the years, their shows’ scale getting grander and grander as each year passes, you do end up kind of missing the fuzziness of those earlier shows. We don’t need all the lights and the frilly edges, we just want the music. Because of the spectacle of the show, people want to document it, you see something amazing, you want to remember it - you take a lil pic or a video. It was noticeable that a percentage of audience numbers tonight were not interested in the older songs and were only there for the “Let it Happen” confetti cannon (and to record an insta-story). And hey, it’s their festival too, who are we to dictate how the audience act? Not to sound cliché, (which as a Tame Impala fan, it’s hard not to) but their older sets and the audience they attracted, were better. And it does feel like Parker wants to revisit his older sounds too, after releasing a live version of “Why Won’t They Talk to Me” in 2020 and now promising to play “Innerspeaker” in full at Desert Days later this year. Maybe we can hope for something similar for the Primavera resident performers in the future…

Phoenix Pull&Bear

Phoenix are idols, their global fanbase is made up of appreciators of indie, synth pop, french pop and guitar (to name a few) and we were all there at the Pull&Bear stage tonight. Hungry for Tomas Mars, Deck d’Arcy, Laurent Brancowits and Christian Mazzalai to appear. Launching with “Lisztomania,” it’s a party as soon as we hear the opening notes. The band gleefully play through their set that consists of “Too Young / Girlfriend,” “Trying to Be Cool / Drakkor Noir,” and latest release, “Alpha Zulu.” Maybe it’s the nature of Phoenix’s music but the atmosphere in the audience is electric and excited but also serene and friendly, everyone is looking out for each-other. Towards the end of the set, we are treated to “Ti amo” and “Identical,” before the band close with “1901.” But this is not the end of the French carnival. As the band revisit “Identical,” and in the character of a true front man, Tomas Mars crowd surfs to as far as his mic lead allows (which is pretty far, as Mars is almost touching the V.I.P. scaffolding). Supported by his adoring fans, he stands up, everyone cheering in celebration. It’s a very surreal moment to be part of this, the last turbulent 3 years are forgotten and harmony amongst the live music industry has been restored. Now this might be because it was the last night and almost 2 weeks of festival related merrymaking had finally got to my head, but this was one of the best shows I have ever been to at Primavera, if not, in my life?! The energy, the set list, the crowd surf, the audience, everything was 10/10. You couldn’t fault it. When the show eventually came to a close everyone in the audience was turning to their neighbour and smiling in disbelief at the level of magic they were just part of.

Megan Thee Stallion Estrella Damm

We embark on our zig-zag across to the Estrella Damm stage for a final time. Nothing could top that Phoenix show right? Maybe not? Making a top contender to triumph at the festival is our next act, Megan Thee Stallion. Champing at the bit and continuing her explosive live introduction to Spain, the rapper storms the stage with “Realer,” as her opener. “WAP,” comes around early in the setlist much to the crowd’s delight, everyone screaming the words, it’s a thrilling frenzy to be part of. Megan has the moves (and apparently so does the audience), as “Body” plays the entirety of the Estrella Damm flock are busting out. At some point Megan takes a moment to hold a “fuck you” to the Rowe V. Wade abortion law argument happening in some states in the U.S. and an ocean of middle fingers fill the sky on Megan’s command. But it’s not all serious shit. When interacting with the crowd, her boss “Hot Girl Coach” attitude is juxtaposed by her sweet charm and human jokes. A perfect example is when an adoring fan’s phone screen reading “MEGAN ADOPT ME” is picked up by the screens and Megan, after a cute interaction with said fan, Megan’s calls to her DJ: “Play that shit, quick, I just adopted someone :S.” “Savage” is our closing track tonight, further proving that Megan Thee Stallion is a force to be reckoned with. It’s near impossible to pick your favourite performance at Primavera, but Megan Thee Stallion’s is certainly up there.

For us, we had Megan Thee Stallion down as our finish line. “But it’s our last night?!” We easily convince ourselves to float around Parc-Del-Forum before we leave it behind for the last time in 2022. As each stage in the main area hosts their final acts, the allurement of the Cupra stage pulls us in.

DJ Coco Cupra

Everyone is here, the steps that surround the Cupra stage are covered with revellers, joyously dancing and celebrating. The stage and the floor in front of it, is full of people too. DJ Coco is our closing artist tonight, playing all guilty pleasures, there’s no hiding you know all the words to (ahem Katy Perry, Firework). It feels like time has stood still at this moment, nobody has any worries anymore. This was the perfect medal at the end of the marathon that was Primavera Sound 2022. As the sky is lit with fireworks (as initiated by Katy Perry) the sun starts to spill over the horizon. As we grab 5am hotdogs to fuel our journey back to our temporary holiday home, our ending at the festival is euphoric.

Final reflections

The new layout of the double stages were rumoured to have changed to the way they were because of noise pollution complaints from BCN locals, which is totally fair. Even though it was difficult to navigate sometimes, the sound on these stages was mostly great compared to previous years and other city festivals we’ve been to.
On the first night, the water / bar situation wasn’t ideal. However, Primavera were quick to respond with more staff, added water points and free water stands as the festival continued.

All of this cannot compete and overshadow one thing. The Music. The quality of the music and the catalogue of artists that decorate Primavera’s line-up, every year since it’s beginnings, is second to none. Primavera Sound’s 2022 reputation for this year’s line-up (covid drop-outs considered) still makes it a festival well worth attending and returning to. After all, name a festival where you haven’t had to queue and the toilets haven’t been gross?

Ultimately, the incredible music is the only reason you’re here in the first place.

Primavera Festival Highlights: Weekend Two